TechnikNews Weekly # 015: Huawei Watch 2 (2018), Chromecast vs. Fire TV and more
A SUMMARY of David Haydl 
on June 03, 2018, 18:54 pm | Write a comment
The next calendar week of 2018 is coming to an end, time all the news from the world of technology in ours TechnikNews Weekly to summarize. This week: Xiaomi's first Austrian store was opened, we covered the topic of “Chromecast vs. Fire TV” and more.
The first Xiaomi store in Austria has opened
Last week, the first official store of the Chinese company Xiaomi opened in Austria. You can now see it in the Shopping City Süd near Vienna. There were numerous promotions and discounts as part of the opening. For example, in the first ten minutes after the doors opened, you could get a product for ten euros. Accordingly, there was quite a rush there that day.
In the store you can also find what is probably the most popular product in China: the rice cooker. (Image: TechnikNews)
Editor-in-chief David Wurm was able to take a look at the new store in advance. He was particularly impressed by the variety of products and the beautiful interior of the shop. Unfortunately, he discovered that the packaging only had Chinese characters and that all of the display equipment was set to the Chinese language.
Chromecast vs Fire TV
Many people who don't have a Smart TV at home like to use a streaming stick. So this week we compared the two most popular options, the Chromecasts and the Fire TV. In the end, it became clear to us that two big factors mattered.
The first thing to ask is whether you have a TV that supports 4K and possibly HDR. If this is the case, you should definitely use the Chromecast Ultra or Fire TV with 4K. Otherwise, the Fire TV Stick or the second generation Chromecast will do just fine. Then you should still think about whether you are using Prime Video. If you can answer this with yes, you should look around at Amazon, otherwise Google has the right alternative ready.
- Chromecast vs. Fire TV: What's the Difference?
- Amazon Fire TV Stick with the Alexa voice remote control review
New products from Xiaomi
This week, Xiaomi presented a number of interesting products at a keynote in Shenzhen, including the Xiaomi Mi 8 and the Xiaomi Mi Band 3. The Mi 8 is the Chinese company's flagship this year. It looks very similar to the iPhone X, but costs a whole €600 less than Apple's top device. The smartphone's display is 6,21 inches and has a Full HD resolution. Inside, the Snapdragon 845 from Qualcomm works with 6GB RAM and up to 256GB storage. With the 3400mAh battery, you should be able to proeasily get through a whole day. Both lenses of the dual camera have a resolution of 12MP, and the images are post-processed with AI afterwards.
The slim fitness tracker comes with a larger display than its predecessor. (Image: Xiaomi)
Despite the low price, the Mi Bands were always good fitness trackers, which is why a Mi Band 3 was presented at the keynote. The display has grown by 0,78 inches at 0,38 inches and is still based on OLED. In addition, the device is now waterproof to 50 meters. In addition, you can now take calls directly on the belt or view the current weather. The rest, including the 20 days of battery life, is the same as with the predecessor.
- Xiaomi Mi Band 3 presented: The fitness tracker at a competitive price
- Mi 8: Xiaomi's cheaper iPhone X presented
- Xiaomi Mi Band 2 review: the best of the cheapest
Huawei Watch 2 (2018) official
About a year ago we released the Huawei Watch 2, a smartwatch with Google's Wear OS that can also be used to record workouts. Now its successor is already available in China. What is new is that there are now models with an eSIM chip or nano SIM slot. Of course, there is still a model without LTE. The specs are identical to the Huawei Watch from last year, with 57 grams instead of 40 grams, it is just a little heavier.
The two versions with LTE are available for the equivalent of € 265, for the option without LTE you only have to pay € 215. We tested the Huawei Watch 2 last year - and loved it.
Apple's Homepod is coming to Germany
Finally the time has come. Apple's first smart speaker, the Homepod, is coming to Germany. This was announced via a press release on the release of iOS 11.4. It was also announced that Airplay 2 will be activated for all users when it is released in Germany, which will enable stereo operation of two home pods. The Homepod will be available in Germany in space gray and white at a price of € 349.