Xiaomi unveils lineup of IoT-connected smart hardware to fit every lifestyle

Xiaomi announces a slate of new IoT-connected smart hardware, featuring Mi Smart Band 5 and Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 – iterations of the brand’s beloved wearable and transportation blockbusters.

The company also debuts a star-studded entertainment device lineup with Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic, Mi TV Stick, and Mi Curved Gaming Monitor 34″.

Meanwhile, a list of smartphone models within the budget segment is also introduced: Redmi 9, Redmi 9A, and Redmi 9C. Starting at PhP 4,690, Redmi 9 series will reinvent the entry-level smartphone experience with exceptional performance.

“The launch signals Xiaomi’s growing footprint across personal tech categories – on a global scale – while fulfilling its mission of offering high-quality products at the most accessible pricing points,” said Mark Li, Country Manager of The Philippines, Xiaomi.

“Our further consolidation of the company’s strategy ‘5G+AIoT’ makes us try our best to bring all these products in a timely manner to The Philippines, in an effort to meet the growing demand of our Mi Fans and users,” he added.

Mi Smart Band 5 delivers elevated fitness tracking for all

The favorite fitness companion of many users and Mi Fans is now bigger and better than ever. Mi Smart Band 5 boasts a large 1.1” color AMOLED display with 20% more screen than its predecessor. Users can express their unique style by choosing from over 65 dynamic displays and six sleek band colors. With a vibrant display and sporty design, Mi Smart Band 5 makes fitness fashionable.

Whatever your workout style, Mi Smart Band 5 has you covered. With 5 ATM water-resistant certification, the device can accompany users in and out of the water – from the pool to the track or the surf to the shower. With 11 exercise modes – including indoor cycling, elliptical, yoga, rowing machine, and jump rope – Mi Smart Band 5 captures your workout progress, no matter how you move.

Beyond fitness, Mi Smart Band 5’s PPG heart rate sensor is now up to 50% more accurate, so you can always stay in touch with your cardiac health with more indicative data on your sleep status, stress levels or even monthly cycles. Additionally, this device gathers all the matrices and outputs a Personal Activity Intelligence (PAI) value for you to easily understand your health level.

To power a larger screen and newly added features, Mi Smart Band 5’s battery supports up to 14 days of continuous usage. And when it is time to recharge, there’s no need to remove the tracker from its band thanks to Mi Smart Band 5’s all-new charging solution. Conveniently snap it onto its charger via its magnetic back, and let the charging begin!

The global recommended retail price of Mi Smart Band 5 is EUR 39,99. The local sales info and price in The Philippines will be announced once the product is available.

Ride with power, go the distance with Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2

Too long to walk, but not far enough to drive? Go the distance with Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2. Xiaomi’s sleek new micro-mobility solution can travel up to 45km, at speeds up to 25 km per hour. An ideal commuting companion, the device can effortlessly climb 20% incline slopes and accommodate a week’s worth of trips on a single charge.

The built-in LCD lets riders view and control a wide range of parameters for convenient, hassle-free riding experience. Check the real-time speed, choose a riding mode, connect to Bluetooth, and even monitor headlight status with one quick glance. Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 also features a 300W powerful motor, reliable double braking system, shock-absorbing pneumatic tires, and easy folding design for elevated urban mobility.

Designed with safety at its core, Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 sports front, rear, and side reflectors as well as an upgraded 2W headlight that illuminates up to 10 meters ahead, for improved visibility. First-time riders will also receive safety reminders and tips once connected through their mobile devices for an added layer of safety.

The launch also debuted Mi Electric Scooter 1S – a more streamlined model for casual commuters. Mi Electric Scooter 1S can travel up to 30 km at speeds up to 25 km per hour and offers an upgraded display, headlight, and other safety features.

Xiaomi is also very excited to announce a special edition of Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 in collaboration with the legendary Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. As stated by Chris Church, Vice President of Brand Partnerships APAC at Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 team: “We are extremely excited to bring the Mercedes F1 experience closer to our fans. Like us, Xiaomi is committed to continuous innovation and we are delighted to work alongside them to bring to the market this new edition of their flagship Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2.” So stay tuned for the release soon!

