Xiaomi is planning to enter the Africa market this September

[Fox1]

Mi 5S launching on September 29th http://www.gsmarena.com/more_xiaomi_mi_5s_images_leak_sales_begin_september_29-news-20702.php

 

[Hamish McPanji]

I word of warning: I did an import of a Mi5 , bought from eBay UK , but realised I couldn't update it.

Tried using OTA
Downloaded the ROM and tried to update on the phone
Tried using Mi PCsuite

All methods failed

After contacting the seller, who kept responding that stable update wouldn't update (total BS), I decided to investigate further

Even though the phone said global ROM, the release code of the ROM was Chinese. Which means it was an altered ROM.

I managed to get it the proper global rom after a couple of days of hard work, and didn't lose any data. But just beware of this issue.

Also, Xiaomi's tools for PC never work as desired

 

[PhireSide]

Also, Xiaomi's tools for PC never work as desired

Hear hear. I've tried on Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and I am still unable to do a backup of my Redmi Note 2.

I've given up and might look into Titanium Backup as a workaround

 

[backstreetboy]

I word of warning: I did an import of a Mi5 , bought from eBay UK , but realised I couldn't update it.

Tried using OTA
Downloaded the ROM and tried to update on the phone
Tried using Mi PCsuite

All methods failed

After contacting the seller, who kept responding that stable update wouldn't update (total BS), I decided to investigate further

Even though the phone said global ROM, the release code of the ROM was Chinese. Which means it was an altered ROM.

I managed to get it the proper global rom after a couple of days of hard work, and didn't lose any data. But just beware of this issue.

Also, Xiaomi's tools for PC never work as desired

Just download the latest Global rom and flash with the Update app under Settings > About... :wtf:

 

[Hamish McPanji]

Just download the latest Global rom and flash with the Update app under Settings > About... :wtf:

Learn how to read, genius. I tried that with every farking rom that was available. It gave a "cannot verify update" error every time. How do you bypass that?

The eventual way of sorting this out:

1. Request unlock code from Xiaomi for unlocking bootloader
2. Wait for about a week for request to be approved
3. Follow instructions on website to unlock bootloader using unlock tool
4. Download miflash tool from website
5. Try unsuccessfully to flash the global ROM
6. Search some more , because the latest miflash tool doesn't always work. Find older version
7. Pray to God that you don't brick your phone permanently
8. Flash the global rom using unsupported flash tool
9. Hopefully success

Total cost from beginning to end 10 days, more than 10gb of bandwidth, owe god some more prayers.

 

[backstreetboy]

Learn how to read, genius. I tried that with every farking rom that was available. It gave a "cannot verify update" error every time. How do you bypass that?

The eventual way of sorting this out:

1. Request unlock code from Xiaomi for unlocking bootloader
2. Wait for about a week for request to be approved
3. Follow instructions on website to unlock bootloader using unlock tool
4. Download miflash tool from website
5. Try unsuccessfully to flash the global ROM
6. Search some more , because the latest miflash tool doesn't always work. Find older version
7. Pray to God that you don't brick your phone permanently
8. Flash the global rom using unsupported flash tool
9. Hopefully success

Total cost from beginning to end 10 days, more than 10gb of bandwidth, owe god some more prayers.

Ah you never mentioned the bootloader was locked. Yeah that's why I'm weary of buying phones from overseas.

 

[Hamish McPanji]

Ah you never mentioned the bootloader was locked. Yeah that's why I'm weary of buying phones from overseas.

Tried using OTA
Downloaded the ROM and tried to update on the phone
Tried using Mi PCsuite

All methods failed

.

 

[backstreetboy]

Seems MIA is bringing in the Mi Max 3GB 32GB storage version for R4700.

EDIT: It does have NFC and Quick Charge 3.

 

[crysis]

I word of warning: I did an import of a Mi5 , bought from eBay UK , but realised I couldn't update it.

Tried using OTA
Downloaded the ROM and tried to update on the phone
Tried using Mi PCsuite

All methods failed

After contacting the seller, who kept responding that stable update wouldn't update (total BS), I decided to investigate further

Even though the phone said global ROM, the release code of the ROM was Chinese. Which means it was an altered ROM.

