mimix2s
Latest
Google's mobile augmented reality platform arrives in China
Google's ARCore is helpful for making augmented reality widely available to Android users, but there's a glaring problem: it requires the Play Store to get updates. That's no good in countries like China, where Google's services are either unavailable or blocked. Thankfully, Google has a workaround. It's now making ARCore available in China through the Xiaomi App Store. You'll need Xiaomi's Mi Mix 2S to take advantage of the AR features, but this beats having to sit on the sidelines while the rest of the world uses immersive apps.
Xiaomi's take on a voice assistant is built for China
Chinese phone makers are in a tough spot if they want to use voice assistants. Google is largely a no-show in the country, Siri is limited to Apple devices and services like Alexa or Cortana don't have nearly as much influence as they do elsewhere. Xiaomi has a straightforward solution to that problem: create its own AI companion. The company has posted a video showing off Xiao Ai, an assistant designed with China in mind. The functionality is familiar: you can play music, check the weather, control smart home devices and translate foreign languages. The difference is the Chinese focus, with deep hooks into WeChat and Xiaomi devices like its robot vacuum.
Xiaomi's Mi Mix 2S is a more powerful take on an already beautiful phone
By now, you probably know exactly what to expect from a smartphone sequel with an S in its name: it'll be faster than its predecessor but its design won't change very much. That's not necessarily a bad thing for Xiaomi's newly announced Mi Mix 2S, though. Even if it isn't dramatically different from last year's Mi Mix 2, it still blends excellent performance with sleek ceramic body and impeccable attention to detail. It's just too bad it'll remain a China exclusive for a while.
