Xiaomi has announced three new products in its Mi Ecosystem. The first is a simple update to the Ninebot “hoverboard” design introduced two years ago. The other two are true expansions in that they introduce the Mi Laser Projector and Mi Ultrasonic Toothbrush. Say what you will, at least the names are descriptive.
The Ninebot Plus takes the Ninebot Mini (released in October 2015) and gives it a reinforced chassis. This allows it to support loads of up to 100kg, which we assume is a good thing for larger folk. An improved battery also provides the Ninebot Plus with up to 35km of operational range.
New technologies have been introduced to the Ninebot Plus. The first being remote operations via smartphone app. It might make the human transporter easier to operate, considering that the default controls takes some practice to get used to. On the other hand, Xiaomi has introduced an optional Mi Ninebot Plux Camera that can be mounted to take pictures.
Dedicated Mi fans will then be able to take the pictures from the Ninebot camera and project them onto a huge area using the Mi Laser Projector. This is not exactly something that every home will be looking into, since the price can get a little expensive. The projector uses ALPD 3.0 laser light source technology, which is currently in use in 90 percent of laser movie projection theatres in China. The DLP is a custom setup designed by Texas Instruments for the Mi Ecosystem.
As expected, the Mi Laser Projector also has Mi TV integration and built in high quality speakers. This translates into what should be a rather impressive home theatre setup.
Finally, there’s the curious Mi Ultrasonic Toothbrush. It is, as the name implies, an electric toothbrush. There’s a disappointing lack of smart features in this gizmo. All it does is function as a regular electronic toothbrush with 18 days worth of tooth brushing on a single charge.
Xiaomi doesn’t directly design the products under the Mi Ecosystem sub-brand. Instead, it provides funding for smaller companies and provides them with a recognisable brand name to market their products. Which is why the announcements for the brand can sometimes feel haphazardly assembled.
The Mi Laser Projector will be available at RMB 9999 (about RM6300) starting 4 July via crowdfunding on Xiaomi’s apps; probably meaning that it will never come to Malaysia at this rate. On the other hand, the Ninebot Plus will go on sale at RMB 3499 (about RM2200) from 11 July; while Mi Ultrasonic Toothbrush will retail at RMB 199 (about RM125) starting from 18 July.
