Xiaomi Launches MIUI 12 with Focus on Privacy and UI Improvements

Smartphone manufacturers rely on custom Android skins to offer a tailored experience to their users. While there’s a variety of Android overlays – thanks to the customizable nature of Android – there are a few that most users can recall off the top of their heads. Xiaomi’s MIUI is definitely one of them and is among the most popular and widely used Android skins in the world – thanks to the brand’s value-for-money offerings in all price brackets and extreme customization which makes it stand out from among the rest. Today, Xiaomi released the latest version of its Android-based operating system globally as MIUI 12.

Users of Xiaomi, Redmi, and POCO-branded devices have been anticipating this latest release as the company puts a stronger focus on privacy and security features. As users begin to receive the latest update, they will also notice new UI elements and intricate system animations. In addition to the visual changes, MIUI 12 gets a host of features aimed at improving the privacy and security of the devices.

We got a chance to use the pre-release build of MIUI 12 global beta and discovered the following new features which have been added to Xiaomi’s Android interface.

What’s new in MIUI 12?

The MIUI 12 interface strikes a balance between aesthetics and vital information portrayed in a visually gripping manner. MIUI 12 gets several new interactive and visually detailed elements to offer a gripping and exciting experience. Since these changes are most likely to grab your attention, we’ll start with the UI and UX changes in MIUI followed by the under-the-hood improvements that the latest version of Xiaomi’s Android skin comes with.

User Interface Improvements

As we mentioned above, MIUI 12 gets a horde of new and striking changes in terms of appearance. The most evident ones of these include the new radially curved elements, the new animations, the new “Control center,” vivid 3D stats, and much improved dark mode. We take brief notes at each of these new features in the following sections.

New Design and animations

With MIUI 12, Xiaomi is emphasizing a lot on the design by focussing on small details that make for a premium experience. With the new interface, Xiaomi has made some changes at the system level for adding real-time gaussian blur effect. With a new physics and rendering engine in MIUI 12, UI elements change engagingly with each touch interaction.

The new visuals and animations in MIUI 12, as per Xiaomi, are inspired by nature. There is a variety of new animation ranging from the launching or closing of apps to switching apps using the bottom navigation bar. Xiaomi’s physics engine renders these animations with 3D trajectories utilizing G2 curvature that simulates real-life motion. Xiaomi is also adding subtle movements to the app icons to make the user experience more stimulating.

Control Center

One of the design elements that can be seen in a completely new avatar in MIUI 12 is the new Control center. The Control center has been isolated from the notifications panel and replaces the traditional quick settings tiles we see in Android as well as in previously released versions of MIUI. You can access the notifications by swiping down from the left side of the display’s upper edge whereas the Control center can be opened by swiping down from the right side of the display.

The Control center features a grid of quick setting shortcuts with the most important ones such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and mobile data shown in the form of rounded rectangular buttons with a tiny arrow in the bottom corner which can be used to show available Wi-Fi connections or Bluetooth devices on an overlay card. Another nifty addition is the new slider for brightness which is now placed in the center of the control center and is relatively more easily accessible than before, especially on phones with big displays. The Control center can be expanded by a downward swipe on the bar below the brightness slider and icons can be arranged manually based on your preferences.

All of these buttons in the Control center are animated and some, including the dark mode or the flashlight toggles, also change color when you tap on them. Users who prefer the MIUI 11-style quick settings panel will be able to turn off the Control center from Display settings.

Visual representation of data

There’s a key emphasis on visualizing data so it’s not just random and dull numbers that only attract geeks. Xiaomi has added animated visual elements to highlight the storage, utilization of storage, battery capacity, and the usage of battery. These visual elements make data engaging for the average users and not restricting these stats to the pro-users.

Besides considerable uptake of color-coding, these elements are also interactive – for instance, you can drag your finger over the battery consumption graph to see hourly battery usage or over the 3D stacked bar graph for the storage to see the categorization of file types stored on the device.

Dark Mode

The new enhanced dark mode on MIUI 12 features a darker color palette for system backgrounds, system apps, and third-party apps alike. This is an essential feature for those times when you find yourself using your phone at night or right before sleep. While the dark mode is much easier on your eyes, it also reduces battery consumption, especially on devices that feature AMOLED display.

Although dark mode was added to MIUI with the previous version – i.e. MIUI 11, the improved dark mode can also be applied selectively per app and even forced on apps that do not support the solid black true dark mode – like WhatsApp. Besides, the stock nature-inspired wallpapers in MIUI 12 can also adjust to a darker shade when you apply the dark mode feature.

Super Wallpapers

With MIUI 12, Xiaomi adds an interesting perspective to wallpapers. Since the UI is inspired by nature and the living elements of the universe, MIUI 12 also comes with a new set of live wallpapers – called Super Wallpapers – with multiple levels of aerial views above the Earth as well as Mars. When the screen is locked, the planets are visible from how they would appear in the distant space. When you tap on the display to activate it, you see a nearer view – perceivably from the planet’s orbit. And, when the phone is finally unlocked, a swift animation teleports you to vantage point right above the planet in a jiffy. Our verbal description may fall short of how good this feature is, so here’s an example of how MIUI’s Super Wallpapers work:

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User Experience Improvements

Besides the visual changes added in MIUI 12, there are a few functional improvements that enhance the overall user experience. New features added to MIUI 12 include floating windows, a new launcher with an app drawer, and a refined Ultra battery saver mode. In addition to these, MIUI 12 also gets a new and versatile casting feature that allows users to mirror their smartphone’s screen for official presentations or telecasting games or media to a larger display.

