Beijing - UPI
Beijing-based smartphone maker Xiaomi released a 7.9 inch Mi tablet Thursday that looks like a mashup between the iPad Mini and the iPhone 5C. The tablet is only WiFi-enabled and is covered in six glossy, colored plastic cases, as compared to the aluminum casing of the iPad. The device comes with a 2,048 x 1,536 screen, which matches the iPad's Retina Display. The Mi uses a 2.2GHz Tegra K1 processor running on a modified Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system that very much resembles Apple's iOS 7. Xiaomi seems to be giving the user an Apple-like experience on an Android-run device. The tablet includes an 8-megapixel rear camera and 5 MP front camera for users obsessed with taking selfies. The tablet is priced at 1,499 Chinese yuan, roughly $240, for the 16 GB version and 1,699 Chinese yuan, or $270, for the 64 GB version. The Mi will be available in China this June but as an "open beta," which means that Xiaomi will select users to try out the pre-production tablets. Xiaomi hasn't said when it will hit retail stores, or if it will be available in other countries.