Tag: tablet commerce

Chinese smartphone manufacturer announces its first tablet called Mi Pad.

After many rumors about Xiaomi developing a tablet device, the popular manufacturer of smartphones has finally revealed the rumors are true and unveiled its first Android-powered tablet at a recent event held in Beijing.

The 7.9 inch Mi Pad looks similar in design to Apple’s iPad and is available in six colors.

Xiaomi’s Android tablet is Wifi-only. It is the first to be powered by the Nvidia 2.2 Ghz Tegra K1 processor and features a Sharp and Youda OGS retina screen with 2048 x 1536 resolution (comparable to Apple’s iPad mini). The device is also equipped with a 16GB ROM, 2GB RAM and a microSD storage slot that enables expansion of up to128GB.

In addition, the device has two cameras. The front camera is 5 megapixels and the one on the back is 8 megapixels. Stereo speakers, Bluetooth and a 6,700 mAh battery are also included. The device weighs approximately 0.80 pounds and its light plastic frame is a mere 8.5mm thick, not unlike the iPhone 5c frame.

Compared to the iPad the Mi Pad is considerably cheaper. The retail price for the 16 GB gadget will be 1,499 yuan (approximately $240) and the price of the 64 GB model will be 1699 yuan (about $273). Xiaomi has no yet confirmed when or where their tablet device will be released to the public, but plans for a beta version of the device is set for June.

“We hope to put pressure on Apple,” said Lei Jun, co-founder and CEO of Xiaomi, making the company’s intentions quiet clear.

Xiaomi’s tablet device could be a mobile gamer’s dream come true.

While it is quite obvious that certain features of Apple’s tablets have inspired Xiaomi in the development of its gadget, unlike the iPad, the Mi Pad features specific specs you will not find on an Apple mobile device, such as the powerful Nvidia processor, which Lei Jun claims will allow Mi Pad users to enjoy a PC-like gaming experience.

Furthermore, Xiaomi applied an entirely new design language to their MIUI firmware to display content on the tablet device. They also developed new animation effects and re-vamped the system in order to ensure that apps will show up perfectly, regardless of whether or not the tablet is vertical or horizontal.

Forecasters had previously predicted that shopping over smartphones would cut back on in-person purchases.

As mobile commerce continues to become increasingly popular among retailers and consumers, alike many forecasters had expected that this would start to negatively impact the amount of shopping that would be occurring in brick and mortar store locations, but recent data is showing that this is not the case.

Many store owners were becoming afraid that mcommerce might have represented their demise.

That said, despite the fact that mobile commerce is growing ever stronger, it is online shopping as a whole that poses the real threat to in-person shopping. A new Gallup poll has indicated that purchasing over smartphones and tablets hasn’t had any real impact on the buying habits at brick and mortar locations, when it comes to the majority of consumers in the United States. In fact, most people who took part in the poll stated that there has been no change in the shopping that they do within actual retail store locations.

This indicates that the growth of mobile commerce is occurring specifically within the online space.

Among the respondents, 59 percent said that they have not altered their retail store shopping. An additional 22 percent said that they shop in-person more often now, because of their smartphones and tablets. That said, 19 percent said that they are shopping less frequently at retail store locations.

As e-commerce becomes stronger, retailers with brick and mortar locations have found that they are experiencing an increasing level of challenges. This is partially due to the fact that their online competition – particularly giants such as Amazon – have notably lower overhead costs, simply due to the very nature of what they are. This can, according to officials from Gallup, allow those online stores to offer the exact same products at meaningfully lower prices.

Another poll that was conducted by Gallup during the holiday shopping season identified “showrooming” as a potential threat, as consumers have a look at a product in a retail store and then compare prices on their smartphones and purchase it over mobile commerce for the lowest cost. That said, as of yet, retailers seem to be embracing the power of mobile marketing and mcommerce and don’t seem to be experiencing any harm from its existence and popularity.