Floating Windows for multitasking

MIUI 12 brings some great new multitasking features that make Android much easier to use for power users. The new MIUI 12 global build adds floating windows which allow you to use two different apps at once. You can use these floating windows with simple gestures and resize, move, or close your windowed apps without disturbing your current activity. The floating windows also support MIUI’s navigation gestures and allow you to navigate in both the apps interchangeably and without any limitation.

Floating windows are supported in almost all of Xiaomi’s system apps as well as in a variety of third-party apps including Netflix, TikTok, Facebook, etc. You can either long-press on the app preview in the Recents menu or tap on the “Floating windows” option on the top left on the page. You can also pin up to 10 of your favorites apps to quickly access them from this menu.

App Drawer

Xiaomi’s newly introduced app launcher is one of the highlights of MIUI 12, especially for long-time Android users. Xiaomi started evaluating an app drawer in the MIUI global builds last year but now the feature comes integrated within the system. The newest addition to this launcher is an app drawer with highly useful organization tools that automatically sort apps according to the category. Besides this, you can also choose between a light and dark background for the launcher and vary the transparency of the background.

The launcher is similar to the POCO Launcher, which is also available for download from the Google Play Store and comes with certain additional features like an app vault and support for organizing icons based on color. The feature may not be active by default but can be Home Screen setting in MIUI 12. Users who prefer the traditional home screen without an app drawer can continue using that instead.

Ultra Battery Saver

Ultra Battery Saver is a new mode that will help users get more battery life out of their Xiaomi, Redmi, or POCO phones. When your phone’s battery starts running low, MIUI 12’s Ultra Battery Saver can be turned on to suspend the most battery-intensive processes while the system prioritizes more essential features. Calls, messages, and network connectivity remain fully useable in ultra battery saver mode.

You can choose up to six other apps besides Messages, Phone, and Contacts that you can use in the Ultra Battery Saver mode. Meanwhile, the background and the overall system theme is turned to a dark theme to conserve battery.

Casting

While stock Android has a built-in system for casting, it doesn’t provide many features aside from basic screen mirroring. MIUI 12 improves upon stock Android’s casting feature with some new abilities that make presentations much easier and more presentable while controlling them right from your phone. You can now cast your phone’s display to an external screen wirelessly in MIUI 12. The interface allows casting documents, apps, videos, or even games. The casting feature can be accessed from the share sheets within documents, photos, and videos, or from the drop-down Game Turbo menu in supported games.

The casting feature also complements MIUI 12’s new floating window feature, allowing you to cast a specific screen and then minimize that screen to start interacting with other apps without disrupting your presentation. Any incoming calls or notifications will be hidden from the cast on the external display.

If you have a particularly long presentation or using the feature to cast a long video, you can continue to cast while your screen is off, saving battery life. None of these features require an internet connection but may use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to connect to the larger screen.

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Enhanced Privacy Protections

MIUI 12 brings many new security features, making it a great solution for privacy-conscious users. Like we mentioned above, Xiaomi is not simply adding these new privacy features but also taking the effort of making them visually attractive. Besides making the privacy-related information easy to consume, MIUI 12 also makes this information easy to consume by simplifying how privacy-related permissions are grouped. As compared to stock Android, the information is present much more refreshing, illustrative, and intriguing.

MIUI 12 offers a comprehensive overview of the permission being used by different apps by using clear text and description under each permission. Compared to stock Android, the privacy data represented in MIUI 12 is easier to understand and less intimidating to the users.  In addition, MIUI 12 also allows users to control permissions for actions like the state of NFC connection and the ability of apps to show permanent notifications or as pop-up windows.

Besides the visual revamp of how MIUI 12 portrays information about privacy, it has also added easily noticeable alerts and controls that form an extra layer of protection and create awareness over stock Android as well as other Android skins.

Malicious apps rely on stealth to gather this information. Xiaomi has introduced the Background permission notifications features in MIUI 12 and it alerts you whenever an app begins using your location services, microphone, or camera. The new Background permission notifications system removes the risk of spyware or any other malware by showing you colored icons in the status bar.

A new High-risk permissions control feature gives you access to restriction options for certain high-risk permissions. This adds another layer of control over your data and who is trying to collect it.

MIUI 12 has other options to protect your private information when you’re sharing media. For instance, you can choose to share an image without the EXIF data that is generally attached to that photo and often contains time, location, and metadata information which can be used to trace you if uploaded anywhere online. This new feature in MIUI prevents information to be shared with anyone else who has a copy of this image.

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When will my phone receive the MIUI 12 update?

Xiaomi users will start receiving the new MIUI 12 update around the end of June 2020. If you have one of the following phones you’ll be first in line to receive the update:

 

The second phase of updates comes to the Xiaomi devices beginning in July of 2020.

We will continue to deliver more news about MIUI 12 updates as they make way to Xiaomi, Redmi, and POCO phones around the world.

You can also check out XDA’s early hands-on with MIUI 12.

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Google Chrome 83 redesigns privacy controls and adds a Safety Check feature

Privacy and security are two of the biggest concerns when it comes to using the internet. With so many people looking to Chrome for their web browsing needs, Google is constantly making tweaks to make the internet safer and more secure. The company has announced several new privacy and security features that will be included in Google Chrome 83.

