After the excitement and the distribution hiccups of its first launches, Xiaomi's next offering, the Redmi Note goes on sale in India tomorrow (December 2) at FlipKart. We got our hands on the device before its official release and after using it for a few days, we think this one too, is at Rs 8,999, a compelling combo of price and feature. Ergonomically speaking the Redmi Note fits neatly into the palm of your hand and offers a sharp, smart design, albeit lacking that metallic edge that many buyers seem to favour these days. This means the Redmi Note at 199 grams, weighs slightly less than some of its costlier counterparts.
Powered by a 1.7 GHz Octa-core processor which is significantly better than earlier models, the Note runs on the Android Jelly Bean OS, with 2 GB RAM, 8 GB expandable storage, a 5.5 inch IPS screen, a 13 megapixel primary (with Flash and wide angle) and a 5 megapixel secondary camera. Feature wise, it's a dual SIM device which means business, but doesn't let down the leisure seeker either.
What sets the phone apart from many other imports is that Xiaomi's India R&D team has added a few key features for this market particularly for the 4G model that will be available towards end of the year for an extra Rs 1,000. They have re-engineered the device to support two 4G spectrums -- Band 3 and Band 40. India is unique in a way that very few countries will be, in the months to come. While most countries adopt only one 4G band, service providers in India are already embracing both the bands. Redmi Note will be compatible with both these bands, ensuring you can go with any 4G provider. Additionally, the Redmi Note 4G will feature a smart text prediction technology called Swiftkey 5.1, providing support for 13 Indian languages.
Across three broad categories -- Bollywood, Cricket and Festivals -- Xiaomi engineers have also created themes around events like Sachin Tendulkar's cricketing milestones, Diwali greetings and even a special Rajnikant set.
Xiaomi is also tapping innovative Indian startups to beef up its global offerings centred around security, smart home strategies, fitness monitors, power banks etc. Innovation, clearly, knows no boundaries.
