Xiaomi’s on the move: Firm invests in Shine makers Misfit, and may launch a $100 tablet

Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi is already a significant challenger to established mobile manufacturers in China, and according to the latest rumors it’s turning its attention to the low-cost tablet market, and may launch a new slate to take on the iPad Mini, Samsung’s Galaxy tablets, and any number of models from Huawei, ZTE, and others. Additionally, the firm has made its first investment in a U.S. company, after pledging $40 million to wearable tech company Misfit.

Starting with the tablet, the news comes from Business Korea and quotes anonymous sources in the industry, who state Xiaomi has a 9.2-inch tablet waiting to be released next year. The screen size puts it midway between the iPad and the iPad Mini, but the potential price is well below both Apple models and the majority of its competitors. It’s expected to cost around $100.

Related: Leaked Xiaomi Mi5 could mean the end of firm’s budget prices

Normally, a low price like this would mean a low specification, but Xiaomi is best known for producing well-specced hardware at a great price. The unnamed tablet may have both Wi-Fi and 4G LTE connectivity built in, a 1280 x 720 pixel screen, a Snapdragon 410 processor with 1GB of RAM, plus two cameras. Xiaomi’s modified version of Android will most likely be installed, providing access to the company’s own application store, rather than Google Play.

If the tablet turns out to be real, it won’t be the first time Xiaomi has launched one. In May, it released the Mi Pad, a $240, 7.9-inch tablet directly aimed at the iPad Mini 2, complete with a Retina Display-matching resolution, and a strong 2.2GHz Nvidia Tegra K1 chip inside.

Industry analysts IDC show Apple has nearly 30 percent of the tablet market in China, with Samsung struggling at 7.6 percent in second place. Xiaomi is right behind with 7 percent, which it has obtained by selling a single tablet. A cheaper Xiaomi tablet probably won’t cause Apple much worry, but it could upset Samsung, which is already having to deal with falling smartphone sales, and won’t want similar problems with its tablet range. It’s unofficial for now, but if the report is accurate, the new Xiaomi tablet will be out early in 2015.

Xiaomi’s investment in Misfit is a first for the company. Best known for its Shine fitness tracker, Misfit confirmed on December 2 the Chinese smartphone brand was among its latest investors. Xiaomi’s no stranger to the world of fitness wearables either, and launched the $13 Mi Band earlier this year. Hugo Barra, the executive responsible for Xiaomi’s international expansion, has mentioned in the past Xiaomi is experimenting with other wearable devices including a smartwatch.

The company is among the top smartphone manufacturers in the world, but its co-founder remains cautious on the future. Speaking at a summit in Hong Kong, he said that just because Xiaomi is doing well now, the intense competition in the mobile world means it could all change tomorrow. “The biggest challenge for us,” he explained, “is if we can push innovation and low prices on a yearly basis. Technology innovation is the most important element for success.”

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NASA interns launch spoof video 'All About That Space'

After the successful launch of the Orion spacecraft, a group of NASA interns cut loose with their very own pop cover tune.

They're bringing rockets back. Go ahead and tell the whole world that. Video screenshot by Michael Franco/CNET

Now here's a line from a pop song you don't hear too often: "If you got boosters boosters, just raise 'em up/'Cause every spacecraft needs propulsion/From the bottom to the top."

While they might not be as catchy as the original lyrics from Meghan Trainor's "All About That Bass" -- the song that's parodied -- it's easy to look past that because the starring NASA interns are just so goofily endearing in their spoof video titled "All About That Space."

In the video, the interns dance -- as only young engineers can -- around a bunch of NASA tech while replacing Trainor's lyrics with ones that talk all about the Orion mission, which had its first successful test flight last week.

"All about that Space" was created by interns at the Johnson Space Center to bring attention to the Orion spacecraft, which may one day take humans to Mars.

This, of course, isn't the first cover version of Trainor's runaway hit song. There's the classic, "All About That Bass," the Thanksgiving favorite, "All About That Baste," and the inimitable (and kind of creepy), "All About The Chase." Our favorite here at CNET though, is most definitely this "Star Wars"-themed cover called "All About That Base."