First up, Chrome will be rolling out redesigned privacy controls. The goal of the redesign is to make the controls easier to find and understand. Users can choose if and how cookies are used by websites, including the ability to block third-party cookies (even in Incognito mode) or block cookies entirely on some or all websites.

Controls in Site Settings have been reorganized into two sections for easier access. One section is for website permissions, including location, camera, microphone, and notifications. The second section is new and it shows the most recent permissions activity. At the top of the Chrome settings, users will now see “You and Google,” which is where the sync controls have been moved. Deleting browsing data has been moved to the top of the Privacy & Security section.

The next new feature is called “Safety Check.” This new tool will tell users if their passwords have been compromised and how to fix them. It will warn users before visiting a dangerous site or downloading a harmful app or extension if Safe Browsing is turned off. There’s also a new way to quickly see if Chrome is up to date with the latest security patches, and it can tell users how to remove malicious extensions.

In addition to never saving browsing history, information entered in forms, and deleting cookies every time you close the window, Incognito mode will start blocking third-party cookies by default. Each Incognito session will include a new control at the top of the New Page tab. Users can choose to allow third-party cookies for specific sites.

Google is adding a new puzzle piece icon to the Chrome toolbar for extensions. Clicking the icon will show you what data extensions can access on the current website. Lastly, there are two new security features that users can opt-in to. “Enhanced Safe Browsing” gives you more proactive and tailored protection from phishing, malware, and other web-based threats. If enabled, Chrome proactively checks whether pages and downloads are dangerous by sending information about them to Google Safe Browsing.

The next feature is Secure DNS, which can improve your security and privacy while browsing the web. “When you access a website, your browser first needs to determine which server is hosting it, using a step known as a ‘DNS (Domain Name System) lookup.’ Chrome’s Secure DNS feature uses DNS-over-HTTPS to encrypt this step. Chrome will upgrade users to DNS-over-HTTPS if their current DNS provider supports it.

Look for all of these features in Chrome 83 in the upcoming weeks.

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Razer Opus Review – Comfortable, Long-lasting Wireless Headphones with ANC

Razer just announced the Opus, the gaming brand’s first lifestyle, Bluetooth wireless over-ear headphones, earlier today. There are already a lot of headphones from a lot of different, well-established audio accessory brands on the market, so the Razer Opus will need to offer a lot to stand out. Fortunately for Razer, the Opus isn’t their first foray into audio accessories, and they also have the backing of the THX brand to win over customers. I’ve been using the Razer Opus for nearly 3 weeks now, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how good these headphones are, especially when comparing them to the more expensive Sony WH-1000XM3.

About this review: I received the Razer Opus in Midnight Blue for review from Razer USA on April 30th, 2020. Razer did not have any input into or preview the content of this review.

Razer Opus Specifications

• THX Certified – For clear vocals & dialog, no distortion, and great noise isolation
• Advanced ANC – Hybrid active noise cancellation with 4 dedicated ANC mics
• Crafted for Comfort – Plush leatherette foam ear cushions and headband
• Opus Mobile App – THX-tuned EQ presets, automatic settings, and battery status
• Quick Attention Mode – For situational awareness whenever you need it
• Auto-Pause / Auto-Play – For seamless media playback
• On-the-Go Design – Up to 25 hours with ANC on, 3.5mm jack, and carrying case
• Drivers: 2 x 40mm dynamic drivers
• Weight: 265g
• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
• Microphone: 4 for hybrid ANC, 2 for voice chat
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.2 & 3.5mm
• Codecs: AAC & APTX, 4.2, A2DP, AVRCP, HFP
• Colors: Midnight Blue (available now) and Midnight Black (available later)

What’s in the box

Inside the box, you’ll find the following items:

• Razer Opus headphones
• Carrying case
• 3.5mm audio cable
• USB Type-C charging cable
• USB Type-A to USB Type-C adapter
• Airline headphone adapter

The inclusion of these audio accessories is a nice addition, though I recommend opting for a longer 3.5mm audio cable and Type-C charging cable as the included ones are a bit short. The included 3.5mm audio cable is 4ft in length while the Type-C cable is only 1ft. To be fair to Razer, they probably couldn’t have added longer cables without removing one of the two adapters or making the carrying case a bit larger. The Type-A to Type-C adapter and airline headphone adapters will be good to have when traveling (after we’re past peak COVID-19 spread, of course) as these will enable you to connect to a lot of the legacy systems still in use in some places.

The carrying case itself has a premium, leather-like feel. Like the headphones themselves, there’s only a Razer text logo and not Razer’s iconic three-headed snake logo. The case has a strap to make it easier to hold, even though overall, the case is quite compact and lightweight. Its dimensions are 7.5″ x 8″ x 2.5″, which is about identical to the carrying case that comes with the Sony WH-1000XM3. Internally, the space management is a bit generous provided you properly wrap up the 3.5mm audio and USB-C charging cables and place them in the included baggie. The Razer Opus fits quite snugly in the case once you fold either the left cup inward (the case is partitioned such that the Opus will fit only if the left cup is folded inward.)

Due to COVID-19, I haven’t been able to travel much, so I can’t speak for how portable the case and headphones are. However, the Razer Opus and its carrying case are very similar to the Sony WH-1000XM3 and its carrying case in dimensions and weight, and I’ve had no issues traveling domestically and abroad with those headphones. Once travel opens back up, I’m sure the Opus will serve me well on flights and in the back of an Uber.

