minis

Automakers embrace online music apps

Just about every new car comes with a USB port and Bluetooth streaming, letting you bring in digital-audio devices and play music through the car's stereo. But many people have already moved from stored media to online music services.

Automakers are just beginning to keep up, integrating existing online music services with new models.

Click through for the full photo gallery and more details.

Not only can a built-in interface for an online music service make a car more attractive to a devotee of that service, but it also provides a safer interface. Where a Pandora fan might hook … Read more

Spotted: HTC One 'Mini' with 4.3-inch display

HTC's popular One smartphone might be getting squished a bit.

Estonia-based site Forte.delfi.ee posted several pictures on Wednesday of what it claims is the long-rumored HTC One Mini. The device, it says (and the pictures corroborate), has the same basic design as the larger HTC One, but comes with a slightly smaller 720p HD screen measuring 4.3 inches. The standard HTC One comes with a 4.7-inch display.

According to Engadget, which was first to report on Forte's find, the smaller device has a 720p display, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage. A … Read more

Bose SoundLink Mini: Tiny $200 Bluetooth speaker delivers big sound (hands-on)

There's a new portable Bluetooth speaker in town -- and it's got the Jawbone Jambox and its wireless brethren squarely in its sights.

Bose today introduced the SoundLink Mini, a $200 wireless speaker that's considerably smaller and less expensive than the company's earlier Bluetooth offering, the SoundLink Bluetooth Mobile Speaker II. That model retails for $300 to $350, depending on whether you opt for a nylon or leather cover flap.

The svelte speaker is 2x7.1x2.3 inches, and it's a looker. The frame is a unibody aluminum enclosure that surrounds tiny stereo drivers at … Read more

iPad Mini 2 delayed, claims report

Shipments of the second-generation iPad Mini will trail those of a new version of the 9.7-inch iPad by months, according to an Asia-based publication.

Volume production of the fifth-generation iPad will begin in the July-August time frame, while volume production for the iPad Mini 2 may be pushed back to November -- so claims Taiwan-based DigiTimes in a Monday report, citing "supply chain" sources.

The delay is attributed to either mass-production problems or a deliberate decision by Apple to postpone introduction of the Mini 2. The latter reason is based on "market watchers" belief that … Read more

Size up the Galaxy S4 Mini in this new video spot

Consumers can catch Samsung's Galaxy S4 Mini up close in a new video posted by U.K. mobile carrier Three.

The video starts off by showing the Mini in the hand of Brendan Arndt, the device portfolio manager for Three. Arndt's grasp of the phone shows that many people will likely find it easier to hold than they do the full-sized S4. The next clip displays the Mini along with its bigger brother and the upcoming Galaxy Mega to contrast the sizes of all three.

With a screen of just 4.3 inches, the Mini seems quite compact … Read more

Samsung's Galaxy S4 Mini is a 'decaf' Galaxy S4 (first impressions)

If Samsung's Galaxy S4 is more phone than you think you need, the electronics giant has just offered up the smaller, more midrange -- and surely cheaper -- Galaxy S4 Mini.

Like a decaffeinated beverage, Samsung is hoping to give its lighter smartphone much of the same GS4 taste with just a little less oomph. Although the Mini has stepped-down specs compared to its flagship family, like a lower-resolution screen and an 8-megapixel camera instead of a 13-megapixel shooter, it's no slouch when it comes to the Galaxy S4's core features, like a built-in TV remote control. … Read more

Comparing the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini and the GS4

Following the success of its flagship handset, the Galaxy S4, Samsung announced that it will launch a smaller version of the device in the U.S. and U.K. Aptly named the Galaxy S4 Mini, the manufacturer will release 4G, 3G, and 3G dual-SIM models.

While pricing and carrier information remain unknown, a few key specs were released. As you can see from the chart below, not only is the new device physically smaller, it also has some less powerful hardware features.

For example, it has an 8-megapixel camera (compared with the GS4's 13-megapixel), a dual-core CPU, and a … Read more

Galaxy S4 Mini gives Samsung's flagship a smaller sibling

Samsung announced its Galaxy S4 Mini on Thursday, delivering a smaller, lower-end cousin of its hot-selling high-end Android phone with a 4.3-inch screen.

The Korean electronics giant has been steadily pushing smartphone sizes larger, but not everyone is ready for a the 5-inch screen of a Galaxy S4. And the new model will ensure Samsung a place in the market for more cost-conscious buyers, though the company hasn't yet said how much the device will cost or when it will go on sale.

Although the new phone has many of the S4's software features -- tools to … Read more

Galaxy S4 Mini may sport dual-core Snapdragon 400 chip

The Galaxy S4 Mini won't be quite as beefy as its bigger brother, at least according to alleged specs leaked online.

Benchmark results reportedly obtained by German blog site All About Samsung show the Mini powered by Qualcomm's dual-core Snapdragon 400 processor. Outfitted with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, the phone will offer a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display. The Mini will also come with 1.5GB of memory, an 8-megapixel camera in the back, and a 2.1-megapixel camera in the front.

In comparison, Samsung's 5-inch Galaxy S4 is powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor, … Read more