But this NASA one is running a close second. Party on, interns!

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Valve stares down Twitch with the launch of Steam Broadcasting

Valve has joined the game streaming scene with the announcement of Steam Broadcasting. This new feature, just launched in beta, allows Steam users to watch other people playing games live without leaving Valve’s storefront/launcher client.

Steam users already get a pop-up notification whenever someone from their friend list starts playing a game. Now they also have the option to jump right in to observing and commenting with the click of a button. The user of course has control over their privacy settings for a stream, ranging from invitation-only to public. Public play is accessible through the given game’s hub page.

Streams can be watched both from the Steam client and in a Chrome or Safari browser. Currently, the service only enables live streaming, with no way to archive and share feeds later.

Related: Amazon gets into games by acquiring Twitch streaming service for $970 million

Twitch, the current leader in game streaming (recently acquired by Amazon), has already responded to the new competition, expressing satisfaction that the field is growing.

VP of Marketing Matthew DiPietro explained in a statement: “We are huge fans of Steam and work with Valve regularly on various events and product integrations. While Steam’s broadcasting solution and the Twitch platform are very different things with vastly different feature sets, it’s really validating to see a company like Valve embrace streaming in this way. Live video is the future of social connectivity for gamers and this is another proof point. We wish them the best of luck.”

Any Steam user can give the new feature a try now. Go to Settings > Account and set “Beta Participation” to “Steam Beta Update” to enable it.

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Xiaomi’s on the move: Firm invests in Shine makers Misfit, and may launch a $100 tablet

Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi is already a significant challenger to established mobile manufacturers in China, and according to the latest rumors it’s turning its attention to the low-cost tablet market, and may launch a new slate to take on the iPad Mini, Samsung’s Galaxy tablets, and any number of models from Huawei, ZTE, and others. Additionally, the firm has made its first investment in a U.S. company, after pledging $40 million to wearable tech company Misfit.

Starting with the tablet, the news comes from Business Korea and quotes anonymous sources in the industry, who state Xiaomi has a 9.2-inch tablet waiting to be released next year. The screen size puts it midway between the iPad and the iPad Mini, but the potential price is well below both Apple models and the majority of its competitors. It’s expected to cost around $100.

Related: Leaked Xiaomi Mi5 could mean the end of firm’s budget prices

Normally, a low price like this would mean a low specification, but Xiaomi is best known for producing well-specced hardware at a great price. The unnamed tablet may have both Wi-Fi and 4G LTE connectivity built in, a 1280 x 720 pixel screen, a Snapdragon 410 processor with 1GB of RAM, plus two cameras. Xiaomi’s modified version of Android will most likely be installed, providing access to the company’s own application store, rather than Google Play.

If the tablet turns out to be real, it won’t be the first time Xiaomi has launched one. In May, it released the Mi Pad, a $240, 7.9-inch tablet directly aimed at the iPad Mini 2, complete with a Retina Display-matching resolution, and a strong 2.2GHz Nvidia Tegra K1 chip inside.

Industry analysts IDC show Apple has nearly 30 percent of the tablet market in China, with Samsung struggling at 7.6 percent in second place. Xiaomi is right behind with 7 percent, which it has obtained by selling a single tablet. A cheaper Xiaomi tablet probably won’t cause Apple much worry, but it could upset Samsung, which is already having to deal with falling smartphone sales, and won’t want similar problems with its tablet range. It’s unofficial for now, but if the report is accurate, the new Xiaomi tablet will be out early in 2015.

Xiaomi’s investment in Misfit is a first for the company. Best known for its Shine fitness tracker, Misfit confirmed on December 2 the Chinese smartphone brand was among its latest investors. Xiaomi’s no stranger to the world of fitness wearables either, and launched the $13 Mi Band earlier this year. Hugo Barra, the executive responsible for Xiaomi’s international expansion, has mentioned in the past Xiaomi is experimenting with other wearable devices including a smartwatch.