Look and Feel

You can fold both of the earcups on the Razer Opus inward to have them rest on your neck. This is convenient for when you need to listen to your environment for extended periods of time but don’t want to actually put the headphones away. For temporarily listening to the environment, you can use the Quick Attention Mode feature.

I’ve been using the Razer Opus every day since I received them on April 30th. I don’t usually wear noise-canceling headphones for more than 2 hours at a time since I feel a bit unnerved to not hear typical ambient sounds for long periods of time, but I’ve never felt any actual physical discomfort when wearing these headphones. The plush leatherette memory foam padding on the headband and earcups is quite comfortable as it doesn’t put pressure on the areas where the headphone makes constant contact with your body. Razer designed its over-ear headphones to be circumaural so the earcups cover the entirety of your ear. The only discomfort I’ve felt on my ears when using the Opus came from when the volume of a particular track was too high.

The Razer Opus headphones are a tad bit heavier than my Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones (265g versus 254g), but the difference isn’t really noticeable during long-term use. What is noticeable, however, is the difference in perceived build quality between the two. The Sony WH-1000XM3s are expertly crafted to feel lightweight, but from day one I’ve always thought they felt a bit cheap and flimsy. I’ve always been a bit worried about accidentally snapping the headband when putting them, and I’m usually really careful with how I stretch the headband when placing the headphones over my head. I’m not saying that the build and materials of the XM3 are actually cheap, but I have just never felt the same when using the Razer Opus. They feel sturdy and feel premium, though I can’t say if they actually are as sturdy as they feel since I haven’t been able to go on an extended trip while lugging them around in their carrying case.

Because the headphones are circumaural, they provide a nice seal that isolates your ear from environmental noises. This passive noise cancellation is enough to dampen the volume of background noises, and this combined with the 4 dedicated ANC microphones is enough to filter out most unwanted ambient noises.

The media control buttons on the Razer Opus headphones are pretty standard. The two volume buttons on the right earcup can be held down to lower or raise the volume, which isn’t always the case for every audio accessory out there. The multi-function button is sandwiched between the two volume buttons and it’s also a bit more recessed into the body, making it easier to locate and press. The multi-function button supports your standard skip/previous track actions via a double/triple tap, and they also support answering/hanging up phone calls and launching the phone’s default assistant via a long-press. I honestly prefer having dedicated buttons to control media playback and volume compared to the swipe gestures on the Sony WH-1000XM3. While it’s true that swipe gestures offer more versatility (for example, you can fast forward or rewind in tracks), I also find them to be slower for basic functions.

On the left earcup, you’ll find the charging port and 3.5mm audio port on the bottom. They’re positioned so that you can charge and use an audio cable simultaneously. Also co-existing alongside these two ports are the power button and the NC/Ambient toggle. I wish that tapping the power button when the headphone is on would read out the current battery life since Android’s Bluetooth battery indicator is very inaccurate and the Razer Opus mobile app doesn’t tell you the exact charge level, though this is admittedly a minor nitpick since the battery life on the Opus means you’ll only need to fully charge them about once a week. To initiate pairing, you press and hold the power button when the headphones are off and continue holding for a few seconds until you hear an echoing sound after the headphones turn on. The NC/Ambient mode toggle plays a different tone depending on which mode is enabled, and when the button is held down, you can hear ambient noise temporarily. This “Quick Attention Mode” is quite useful for when you want to hear what someone is saying but don’t want to take off your headphones to fully devote yourself to your surroundings just yet.

Unfortunately, the Razer Opus does not support Google Fast Pair for quickly setting them up on a new Android device, nor does it support being set up as Google Assistant headphones (so you can’t have new notifications read aloud to you and voice queries run on your phone, making them slower), and it also can’t quickly switch between paired devices. The lack of Fast Pair isn’t a huge deal since it only affects the initial setup, but the lack of the other two features is a bit disappointing. I’m sure many of you have your phone in your pocket while listening to music on your headphones—in such a time, being able to have Google Assistant read your incoming notifications can save you the hassle of pulling your phone out constantly. I hope Razer can add full Google Assistant integration in a future firmware update for the Opus. (At the time of this review, my Opus review unit is on firmware version 1.2.12.0 and there have not been any firmware updates.) As for the lack of quick switching between paired devices, you’ll have to make do with disconnecting one paired device before connecting to another paired device. That can be annoying if you’re switching between your phone for music and your PC for a Zoom call, so I wish that Razer had included some way to quickly swap between paired devices like on the OnePlus Bullets Wireless 2.

I haven’t been using the Razer Opus headphones for long enough to tell you if they get dirty easily, though I will note that in the user manual, Razer recommends cleaning the headphones using a soft cloth or cotton swab once a month to prevent dirt buildup. The Opus isn’t water or splash resistant, so you definitely shouldn’t subject these headphones to any harsh conditions. Follow these tips to take care of your Razer Opus headphones after extended use.

The Midnight Blue model that I was given for review does retain smudges from fingerprints that are visible under bright lighting, but the smudges aren’t very visible nor do they detract from the minimalist appearance of the Opus. These cans lack the gamer aesthetic that Razer is associated with, and I would argue that this broadens the appeal of the Opus as a pair of lifestyle headphones.