The global recommended retail price of Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 and Mi Electric Scooter 1S is EUR 499 and EUR 399 respectively. The local sales info and prices in The Philippines will be announced once the products are available.

Dance, stream, and game like never before with Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic, Mi TV Stick and Mi Curved Gaming Monitor 34”

Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic

xiaomi

Designed with both music buffs and business professionals in mind, Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic offers 5 hours of uninterrupted use from a full charge, with a total battery life of 20 hours from the three additional charges from its case. Other key features include:

  • Crystal clear calls with dual-mic environmental noise cancellation: The earphones filter background noise with one mic while picking up the user’s voice with the other.
  • Pause and play with automatic in-ear detection: With in-ear detection, Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic automatically pauses when one earphone is removed.
  • Stellar sound quality: Supporting advanced SBC/AAC codecs and a large 14.2mm dynamic driver, the device delivers an unmatched audio experience across a variety of devices.

The global recommended retail price of Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic is EUR 39,99. The local sales info and price in The Philippines will be announced once the product is available.

Mi TV Stick

Never go a day without entertainment with the pocket-sized Mi TV Stick. Featuring Android TVTM, Dolby and DTS surround sound support, built-in Google Assistant and Chromecast – Mi TV Stick is the go-to gadget for the ultimate binge-watcher. Other highlights include:

  • Quad-core CPU, 1GB of RAM + 8GB Storage: The device’s substantial output capacity takes the streaming experience of streaming to the next level.
  • Convenient buttons: Mi TV Stick comes with a Bluetooth remote control with dedicated buttons for swift access to Google Assistant, Netflix, and Prime Video.

The global recommended retail price of Mi TV Stick is EUR 39,99. The local sales info and price in The Philippines will be announced once the product is available.

Mi Curved Gaming Monitor 34”

Gamers will swoon over Mi Curved Gaming Monitor 34” which sports a WQHD 3440×1440 high-resolution display and 1500R curvature for a truly immersive viewing experience. Its 21:9 ultra-wide display expands the aspect ratio by 30% compared to normal 16:9 displays, while its 144Hz game-level refresh rate and flicker-free technology enable a seamless user experience. Additional attributes include:

  • 121% sRGB wide color gamut: Vivid colors are complemented by up to 300 nits of adjustable brightness and a 3000:1 contrast ratio for life-like picture quality.
  • AMD FreeSync Premium technology: The monitor seamlessly synchronizes the graphics with the monitor refresh rate when there is a high frame rate output for smoother gameplay.

The global recommended retail price of Mi Curved Gaming Monitor 34” is EUR 399. The local sales info and price in The Philippines will be announced once the product is available.

A list of smartphone models within the budget segment also announced: Redmi 9, Redmi 9A, and Redmi 9C:

Redmi 9: reinventing the entry-level smartphone experience

As the first entry-level Redmi smartphone to feature an all-purpose quad-camera set up, Redmi 9 helps capture life’s special moments. Whether you’re looking to take a quick snap, wide-angle group shot, close-up with stunning details, or beautiful portrait photos, Redmi 9 has you covered. The device also integrates fun and creativity into the photography experience with premium camera features, including Kaleidoscope and Palm Shutter.

Meanwhile, users can view more with Redmi 9’s bigger and better screen. Featuring a 6.53’’ FHD+ Dot Drop display, Redmi 9 offers an optimal visual experience with crystal-clear detail at your fingertips. It also comes with TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certification and Corning Gorilla Glass for on-the-go protection.

On the performance front, Redmi 9 sports an optimized MediaTek Helio G80 SoC, delivering a 107% improved performance over its predecessor. Paired with a 5020mAh large capacity battery, Redmi 9 packs the power you need for everyday work and play. This performance beast even supports 18W fast charging technology to keep your sideline time to a minimum so you can get back in the game.