The company is among the top smartphone manufacturers in the world, but its co-founder remains cautious on the future. Speaking at a summit in Hong Kong, he said that just because Xiaomi is doing well now, the intense competition in the mobile world means it could all change tomorrow. “The biggest challenge for us,” he explained, “is if we can push innovation and low prices on a yearly basis. Technology innovation is the most important element for success.”

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OnePlus Two news: Launch date is still up in the air

Smartphone newcomer OnePlus has a new phone in the works, which is being referred to as the OnePlus Two. First discussed in an Ask Me Anything (AMA) Reddit session, the OnePlus Two is set to debut next year between April and September, assuming everything goes according to plan. The company has also hinted at the possibility of a wearable device, but did not mention any specifics.

Since then, more news of the OnePlus Two smartphone has leaked on the Internet, so we’ve put together everything we know so far about the phone into this handy roundup post.

Updated on 12-03-2014 by Malarie Gokey: Added news from Carl Pei, Director of OnePlus Global, confirming the launch date of the Two.

A few months ago when OnePlus first confirmed the existence of the OnePlus Two, the company stated that the Two will launch between April and September of 2015. Since then, OnePlus’ Carl Pei has continued to place the release date in that large timeframe, without specifying an exact date. In early December, Pei told BGR India the handset will launch in either the second quarter or the third quarter of 2015, reiterating the vague window mentioned before.

OnePlus’ first smartphone wowed tech fans with its unique design and original style. It seems that OnePlus is continuing on that path with the Two, as a report from Business Insider states the company’s next handset will be even more customizable. The first time around, OnePlus offered limited numbers of special StyleSwap backs for the One, including the very popular and extremely elusive bamboo back. Those who manage to get their hands on a OnePlus Two will have even more color and material options.

The main attraction of the OnePlus One was its incredibly low price paired with high-end hardware. The Chinese company priced its phone so low that it barely makes a profit off of the sales. Luckily, a source told Business Insider that OnePlus will sell the Two for much less than the standard $500-and-up price tag of your average high-end smartphone. No specific number was mentioned.

Related: Read our OnePlus One Review

Although the specifications have yet to be announced or leaked to the public, those familiar with OnePlus’ plans say the hardware on the Two will be high-end and powerful. Additionally, the startup reportedly has a few surprises in store for us when it comes to hardware.

The first OnePlus smartphone runs CyanogenMod’s own custom ROM built upon Android and many expected that it would appear on the OnePlus Two as well. However, CEO Peter Lau recently told a Chinese publication that he has a team working on a home-grown custom ROM for the next phone. OnePlus later clarified those reports in a statement to Android Authority. The startup smartphone maker says the in-house ROM will only ship on units that are bound for China. Other versions of the OnePlus Two will operate on a different system, though the team did not confirm whether that ROM will be from CyanogenMod or not.

The AMA was hosted by OnePlus’ Carl Pei and David S. on Reddit. The two answered questions on several topics, including preorders, the limited supply of OnePlus One smartphones, and future products. The company agreed that it underestimated demand for its first smartphone, but added that it remains committed to its motto of “Never Settle.” Initially, preorders for the OnePlus will only be open for a limited amount of time, due to production limitations.

“Things definitely haven’t gone as planned,” Pei said. “Looking back, we probably misjudged demand by 30x, and are scrambling to catch up. Our team wasn’t built to handle this growth. We’re hiring like crazy, and things should be under control in a few months.”

In the meantime, OnePlus said it’s focused on creating the OnePlus Two, so that sufficient numbers of the device will be available ahead of the projected 2015 launch. The company didn’t reveal much about the device’s specs or price, but it did hint that the OnePlus Two may be smaller than the original.

“We’ve seen a lot of people asking for a smaller device, and want to let everyone know that we hear you,” OnePlus said. “We’re thinking about it.”

Related: OnePlus axes the invite system, promises to add preorders

Unfortunately, OnePlus said that it will probably use the invite system for its next smartphone too, before moving on to limited preorders again. “It will probably be invite-only for a short period of time, after which pre-orders are rolled out,” OnePlus wrote, much to the chagrin of every fan who’s been slighted by the highly selective system.