I managed to get it the proper global rom after a couple of days of hard work, and didn't lose any data. But just beware of this issue.

Also, Xiaomi's tools for PC never work as desired

I had the same thing. But this rom even had adware installed that you could not get off. I would get pop up notifications to buy shomax every time I unlocked my phone. Needless to say, using a guide on this site http://xiaomitips.com/ I managed to flash that POS off and reinstall the latest official rom. Much better now. For the price, I'm not complaining (all in costed me R4500 including shipping)


For those wanting to know what I did (and this works with a locked bootloader too):

1. Install Minimal ADB and Fastboot.
2. Install a slightly older version of the miflash tool (has to be this one http://xiaomitips.com/download/miui-rom-flashing-tool/)
3. Get phone to enter EDL mode. I was only able to do this by having usb debugging on, and using the adb command tool) I think the command is "adb reboot edl"
4. Fire up the miflash program, making sure all the qualcomm drivers were installed.
5. Flash using a fastboot rom. Make sure to extract all the zip files. It's usually a zip file within a zip file. Unzip both.

And done. Took 2 - 3 minutes and the tampered rom was gone, and the fresh official one running smoothly.

 

[Hamish McPanji]

I had the same thing. But this rom even had adware installed that you could not get off. I would get pop up notifications to buy shomax every time I unlocked my phone. Needless to say, using a guide on this site http://xiaomitips.com/ I managed to flash that POS off and reinstall the latest official rom. Much better now. For the price, I'm not complaining (all in costed me R4500 including shipping)

Yeah, I don't know how an item as small as a phone can double in price shipping from China to SA.

The price is actually less than $150 (R2100) for a basic Redmi Note 3 in China. In India, the price for a Redmi Note 3 is R2200 . Here, the normal price is R3799. How does that happen?

 

[backstreetboy]

Here, the normal price is R3799. How does that happen?

The two year warranty...

 

[PhireSide]

The two year warranty...

For that price I'll just buy two

 

[Hamish McPanji]

The two year warranty...

The most common thing that happens to phones. Water damage, screen breaking and theft.

Does the warranty cover any of those?

And the Chinese and Indian ones do come with a 1 year warranty as well

 

[backstreetboy]

The most common thing that happens to phones. Water damage, screen breaking and theft.

Does the warranty cover any of those?

That a rhetorical question and no that is not the most common things. Just look at the LG G4 with their bootloop problems (related to the motherboard) and also recently the Note 7 with their battery problems.

 

[crysis]

The most common thing that happens to phones. Water damage, screen breaking and theft.

Does the warranty cover any of those?

And the Chinese and Indian ones do come with a 1 year warranty as well

Exactly, don't remember the last time I saw anyone claim from warranty on a phone.

 

[Hamish McPanji]

That a rhetorical question and no that is not the most common things. Just look at the LG G4 with their bootloop problems (related to the motherboard) and also recently the Note 7 with their battery problems.

And every other phone in the galaxy? You tell me what the most common things are....whilst not mentioning specific phones

Surely you would have noticed within the first year whether your phone has exploded, and gotten it swopped out

 

[backstreetboy]

And every other phone in the galaxy? You tell me what the most common things are....whilst not mentioning specific phones

Surely you would have noticed within the first year whether your phone has exploded, and gotten it swopped out

True and with the warranty I can.

 

[Hamish McPanji]

True and with the warranty I can.

My question is, how does India and China sell the phone for less than R2200 with a 1 year warranty, when we have to pay R3799 for the same phone?

Am not looking at special offers, just the normal pricing. You are essentially paying R1600 for an extra year warranty? We are getting shafted, clearly.

 

[backstreetboy]

My question is, how does India and China sell the phone for less than R2200 with a 1 year warranty, when we have to pay R3799 for the same phone?

Am not looking at special offers, just the normal pricing. You are essentially paying R1600 for an extra year warranty? We are getting shafted, clearly.

The same reason Apple products are more expensive. Apple and Xiaomi is not officially available here... You also have to factor in their running costs (website, sending stock to brick and mortar stores etc). If more people would wake up then perhaps they can mass import cheaper.

 

[Park@82]

The two year warranty...

+ icasa certification