Redmi 9 features the stunning smartphone design you deserve. On the back cover, it leverages a chic gradient color design and an anti-fingerprint ripple texture. The rear fingerprint sensor is specially designed to sit beside the camera set, and surrounded by a trendy circle design featured on Redmi’s current smartphone lineup. Altogether, this makes Redmi 9 even more comfortable to hold and unlock.

To round it out, Redmi 9 also comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack, IR blaster, and multifunctional NFC, while supporting dual SIM usage and an additional microSD card slot. With Redmi 9, users don’t have to compromise – they can have it all.

Redmi 9 is available in The Philippines with two variants, 3GB+32GB and 4GB+64GB, in Carbon Grey, Ocean Green and Sunset Purple. Priced at 6,990 PHP and 7,490 PHP respectively, they are available for offline purchase from July 3 at official Mi Stores, as well as Xiaomi’s authorized offline retailers (please refer to this link for detailed list of offline retailers). Meanwhile, the models are also available for purchase at Xiaomi Official Store on Lazada from July 7.

Redmi 9A: 6.53’’ large display and 5000mAh battery

This brand-new entry-level smartphone is equipped with a massive 6.53” Dot Drop display for an immersive viewing experience and a 5000mAh high-capacity battery that satisfies users who want to do more and enjoy more on their phone. Redmi 9A features MediaTek Helio G25, an octa-core gaming chipset, which allows for a smooth day-to-day operating experience. It also sports the AI-optimized 13MP rear camera that can quickly and easily capture crisp and clear images in a variety of situations.

Redmi 9A is available in The Philippines with one variant, 2GB+32GB, in Granite Gray, Peacock Green and Sky Blue. Priced at PhP 4,690, the device is available for purchase from July 15 at official Mi Stores, as well as through Xiaomi Flagship Store on Lazada and Xiaomi Global Store on Shopee. Meanwhile, the model will also be available for purchase from July 21 via Xiaomi’s authorized offline retailers (please refer to this link for a detailed list of offline retailers).

Redmi 9C: AI triple camera and 6.53’’ large display

This brand-new entry-level smartphone is equipped with a massive 6.53” Dot Drop display for an immersive viewing experience and a 5000mAh high-capacity battery that satisfies users who want to do more and enjoy more on their phone. Redmi 9C features MediaTek Helio G35, an octa-core gaming chipset which can go up to 2.3GHz. It also sports the AI optimized triple camera that can quickly and easily capture crisp and clear images in a variety of situations.

Redmi 9C comes with three available colors: Midnight Gray, Sunrise Orange, and Twilight Blue, at a recommended retail price of EUR 119 for the 2GB+32GB variant, and EUR 139 for the 3GB+64GB variant. The local sales info and prices in The Philippines will be announced once the product is available.

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5 workout and fitness motivation tips

03/09/2020

So you’ve started on your fitness journey and sure, for the first couple of weeks, you’d jump at the chance to get in a workout or get excited about meal prep. But lately, you’ve slowed down, skipped a couple of gym days and traded in your healthy meal plan for takeout food. Keeping motivated is probably just as hard as starting the journey and the more you’re without it, the more likely you’ll fall back into your old patterns.

Don’t fret! With these tips, you’re sure to keep that motivation streak going and get one step closer to finally fulfilling your fitness goals.

There’s an app for everything

Let’s face it. We take our phones everywhere and that includes our gym and workout sessions. While it’s most obvious use is to supply you with your personal background music for that pretend fitness montage you’re imagining, it’s also quite a helpful tool to keep motivated. How? With a great fitness app!

You might not know it but your phone’s native fitness app is actually great to keep you motivated to lose weight or to keep working out. Whether Google Fit for Android or Apple Health for iPhone, these apps keep track of the basic information you’ll need to pay attention to your fitness journey. Though, when comparing the two, Google Fit is more versatile in terms of third-party and cross-platform capabilities.