The company also addressed rumors that it’s working on a wearable device. “Re: wearables,” OnePlus wrote in response to a fan’s question about the new category. “Yes. Unsure if/when/how we’ll release it though.”

Images of the OneWatch leaked earlier this summer, so it’s entirely possible that OnePlus was just being coy. Either that, or the pictures aren’t real.

Updated on 11-24-2014 by Malarie Gokey: Added new report detailing design, price, and other surprises.

Updated on 10-29-2014 by Malarie Gokey: Added confirmed report that OnePlus will build its own custom Android ROM for the company’s next handset.

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HP prepping cloud music-syncing for TouchPad launch

Hewlett-Packard is planning to launch a remote music storage feature with its upcoming TouchPad tablet, one that will locally cache music that the user is most likely to listen to.

The clouds continue to roll in. While questions still swirl as to how Apple and Google will respond to Amazon‘s recently launched Cloud Drive and Cloud Player services, details are starting to emerge about other competitors’ plans in the remote user storage arena. Today brings word that Hewlett-Packard will be using cloud servers for music storage when its webOS-powered HP TouchPad tablet arrives this summer.

The news comes from a Powerpoint presentation being sent around to HP Small & Medium Business customers previewing what’s coming up, PreCentral reports. The slideshow reveals plans for an HP Movie Store and an HP Music Store. The notes for the latter mention built-in music syncing using cloud servers to remotely store content.

It is hardly surprising at this point to hear that a tech company is embracing the cloud, but HP will offer a few features that trump what Amazon’s recently launched initiative is capable of so far. The TouchPad will use a “smart-caching” to locally store the music that the user is most likely to listen to. There will also be the option of streaming music that isn’t actually owned. The service will apparently extend to HP smartphones as well at some point, likely after they’ve all been updated to webOS 3.0 alongside the TouchPad.

As of now, Apple continues to maintain a stranglehold on the tablet space with its (deservedly) popular iPad. Cloud syncing won’t make or break the success of the TouchPad, but if recent reports of a $499 price tag and June launch are true, it will certainly arrive priced to compete, and with features and hardware specifications that trump the Apple device on several fronts.

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Google Music launch appears imminent

Sources say Google has begun in-house testing of its rumored streaming music service, Google Music, which indicates an impending release.

Google’s iTunes competitor, Google Music, may soon be ready for its public debut, reports CNet. The company’s employees have reportedly begun in-house testing of the service, a sure sign that a new product is nearly ready to launch.
The test build of the Google Music app, which is said to stream users’ music libraries that are stored on Google servers, first leaked earlier this month after user “WhiteWindows” claimed on the XDA Developers forum that he had happened upon the Google Music streaming function after installing Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system, which includes a music app, on a rooted HTC EVO 4G. He was able to access the previously locked “Sync Music” feature, which gave him access to the streaming option.
According to “music industry insiders” who spoke with CNet on the condition of anonymity, “WhiteWindows” did indeed discover the Google Music app. But they said that the final version could differ greatly from that build.
Sources say Google had hoped to debut the service at this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) music and technology festival in Austin, Texas. That plan was shelved, however, though the exact reason for that has not yet been revealed.
Google is currently in negotiations with “at least some of the top publishers” as well as with the four largest record labels, sources say. Delays to the launch of Google Music are at least partially due to the complexity of negotiating music rights for a cloud-based service (as opposed to standard song downloading rights).
This report is corroborated by comments made by Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha, who mentioned to the Guardian last month that Google had a “music service” in the works. A recent report from Billboard, which named executives rumored to be working on Google Music, adds further evidence that the streaming service is on its way.
Google denied our request to confirm or deny this report, saying only that the company does not “comment on rumour or speculation.” So it’s impossible to verify whether the release of a Google Music streaming service is indeed imminent. That said, past experience tells us that when this amount of chatter percolates in the press around a certain product, it’s a fairly safe bet to assume that the company has something up its sleeve. Until we get an actual confirmation from Google, however, make sure to store this one in your “rumor” file.

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