Xiaomi Mi Router AX9000 review

Introduction Xiaomi has been in the network game for a long time now. As with most product spaces it enters, the Chinese giant tends to make the biggest splash in the lower end of the market, bringing strong value offers and routers are no different. The original Mi Wi-Fi AC router was a runaway succes with its attractive price and it's still dutifully serving thousands of homes around the globe. But right now we are about to focus on the exact opposite end of the spectrum with the Mi Router AX9000. The AX9000 is a flagship monstrosity of a router that looks like a space ship,...

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Top 10 trending phones of week 33

Our trending chart kept chaging rapidly in week 33 as the storm of smartphone announcements continued. It wasn't quite as intensive as last week, but we still have three phones from three different makers in the top 10 on their debut. Xiaomi's Mix 4 just retained its top position, ahead of the newly announced mid-rangers Redmi 10 and Google Pixel 5a 5G. The Redmi Note 10 Pro is just off the podium, which is exactly where we left it last week, while the foldable duo Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 and Flip3 are down to fifth and sixth, respectively. The Poco X3 Pro is another phone to hold...

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Week 33 in review: Pixel 5a, Galaxy A52s 5G, Redmi 10, ROG Phone 5s official

Another week in the books, so let's recap it. Google topped the most popular stories chart with the announcement of the Pixel 5a 5G. It brings a slightly bigger screen, much bigger battery and IP67 resistance over the Pixel 4a 5G at a lower $449 price. The Pixel 5a 5G starts shipping on August 26. The Galaxy A52s 5G was unveiled with a fast 6nm Snapdragon 778G, a 120Hz display, 4,500mAh battery, 64MP main camera with OIS and a starting price of £410. Shipments commence on September 3. The Redmi 10 was made official with a 6.5-inch 90Hz display, a 5,000mAh battery, 50MP main camera and a...

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Xiaomi Redmi 10 in for review

Announced only a couple of days ago, Redmi's latest phone, the Redmi 10 has arrived at HQ. So let's proceed to the unboxing. The Redmi 10 comes with a 20W charger even though the phone tops at 18W, USB cable, a case, a SIM tool and some leaflets. The phone comes equipped with a 3.5mm headphone jack, but there are no headphones in the box, which is understandable given the price. We received the Pebble White model and it has a nice clean look. The camera island on the rear has a black accent, giving the rear panel a panda-reminiscent appearance. The display is an LCD of 90Hz...

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Weekly poll: if you could, would you buy a Pixel 5a 5G?

While Android is an open source OS with many contributors, it’s not exactly wrong to think of it as “Google’s OS”. Pixel owners benefit from that first-party software support as even though some brands have really stepped up their games, it’s the Pixels that typically get the fastest and most frequent updates. This has helped devices like the Pixel 4a 5G gain some traction in the market or at least some markets. Google is aware that it doesn’t have a global reach and it’s not even pretending otherwise – this is why the Pixel 5a 5G is launching in the US and Japan first at a starting price...

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Flashback: the Samsung and LG phones that learned to flex so that future models can fold

The silicon that chips are etched into is rigid and so is the glass substrate for a display – so how can you fold a phone without breaking it? To answer that we have to start at the beginning, which in our case is late 2013. The Samsung Galaxy Round launched on October 10 in South Korea (exclusively on SK Telecom) and became the first commercially-available smartphone with a flexible AMOLED display. The whole phone was curved (side to side), which made a ton of sense if you think about it. Your thumb moves in an arc and when you put the phone in your pocket, a curved device will conform...

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Weekly poll results: Galaxy Z Fold3 and Z Flip3 will get many pre-orders, more with good reviews

Pre-orders for Samsung’s new foldable phones have already started in the US, the UK and Europe and will kick off in India next week. Last week’s poll shows that many will be hitting that “pre-order” button, which will make the first week of sales an interesting time. There is a lot riding on the foldables, especially this year when there is no new Galaxy Note. About 1 in 4 voters will be pre-ordering a Galaxy Z Fold3, likely taking advantage of the early-bird perks and trade-in deals set up by Samsung. About as many people are taking a more cautious approach and are waiting for positive...

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