Sound Quality and Voice Quality

According to Razer, the Opus has two 40mm drivers with neodymium magnets and a frequency response range between 20Hz and 20kHz. Razer has also sought and gained THX Certification for the Opus headphones, though we should note that THX is a subsidiary of Razer. I’ve played back music for dozens of hours on the Opus during my review period, and I’ve been really impressed by the sound quality. I’ve recently started to prefer more “neutral” sounding audio, so headphones that process audio to be more bass-heavy have fallen out of favor in my personal ranking. I’m happy to say that the Opus does not have overpowering bass output (as an example, the bass in this clip called “Vue” on YouTube can be quite overwhelming). Male and female vocals are quite balanced and I can pick out details in higher frequencies even during heavy bass drops. Audio also doesn’t get distorted at higher volumes, and the volume can definitely get quite loud. I ran the Opus through a series of recommended audio tests and found that it passed each test (frequency response, spectral flatness, dynamic range of 70dB below fullscale, no buzz with deep bass content, drivers matched, immersive binaural sounds, etc.) with flying colors. I’m not an audiophile and I don’t have advanced audio measuring equipment, but from a layman’s perspective, I haven’t been disappointed by the audio quality of the Opus thus far.

SBC, AAC, and aptX are the Bluetooth audio codecs supported on the Razer Opus. AAC and aptX are two high-quality audio codecs, and at least one of each is present on the vast majority of mid-range and high-end smartphones on the market. The Opus is missing out on other high-quality audio codecs like aptX HD and LDAC, though that’s not a huge deal since AAC and aptX offer a decent listening experience at standard 330kbps connections. One notable omission, though, is the lack of a low-latency audio codec which would help for fast-paced mobile games.

The Opus offers great wireless range in my experience. I’ve placed my OPPO Find X2 Pro in my room to charge while I continue to listen to music while typing away at my PC in another room (30 feet away and through a wall). I’ve also had success listening to music with minimal audio skipping when my phone was in my room while I walked around my home, even though there was one floor and multiple walls between my phone and me. The more distance and walls you put between the Opus headphones and the audio source the more it’ll struggle to maintain a strong connection, but I think most users should be fine with the range.

The voice transmission quality of the Razer Opus is pretty decent, from what I’m told. I haven’t heard myself speak yet, but one of the organizers of my pre-briefing used the Opus as his microphone during the video conference and I had no complaints about the quality. I’ve also used the Opus in multiple phone calls, Google Meet group chats, and Zoom calls, and all participants have told me that my voice was clear. A lot of headphones skimp out on voice quality, so I’m glad that the Razer Opus isn’t one of them.

Battery Life

The battery life of the Razer Opus is stellar. Razer advertises up to 26 hours of music playback with ANC enabled, and I’ve found that to be true. To test this, I fully charged the Opus and then used a Tasker script to log how long it took until the Opus disconnected while playing music at maximum volume (on both the phone and headphones) with ANC on. My Tasker script logged the connection at 4:38 PM on Saturday, May 16th, and then logged the disconnection at 5:42 PM on Sunday, May 17th. That means the Razer Opus played music at maximum volume with ANC enabled for a little over 25 hours! Keep in mind that this volume was uncomfortably loud, therefore I wouldn’t even normally use the Opus at this volume—meaning that at a lower, more comfortable volume, I could have extended the battery life for a few hours longer! Basically, I would say the Opus offers 1 week of battery life with ANC enabled if you listen for ~4 hours a day.

Once the battery fully depletes, Razer says it should take about 4 hours to fully charge the headphones. After I performed the above battery life test, I plugged the Razer Opus into my USB-C PD charger at 5:49 PM and found they were fully charged at around 9:09 PM, nearly 3 and a half hours later. Of course, how fast the headphones charge depends on what charging brick and cable you use, but I would say 3.5-4 hours for a full charge isn’t too long. You only need to charge them once a week or once every few days anyway, so you shouldn’t have trouble remembering to leave them charging overnight once in a while.

One thing you should note about depleting the battery life and/or charging the Razer Opus is not to trust the battery level reported in Android. I’ve found that it’s not very useful as it doesn’t update that often, does not give precise measurements, nor actually tell you when the headphones are fully charged. You’ll know the headphones are fully charged when the LED indicator stops pulsing green and just stays green, and you’ll know when the headphones are about to die when the LED indicator is flashing red repeatedly.

Features

ANC

Hybrid Adaptive Noise Cancelling, or hybrid ANC, is well-implemented on the Razer Opus. The Opus with ANC enabled filters out ambient audio as well as my Sony WH-1000XM3. When ANC is on, I can’t hear the sound of fans whirring, the AC rumbling in the distance, the dryer tumbling clothes in the laundry room, or the tick-tock of the clock on the wall. Other loud background noises like TV shows, games, or family members talking on the phone are decently muffled so they don’t bother you. Once you start playing music with ANC on, you’ll struggle to hear anything else. Each day when I’ve walked through the local park, I tune out all the ambient noise with ANC enabled and music playing on the Opus. Because of COVID-19, I can’t test how well the ANC filters out noise on public transportation, on the streets of a busy city, or on an airplane, but I think the Opus will likely fare well against my Sony WH-1000XM3s in this regard.

Even if there isn’t a lot of ambient noise to bother you at home, I recommend turning on ANC to make your music sound more immersive. Your music will sound louder and you’ll hear the whole frequency range much better. On the other hand, if you would just like to relax on the couch or focus on work, then try leaving ANC on without music playing. You’ll notice that your mind will wander less, letting you rest or focus on work much easier.

