Xiaomi, the Chinese smartphone maker and Internet service provider, is releasing 500 in-house developed smart WiFi routers to beta testers. Announced the gadget last month, the company unveiled the specs and features today.

Specs,

  • Processor: Boardcom4709, 1GHz Dual Core Processor
  • WiFi Technology: 802.11ac Dual Band Gigabit
  • Memory: 256MB DDR3
  • Hard Drive: 1TB SATA.
  • USB Port: One

The Xiaomi Router is equipped with a cooling fan as the company claims the processor is so powerful that generates much heat. It reflects a fact the some Chinese players expect smart WiFi router to perform tasks any computing devices do.

When it comes to the smartness of Xiaomi Router, most of its features are similar to what HiWiFi provides. For instance, it’s much easier to set up a Xiaomi router than any traditional routers; an application platform is included.

The applications are what Xiaomi Router can differentiate from its peers. Currently five are available. The Quick Connection to Router is for all the Xiaomi devices, smartphones, smart TV, set-top box and future products, to connect to the WiFi router with one click on the Permission button on those devices. As the device supports DLNA, you can get and play media content in the hard drive on other Xiaomi devices.

Xunlei Download is the only third-party service of the five applications. Users can command the router to begin downloading a video when you’re heading home and play it right away upon arrival. Xiaomi Router users will be able to enjoy Xunlei premium download services for one year.

Another application is Cloud-based backup service that is provided by Kingsoft Cloud. No wonder it’s Kingsoft, not another better-known name like Aliyun or Tencent’s, for Lei Jun, CEO of Xiaomi, is still the chairman of the company.

The router, of course, includes Xiaomi App Store. The last of the five is quick access to to Apple devices.

What’s more interesting with Xiaomi Router is it runs LAMP stack, which means third-party developers can install WordPress sites or other applications.

It’s no secret that the emerging Chinese smart router players want it to control family connections and online activities of family members. Compared with other players such as HiWiFi, GEAK, Baidu and Qihoo, the existing users of Xiaomi phones  — will be about 19 million by year end — and other Xiaomi devices, have more reasons to buy such a router. For them, as all of their Xiaomi devices share the same app platform, the addition of a smart router makes it easier to have different devices to communicate and access media content.

image credit: bbs.xiaomi.cn

Tracey Xiang is Beijing, China-based tech writer. Reach her at traceyxiang@gmail.com

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