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[Korey]

Introducing the HTC Mini

HTC's designers seem to be cognizant of the fact that smartphones are growing too large for some people to use comfortably, but the company is taking a truly bizarre approach in trying to rectify the problem. Meet the HTC Mini, an NFC / Bluetooth-enabled device that's now being bundled with the 5-inch HTC Butterfly in China. Yes, HTC seems to think giving you a second, more ergonomic handset to carry around (and keep charged) is a better alternative to shrinking down its flagship Android phones. The candybar-style device pairs up with the Butterfly via NFC, after which Bluetooth is used to display notifications, text messages, calendar entries, and more. You can even place voice calls with the Mini, relegating your primary handset and its stunning 1080p display to the dark confines of your pocket.

Still more functionality is baked into the odd companion device: it can act as a remote control when the Butterfly is tethered to your TV and displaying content on screen. There's also a phone locator feature that will prompt your 5-inch handset to sound an alert if you somehow can't find it. (Wouldn't the Mini prove easier to lose?) It even doubles as a remote shutter trigger for the Butterfly's camera. The idea itself isn't horrible: it's easy to envision something like this proving useful when paired with an Android tablet, for instance. But as an accessory for a smartphone? It should not have come to this.

Video: http://youtu.be/wF8fVl32AHU

 

[33-Hit-Combo]

Inception.gif

Seriously. What.

 

[Slayven]

Yo dog I heard you like smart phones.......

 

[Darklord]

But it's not even that small...

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

Does it even lift?

 

[snoopeasystreet]

 

[nomis]

This is self-parody.

 

[zephervack]

Doesnt make any sense unless you can put it "inside" the other phone, I dont want to carry around 2 devices.

Also, just use a bluetooth headset, same thing no?

 

[Good Job Bob]

 

[Guevara]

I actually would just like the second phone.

 

[Grakl]

There should be an attachment to a large smartphone that is just a smaller phone. Then, the joining will be complete.

 

[venne]

Pair it with a tablet instead of a phone and I'm interested.

 

[Aguirre]

i'll only be happy if it makes the michael bay transformers noise when you join them

 

[DBT85]

HTC knocks it out of the park with the HTC One X, then announces the HTC Mini. FFS.

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

They need a smaller phone than that now that will be used as a remote for the HTC Mini.

 

[Loofy]

I think this is a pretty sweet idea, but it needs to be smaller. Like this.

 

[AnathemicOne]

I don't understand...

 

[Korey]

They need a smaller phone than that now that will be used as a remote for the HTC Mini.

Just get a Pebble watch and Google Glasses.

Your Google Glasses will tell you if your Pebble watch has any notifications from your HTC Butterfly sent via bluetooth through your HTC Mini

 

[BronsonLee]

... Oh dear god.

Edit: and THIS is the post that gets me non Juniored?!

Just get a Pebble watch and Google Glasses.

Your Google Glasses will tell you if your Pebble watch has any notifications from your HTC Butterfly sent via bluetooth through your HTC Mini

AAAAAAAAAHHHHH my head :-(

 

[AstroNut325]

I don't know if I should laugh or cry! Help me GAF! Tell me how I must feel!

 

[buhdeh]

How bout a small phone that plugs into the bigger phone to power it and then that bigger phone plugs into a tablet to power that. Boom.

 

[mckmas8808]

I think this is a pretty sweet idea, but it needs to be smaller. Like this.

No it doesn't. It needs to not exist. Why not just give people a free bluetooth device?

 

[x-Lundz-x]

This is asinine.

 

[Mononofu]

I don't know if I should laugh or cry! Help me GAF! Tell me how I must feel!

Do both lol.

 

[Diablo Rosso]

Why.jpg

 

[The Abominable Snowman]

Not a horrible, horrible idea. Would be better if it was flip or a head piece. I applaud HTC for thinking out of the box.

I would fix this idea by having it slide into or otherwise be always attached to the other device, and charge when its nested.

 

[Adam Scott Aukerman]

Novel way of admitting you design shit phones.

 

[Vyer]

lol

we reap what we sow

 

[Loofy]

No it doesn't. It needs to not exist. Why not just give people a free bluetooth device?

Umm thats what this is. Its a bluetooth device bundled with the phone.

I actually think this will be the next big thing though I dont think bundling is the right way. They should just offer them separately for like $40 and be compatible with all android phones.

 

[AstroNut325]

Novel way of admitting you design shit phones.

Seriously...

Something like this makes more sense if you MUST venture into device separation:

 

[massoluk]

shit this what is fuck the.

 

[Lamel]

It's like a circle, it all repeats.

 

[Emwitus]

Wasn't there a wrist watch/band that came out? What the heck?!

 

[ThatCrazyGuy]

I wish it was a VMU headset .

But yea, weird. I do want some of these guys to make small smartphones or start making flip phones again on the high end. Idk.

 

[Vic]

Useless.

 

[Maninthemirror]

this doesn't seem to make any sense. they give you a second set for calling so you have two pieces of equipment that you make sure you don't lose

 

[Korey]

Umm thats what this is. Its a bluetooth device bundled with the phone.

I actually think this will be the next big thing though I dont think bundling is the right way. They should just offer them separately for like $40 and be compatible with all android phones.

you think that carrying two phones is the next big thing?

 

[KarmaCow]

I don't think this is that ridiculous, it's almost like going for a tablet + dumb phone. I would be better if it able to attach to the phone itself instead of carrying two things but I already kinda do this with bluetooth attachment to listen to music/accept calls. My "phone" is more for emails, web browsing and texts.

 

[WeAreStarStuff]

Why is this a thing.

 

[Loofy]

this doesn't seem to make any sense. they give you a second set for calling so you have two pieces of equipment that you make sure you don't lose

No different than carrying around a bluetooth headset.

For me Id keep it in my inside jacket pocket and keep my huge smartphone in my front pockets.

 

[SlowRevolution]

Novel way of admitting you design shit phones.

HTC designs shit phones?

 

[TalesOfWin]

HTC knocks it out of the park with the HTC One X, then announces the HTC Mini. FFS.

Galaxy S3 >> HTC one X

 

[Crisco]

This is why you dont put engineers in charge of product development (also see: 3, Playstation)

 

[The Faceless Master]

Hashtag Gamechanger

This is the device that will turn HTC around!

 

[ShirAhava]

HTC Downward spiral continues

 

[Korey]

No different than carrying around a bluetooth headset.

For me Id keep it in my inside jacket pocket and keep my huge smartphone in my front pockets.

the point of Bluetooth headsets is that it's handsfree.

So no, this is not exactly like a Bluetooth headset.

This is just a second phone.

 

[medrew]

The Verge or GAF. I can't even tell the difference any more.

 

[Loofy]

you think that carrying two phones is the next big thing?

The convenience of a small dumb phone with the convenience of a huge 5" smartphone. Yes.

 

[ruxtpin]

So does the small one work with a BT headset?

I want options. If I'm lazy as fuck and don't want to use my mini-phone, I want to switch to the headset.

 

[LowMax]

This doesn't really solve the problem who think the phone is too big in their pocket. Unless you're a woman with a purse.


Programmable matter. A cell phone needs to be able to grow and shrink to fit our needs and a less distant and better solution would be google glasses.