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Outside China, Xiaomi seeks another home on US networks
October 9th marked Hugo Barra's third year at Xiaomi, and as its Global Vice President, he watched the company evolve from a China-centric smartphone e-tailer to an IoT ecosystem with a growing international footprint. Xiaomi's recently entered Russia, Mexico and the Middle East, with Poland, Vietnam, Thailand plus a couple other Latin American markets next on the docket. But the long list is still missing one key region: the US. While the ex-Googler continues to stay mum on a launch date, he did reveal to Engadget that his team has already started testing phones in America. Such commitment is an important milestone ahead of the notoriously tough US carrier lab tests.
Xiaomi's robot vacuum sucks more than its peers
Xiaomi has yet to make a dent in the Western world, but back in China, it continues to expand its presence with smartphones and smart home products -- the latest of which being the Mi Robot Vacuum announced today. This is the first device coming out of a Mi Ecosystem startup dubbed Rockrobo, and it already claims to have a higher suction rating (1,800 Pa) than the likes of iRobot's Roomba 980 (1,670 Pa) or Neato's Botvac D8500 (1,000 Pa), partly thanks to the same brushless motor supplier used by the Roomba. Best of all, Xiaomi is selling this for just 1,699 yuan or about $250, which is a steal when compared to the $900 Roomba.
Xiaomi's 'Mi Ecosystem' starts with a smart rice cooker
With its air purifiers, water purifiers, security sensors and other home appliances on the Chinese market, it's no secret that Xiaomi has an ambition to not only own the smartphone space, but to also litter its brand around our living space. A bit like Ikea and Muji, for the latter part: Cheap, but with good design and quality. Hence the launch of the Mi Induction Heating Pressure Rice Cooker today, because what better way than to enter every Chinese household with an affordable yet high performance rice cooker, let alone one that works with an app? Priced at just 999 yuan or about $150, this rice cooker is scarily cheap -- about four to five times cheaper than its Japanese rivals like Zojirushi, Toshiba and Tiger.