A word of warning: you may not realize how loud you’re speaking to others if you have these headphones on (or really, any ANC headphones). My younger brother has complained to me that I speak much louder to him when I’m wearing the Opus. I chalk this up to the fact that I have an idea of how loud I normally talk and so I overcompensate to reach that same volume when I’m wearing ANC headphones, resulting in me accidentally speaking louder because the baseline ambient volume is lower.

Auto Pause – Works, Auto Play – Doesn’t Work

Razer put a proximity sensor in both earcups so the Opus can detect when you remove them from your head and when you put them back on. In my experience using the Razer Opus (paired with the OPPO Find X2 Pro on ColorOS 7.1 based on Android 10), the auto-play feature never worked while the auto-pause feature consistently worked. Auto-pause kicks in and pauses music playback in Google Play Music (RIP) and YouTube Music whenever I took off the Opus, but auto-play never resumed music in either app when I put the headphones back on. I checked to make sure that ColorOS’ battery optimization feature wasn’t interfering and even tried to have auto-play resume music when my Find X2 Pro was unlocked and the music app was open. Still, I never got auto-play to work.

Razer Opus App – Too Barebones

Razer published a mobile app for the Opus headphones on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store ahead of launch, so you can download the mobile app right now. I should warn that the mobile app is pretty barebones, though. You can choose from a handful of equalizer presets, but you can’t customize the EQ bands yourself. In settings, you can disable the auto-pause/resume feature (it’s enabled by default), set the auto-shutoff timer (off/5 minutes/15 minutes/30 minutes/45 minutes/1 hour), read the FAQ, read the user manual, and see the connection status/firmware version of your connected headphones. I set the auto-shutoff timer to off so I can use the noise-canceling feature of the Opus without having to always have music playing.

In case you’re wondering how the various EQ presets affect the audio tuning, here’s a description of each preset that I pulled from the user manual:

• THX (Default): Accurate, balanced soundstage with impactful bass
• Amplified: Turns up the low-mid frequencies, feels louder
• Vocal: Focuses on clear, balanced vocals and dialog
• Enhanced Bass: Emphasizes low frequencies for more bass
• Enhanced Clarity: Emphasizes mid-high frequencies for sharper vocals and notes

Razer Opus (Free, Google Play) →

Conclusion – Great Wireless ANC Headphones for the price

Great audio doesn’t have to be expensive, and you can probably find a set of really great sounding cans for cheap if you’re willing to do the research (look up “Chinese Hi-Fi”, or “ChiFi”, if you’re feeling adventurous). The Razer Opus isn’t the cheapest wireless ANC headphones, but they also aren’t the most expensive around. The Opus undercuts other headphones from brands like Sony, Shure, Bose, and Jabra by $50-$150 without compromising too heavily. For example, I bought the Sony WH-1000WM3 a while ago at full retail price (ie. $350) and were I to make a new purchase today, I would choose to get the Razer Opus over the Sony XM3. The Razer Opus offers great audio quality, excellent noise cancellation, decent voice quality, stellar battery life, and is very comfortable to wear, so I feel the Opus is definitely worth your consideration. Razer isn’t just cashing in on its brand name with the Opus—they’ve put effort into making a great pair of wireless headphones.

You can purchase the Razer Opus for $199.99/€209.99 from Razer.com, Razer stores (where available), Amazon.com, and other authorized online retailers in North America, Europe, China, and Asian Pacific countries starting today. The headphones will initially be sold in Midnight Blue but I’m told that Razer is working on a Midnight Black color as well. The U.S. manual touts a 2-year limited warranty with your purchase, but the exact warranty offers will differ depending on the region.

Razer Opus Product Page

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The Razer Opus are the gaming brand’s new Over-Ear Wireless Headphones with Active Noise Cancelling

Razer is a brand that’s best known for its gaming-focused computer hardware, but they’ve been steadily branching out into selling other kinds of consumer technology that appeal to gamers, including audio accessories. They’re certainly no stranger to audio accessories, having already launched the Hammerhead True Wireless Earbuds, wired Kraken Gaming Headset, and wireless Adaro headphones. Now, the company is launching a new audio accessory: the Razer Opus. The Opus is Razer’s first lifestyle headphones, meaning they’re aimed at general consumers rather than just gamers. They’re a pair of over-ear Bluetooth wireless headphones with Active Noise Cancelling, THX Certification, and long-lasting battery life.

Razer Opus Design

While the Razer Opus carries the Razer and THX text logos on the outside, the overall design is rather muted. Razer’s triple-headed snake logo is nowhere to be found, and overall, the headphones look like any other set of over-ear wireless headphones. The headphones are circumaural, meaning the cups are large enough to cover your entire ear. This is to provide a seal between your ears and outside noise as much as possible—in other words, passive noise cancellation. The headphones also have 4 microphones dedicated to active noise cancellation.

Razer says the Opus is designed for comfort in two ways. The headband has plush leatherette padding and the cups have memory foam padding that, together, clamp over your head and ears with a snug clamping force. Furthermore, the headphones overall weigh only 265g.

Once the headphones are over your ear, you can control media playback with the three buttons on the right cup. These three buttons are a volume down button, volume up button, and a multi-function button in-between the volume buttons. The multi-function button pauses or plays media with a single tap, skips to the next track with a double-tap, returns to the previous track with a triple tap, and with a long-press, launches the default assistant or answers an incoming phone call. On the left cup, you’ll find the power button (that doubles as the pairing button if held down when turning them on), LED status indicator, noise cancellation button, 3.5mm headphone port, and USB Type-C charging port.

