Xiaomi teams up with Hasbro to turn the Mi Pad 2 into a Transformer

Xiaomi has collaborated with Hasbro to crowdfund a robot model called Soundwave in China. Soundwave looks like a Mi Pad 2, but can be converted to a Transformers-style robot with Lego-like blocks that can be detached from the tablet's assembly. The toy is priced at ¥169, and will be heading out to backers starting May 13.

Hugo Barra shared more details about the toy on Facebook:

R&D worked really hard to ensure that the color, details and feel are exactly the same as Mi Pad 2. They were challenged at turning such a slim 7mm tablet into a 3D robot, but they managed to do so with a 30-step folding assembly.

Now the only question is if the Soundwave will be made available in other countries. What do you guys think of the idea?

Harish Jonnalagadda
Senior Editor - Asia

Harish Jonnalagadda is a Senior Editor overseeing Asia at Android Central. He leads the site's coverage of Chinese phone brands, contributing to reviews, features, and buying guides. He also writes about storage servers, audio products, and the semiconductor industry. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.