If you do run on a purely Apple ecosystem (Apple Watch, Macbook, etc.), then it won’t be too much of a problem. And despite using different technologies to collect data, these two apps are able to collect steps made and calories burned, log and graph body measurements, as well as track workouts and daily activities. You can even set your own goals for things like minimum step count per day and move minutes so the app can remind you.

Apart from monitoring your basic statistics, seeing your progress through numbers, charts, and graphs can surprisingly provide a boost in motivation. As long as you keep a proper mindset, data that these apps collect will drive you further towards your goal. And once you’ve got that set up, the next best thing to do is to give your app a partner…

Invest in a fitness band or smartwatch

This may not be a necessity for everybody but it’s definitely a great investment for those who want to maximize their fitness journey. With a fitness band or smartwatch, you have a dedicated device that can not only show you information at a glance but also provide extra pertinent data to help you closely monitor the effectiveness of your workout. Some fitness bands, like the Garmin Forerunner, have a built-in heart monitor which continuously tracks your heart rate. Knowing how fast your heart beats during a workout is actually a great deal of help in keeping your workouts efficient and effective.

There are also some watches with features such as water intake reminders, workout trackers, and reminders which are meant to help motivate you. You definitely won’t find it difficult to find the right device for you whether it be feature-packed with all the bells-and-whistles you can possibly ask for or something cute and functional that goes really well with your gym outfit. This brings us once more to the next item on our list.

Dress for success

Think of working out or going to the gym as an event and that it’s an opportunity to dress up and look your best. Not to mention, it’s a scientifically proven fact that wearing something that makes you feel great can lead to you performing better with the task at hand. In the study by Science Direct, they found that “clothes systematically influence wearers’ psychological processes”.

Basically, if you look good, you feel good. And when you feel good, you essentially get excited to do things including working out. One of the most important things to remember is that you don’t need to look like some fitness Instagrammer (unless you really want to) but to wear clothes that make you feel confident and comfortable.

Grab a buddy

Gym Partner Motivation

One of the many challenges of hitting the gym or working out is getting discouraged when seeing other people who are already incredibly fit. It’s completely normal to feel vulnerable at the gym especially when you’re just starting out but don’t let that hinder you from continuing on your fitness journey.  A quick fix to this is to find yourself a fitness buddy so you can feel more comfortable. Researchers at the University of Aberdeen have reported that having a partner or companion while you work out is a great tool for motivation and leads to an increased amount of exercise.

Even if you and your partner don’t share the same fitness goals, as long as you are both emotionally supportive of each other, motivation and productivity increase. Dr. Rackow of the University of Aberdeen reports that “the emotional social support from the new sports companion was the most effective. Thus, it is more important to encourage each other than doing the actual activity together. “

Alternative workout

There are just days when you don’t feel like leaving the house to work out. This is fine once in a while but the danger is if it becomes a habit and you end up abandoning your fitness goals altogether. The best way to remedy this is to find an alternative workout that you can do at home. Sure there are tons of videos online but if you have a Nintendo Switch lying around, you should definitely give Ring Fit a try!

This isn’t just an instructional workout video but a fully actualized game, with boss battles and everything. The Ring Fit works with a special round controller which you connect your Joy-Cons to and a leg strap to help monitor movements (i.e. no cheating). This RPG will have you squatting, jumping, running, and squeezing your way to victory. You won’t even feel like you’re working out but you will definitely feel the sweat. It may not be the most intense workout you’ll have but the key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle is consistency and the Ring Fit can definitely help with that.

BONUS: HAVE A PROPER MINDSET

All of the things mentioned above can definitely help motivate you in attaining your fitness goals, but the most important thing to have is still a proper mindset. You can have the best outfits or gear but your intention will be the most effective force in driving up your motivation.

Find an intention that’s sincere and close to your heart. Whether it’s as simple as wanting to do something you’ve never done before, a move to avoid future illnesses, or even just because you feel you deserve a fit and healthy body.

Fitness isn’t just about the amount of muscle you build or fat you burn, it’s a choice to keep you and your body healthy. This, in turn, will positively affect your outlook on life and on yourself.

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