Razer Opus renders. Source: Razer.

Here’s a diagram provided by Razer that points out each of the components:

Razer Opus hardware diagram. Source: Razer.

And here’s a render of the carrying case that comes with the Razer Opus:

Razer Opus case. Source: Razer.

Features

Razer touts that its new Opus headphones have been certified by THX. According to THX, their headphone certification process involves 3 steps: Prototype development, testing to measure individual drivers, microphones, and other components to make improvements to the equalizer or DSP, and then subjective testing with a pass/fail assessment. When testing, THX certified that the Razer Opus produces clear vocal and dialog audio, does not distort the audio at high volumes, and provides superior noise isolation.

The Opus isn’t Razer’s first audio product with THX Certification, since the brand’s Nommo Pro speaker system released in 2018 also featured this certification. THX has a long history in setting standards for high-fidelity audio, but we can’t overlook the fact that the current company and all of its IP were acquired by Razer in 2016. Razer says that their main gaming unit and THX operate independently, though, and there are other audio products out there that receive THX Certification.

Driving the audio are two 40mm drivers with a frequency response between 20Hz and 20kHz. The Razer Opus supports Bluetooth 4.2 with AAC and Qualcomm aptX as the supported Bluetooth audio codecs. Audio can be tuned through multiple EQ presets available in the Razer Opus mobile app downloadable from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. The app also allows users to toggle the auto-pause/autoplay feature and change the delay for when the headphones automatically power off when no device is connected.

Razer Opus (Free, Google Play) →

Like other premium over-ear wireless headphones, the Razer Opus uses multiple microphones (4) for active noise canceling (ANC). The Opus has two internal feedback microphones and two external feedforward microphones for hybrid ANC. Users can toggle hybrid ANC on or off by pressing the NC/Ambient button on the left cup, but Razer has also added a “Quick Attention Mode” to let users temporarily disable ANC so they can hear their surroundings. Quick Attention Mode is activated by pressing and holding the NC/Ambient button. The Razer Opus also features an auto-pause/autoplay feature that detects when you remove the headphones and subsequently pauses music and detects when you put the headphones back on and subsequently resumes music.

Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation on the Razer Opus. Source: Razer.

Razer says the Opus headphones last up to 25 hours on a single charge with music playing and ANC enabled. The Opus can fully charge in about 4 hours using a USB-C charging cable—Razer does not provide a charging brick, though they do provide a USB-C to USB-C cable in the box.

Razer Opus Specifications

• THX Certified – For clear vocals & dialog, no distortion, and great noise isolation
• Advanced ANC – Hybrid active noise cancellation with 4 dedicated ANC mics
• Crafted for Comfort – Plush leatherette foam ear cushions and headband
• Opus Mobile App – THX-tuned EQ presets, automatic settings, and battery status
• Quick Attention Mode – For situational awareness whenever you need it
• Auto-Pause / Auto-Play – For seamless media playback
• On-the-Go Design – Up to 25 hours with ANC on, 3.5mm jack, and carrying case
• Drivers: 2 x 40mm dynamic drivers
• Weight: 265g
• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
• Microphone: 4 for hybrid ANC, 2 for voice chat
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.2 & 3.5mm
• Codecs: AAC & APTX, 4.2, A2DP, AVRCP, HFP

Pricing and Availability

The Razer Opus retails for $199.99 USD/€209.99 and will be available through Razer.com, Razer stores, Amazon.com, and other authorized online retailers throughout North America, Europe, China, and Asia Pacific starting today.

Razer Opus Product Page

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Unofficial TWRP is now available for the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro

OnePlus recently released the kernel source codes for the OnePlus 8 (code-name “instantnoodle”) and the OnePlus 8 Pro (code-name “instantnoodlep”) in a bid to promote third-party development. The community also managed to get their hands on the device-specific unbrick packages, which are quite handy to revive the phones in case things went south while tinkering. And if you’re the type of person to mod their phones, then you should be pleased to know that both the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro have now received a unified unofficial TWRP build.

OnePlus 8 XDA Forums ||| OnePlus 8 Pro XDA Forums

Pre-book OnePlus 8 series on Amazon.in

Compiled by XDA Senior Member mauronofrio, the current build of TWRP for these phones will allow you to flash Magisk as well as custom kernels without any hassle, but a number of things are still broken. While you can mount partitions like “system,” “vendor,” and “product,” you can’t modify their contents. The whole situation is directly related to the introduction of Android 10’s “super” partition that houses multiple dynamically resizable partitions. Google brought several changes to AOSP’s recovery implementation in Android 10, which eventually forced the TWRP team to restructure the custom recovery and rewrite a number of internal components to support devices launching with Android 10, like the OnePlus 8 duo. The process is not complete yet, thus it may take a while to get a fully working TWRP for the OnePlus 8/8 Pro.

Apart from the TWRP-specific bugs, data decryption is not working yet on this build. Users are also advised to use “system_image” and “vendor_image” entries instead of “system” and “vendor” while performing a backup. According to the developer, it would be better to avoid flashing the recovery image permanently on your OnePlus 8 or OnePlus 8 Pro unit and instead opt for temporary booting using the Fastboot interface: fastboot boot twrpname.img.

