Xiaomi smartphone maker launched the first tablet that closely resembles the design and the UI of the Apple iPad Mini.
If you are among those that appreciated Apple's work on the plastic-cased iPhone 5C and want the tech giant to expand the concept to its iPad line, there may be a sense of disappointment. But Xiaomi is offering a close replica of an iPad Mini, embodied into a colorful plastic casing with an Android-based MIUI interface, which broadly resembles iOS 7 UI. The Beijing-based company has widely invested in smartphones, Wi-Fi routers and set-top boxes but the latest addition is the first to commence its tablet lineup.
The Xiaomi Mi Pad was launched at an event in Beijing, Thursday, by the company's founder, Lei Jun, who is otherwise called the 'Steve Jobs of China,' according to TechCrunch. During the launch event, Jun reportedly revealed the intention behind replicating the best-selling iPad Mini. "We hope to put pressure on Apple," he said, according to a Twitter user @jonrussell.
As for the technical specifications of the new Mi Pad tablet, the Chinese company has done a pretty great job. The tablet features a 7.9-inch display, same as the iPad Mini, with a screen resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels and features candy color glossy plastic casing. It is powered by Nvidia's 2.2GHz quad-core Tegra K1 processor, 2GB RAM and 16GB or 64GB on board storage with an expandable option up to 128GB via microSD cards, according to the company's official Facebook page. Xiaomi also introduced a new version of its MIUI, which is based on Android 4.4.2 KitKat. The slate is packed with an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 5-megapixel shooter in the front for video calling.
The Xiaomi Mi Pad sports a 6,700mAh non-removable battery for long data usage.
If you're based out of China, you many not be able to get your hands on one of this tablets, at least not yet! The company will launch Mi Pad in China in June for $240 (1,499 Chinese Yuan) for the 16GB version and $272 (1,699 Chinese Yuan) for the 64GB model. The tablet will only be available as a part of the company's beta program, which means only a limited number of buyers can purchase the gadget ahead of its broader release. The general release of the Mi Pad is yet to be confirmed.