TWRP Download and Discussion Thread: OnePlus 8 ||| OnePlus 8 Pro

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Xiaomi’s new “Magic Clone” MIUI Camera feature arrives in the latest MIUI 12 beta

Last month, Xiaomi launched the Mi 10 Youth Edition in China with several camera-related quirks up its sleeve. One of the highlights of the camera setup is the periscopic zoom sensor that allows 5x optical and up to 50x digital zoom. Besides the advanced quad-camera setup on the mid-ranger, Xiaomi also introduced some new camera tricks such as Sky Replacement, Kaleidoscope video, and a Magic Clone. Out of these, the Magic Clone feature creates virtual doppelgangers to make images or videos more interesting. The feature is currently being tested in MIUI 12 beta build, suggesting it could be added to more devices when the stable version of MIUI 12 is released.

MIUI 12 coverage on XDA News Portal

The Magic Clone was added in MIUI 12 build 20.5.18. It can capture the same person up to four times at different intervals of time. The feature is available under ” More” in MIUI 12’s Camera app. To capture different clones of a person, the function requires a steady background. As the person moves across the canvas of the viewfinder, the feature tracks them with virtual grids. Another user has to tap on the shutter button to capture the person in different positions. The only caveat is that the feature only works with human faces (or objects that look like human faces).

For Clone images to be crisp and as good as original, the phone must be stable, preferably with a tripod or a Gimbal. Also, the person in the frame must not move too much else, it could lead to blurring. I tried the feature and the result isn’t bad  – except for some blurring and superimposed body parts. With ample caution and some practice, users can utilize this feature very well. It can be very handy for social media creators and influencers.

Despite being introduced as part of MIUI 12 beta, it is quite possible that the feature is available on other Xiaomi, Redmi, or POCO devices because it is already available in the stable build of MIUI 11 for Mi 10 Youth Edition. We’re not yet sure if the feature will make it to global MIUI builds outside China but we hope it does.

We have a repository of MIUI 12 beta builds and we update it weekly. We recently updated the article with builds from May 18th and if you’d like to try out MIUI 12 beta on your phone, you can head over to the article to find the appropriate firmware package for your device.

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Honor unveils the ViewPad 6 tablet, a 16.1″ MagicBook Pro laptop, TWS Earbuds X1, and more

Earlier this month, Huawei’s sub-brand Honor shared a render of an upcoming 5G device called the Honor X10 5G. The device, which is expected to launch in China tomorrow, will be powered by Huawei’s HiSilicon Kirin 820 chip and feature a quad-camera setup, a pop-up selfie camera, and a 90Hz display. Just a day ahead of its launch, Honor has unveiled quite a few new devices at the recently concluded Honor All-scenario Smart Life Products launch. Here are some of the most noteworthy Honor devices that were launched today:

Honor MagicBook Pro

The 16.1″ MagicBook Pro is the latest addition to the company’s popular MagicBook lineup, which is powered by Intel’s 10th-gen mobile chips and Nvidia’s MX350 GPU. The notebook will be available in two configurations, with the base variant packing in a Core i5 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD priced at CNY 5,999 (~$844). The higher-end variant, on the other hand, features a Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD priced at CNY 6699 (~$942). The company has also revealed that the MagicBook Pro will be launched in Russia in September this year.

Honor ViewPad 6

The MagicBook Pro is accompanied by a new tablet called the ViewPad 6, which is powered by the HiSilicon Kirin 985 5G chipset. The tablet features a 10.4-inch 2K FullView display, support for WiFi 6+ connectivity, and stereo speakers. The tablet will be offered in two RAM/storage variants but the company will reveal its pricing and availability details on June 13th.

Honor Router 3

The company has also unveiled the new Honor Router 3, it’s first wireless router to adopt the latest WiFi 6+ standard. The router features a WiFi 6+ chipset, coupled with a Gigahome dual-core 1.2GHz CPU, which is capable of up to 3,000Mbps throughput across one 2.4GHz band and one 5GHz band. Additionally, the router includes support for OFDMA multi-user technology to enable direct connections to a number of devices with greater stability and low latency. The Honor 3 router has been priced at CNY 219 (~$30) and it will also be sold in other markets starting from July 2020.

Vision X1 Smart TV

Furthermore, Honor has launched its new Vision X1 series of smart TVs that feature 8K decoding and display, motion estimate and motion compensation features, and 4 10W speakers for audio output. The smart TVs are equipped with a smart assistant, that will allow users to seamlessly use the TV with other Honor devices. The Vision X1 Smart TVs will be available in two sizes variants — 65-inch and 55-inch — priced at CNY 3,299 (~$464) and CNY 2299 (~$323), respectively. Honor also plans to launch a 50-inch variant of the Vision X1 smart TV, which will be announced at a later date.

TWS Earbuds X1

Much like other smartphone OEMs, Honor is also doubling down on the truly wireless earbuds segment with the launch of the new TWS Earbuds X1. The new earbuds look a lot like Apple’s AirPods Pro, with a short stem and silicone ear tips for a better fit. The earbuds feature dual microphones and are powered by a new binaural synchronous transmission technology that is capable of transmitting audio with minimal latency. Honor claims that the earbuds and charging case combo can last up to 24-hours on a single charge, which is quite impressive when compared to other TWS earbuds in the market today. The Honor TWS Earbuds X1 has been priced at CNY 169 (~$24).

Along with the aforementioned devices, Honor has also unveiled a new smart vacuum cleaner, a bladeless fan, a humidifier, a desk lamp, an electronic toothbrush, and a smart kettle.

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