HTC thinks a second tiny phone is the answer to your oversized smartphone complaints

[skyscraper101]

Are they onto something here?

I quite like the idea of a more ergonomic lightweight mobile handset and I always feel like prick talking on a bluetooth earpiece or fixed earphone headset. Having a funky looking lightweight number to pair to a handset could be the answer - especially if the rumoured Samsung Galaxy Note 8 which is expected to be announced at MWC next week has call placing ability. Meaning, perhaps as long as you carry your 8inch tablet around with you, you need only shell out for one sim to cover calls and data together. Basically tethering but in reverse.

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.

http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/25/3...phone-companion-for-your-oversized-smartphone

http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/htc-mini-the-remote-control-for-your-5-inch-phone-20130125/

 

[Quartz]

Right direction, wrong idea. Personal Area Networking was the right idea but came too soon. You want a base station with a Sim which perhaps clips to your belt which connects to a small phone with which you make calls, and also to a phablet which gives you the camera, games playing, maps, etc. You might have a military-style hands-free - earpiece and throat-mike.

 

[gentlegreen]

 

[skyscraper101]

Right direction, wrong idea. Personal Area Networking was the right idea but came too soon. You want a base station with a Sim which perhaps clips to your belt which connects to a small phone with which you make calls, and also to a phablet which gives you the camera, games playing, maps, etc. You might have a military-style hands-free - earpiece and throat-mike.

That would've been great.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

2015: After commentary that the HTC MegaGigantic 27" ButStillAPhone is a little too large to keep anywhere but on your desk in a reinforced charging cradle, HTC introduce both bag-sized and pocket-sized accessory devices to allow you to actually fucking use it. "One device for everywhere!" continues to be the slogan. The HTC StillTooBig 10" tablet allows you to use Android ZoomCandyErWeRanOutOfNames on a larger scale, whereas the 3" ReallyQuiteSmall can actually make telephone calls and be held to your face without looking like a dick. Both accessories are absolutely not extra devices to carry around with you but definitely peripherals yes.

 

[free spirit]

I'm well ahead of this curve.

I've got a laptop that I carry in my bag for computer stuff, and a tiny nokia in my pocket for talking to people and sending text messages.

works a treat tbf

 

[skyscraper101]

I'm well ahead of this curve.

I've got a laptop that I carry in my bag for computer stuff, and a tiny nokia in my pocket for talking to people and sending text messages.

works a treat tbf

But a laptop which needs to connect to a wifi + a separate phone vs a phablet which tethers to a handset is two different things.

Or four, if you will.

 

[free spirit]

But a laptop which needs to connect to a wifi + a separate phone vs a phablet which tethers to a handset is two different things.

Or four, if you will.

yeah but I actually don't want to be able to connect to the internet 99% of the time when I'm not in range of wifi, and I have a dongle if I do.

 

[bi0boy]

A phone optimised for making phone calls. Nice.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

A phone optimised for making phone calls. Nice.

Don't nobody say there's no innovation in the phone market any more.

 

[bi0boy]

tbh it can be a right pain using my smartphone for phoning. You go to hang up and nothing happens, so you press again and then it hangs up and the hangup button turns into a call button and accepts your second press and starts dialling, and then in a panic you accidentally drag out the update notifications tab and then gesture-lock your screen while someone you really didn't want to call is shouting out you to say something.

 

[ChrisFilter]

Don't nobody say there's no innovation in the phone market any more.

If Apple had suggested it you'd be harping on about it making perfect sense, being an obvious next step, etc.

It was either gonna be you or ke smirking at innovation from someone other than Apple. I must admit I'd presumed it'd be him on this one. I lose.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

If Apple had suggested it you'd be harping on about it making perfect sense, being an obvious next step, etc.

It was either gonna be you or ke smirking at innovation from someone other than Apple. I must admit I'd presumed it'd be him on this one. I lose.

A WILD FANDROID APPEARS!

 

[ChrisFilter]

No, not really. I'm quite tech agnostic which allows me to chuckle at fan bois. I have a licence. It's laminated.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

It doesn't affect FRIDGEMAGNET!

 

[baldrick]

Why would I want two phones? Am I missing something?

 

[Corax]

Can people stop saying "phablet" please? It makes me all stabby, and I'm a pacifist.

 

[Epona]

And there we all were, back in the '70s, imagining that we'd all by now be wearing silver lycra and have a gadget on our wrist that did everything, and technology will have either saved us, or damned us into a hellish dystopia, depending upon which films you prefer.

Instead here we are deciding whether we need a smaller phone to compensate for our normal 'massive' phones (which make my first mobile phone from back in 1996 look like a breeze-block btw). It's a tricky moral conundrum, for sure.

(btw if anyone has one of these smartphones that is now deemed too big and wants to get rid of it, I will happily use it and be grateful for it until it breaks)

 

[editor]

Here's a video showing the mini-me phone.



I can't get my head around it all, but it's good to see different ideas being thrown around rather than the tech companies serving up the same phone with a few minor tweaks every year while screaming how revolutionary it is.

 

[alsoknownas]

I love the idea of a high-powered smartphone, but woudn't neccessarily want to carry it around all the time. I'd like to see duplicate SIMS, where you can stick them in several phones (I would only need two), which activate whenever you need them (obviously only one would be live at any given time).

 

[stuff_it]

I'm well ahead of this curve.

I've got a laptop that I carry in my bag for computer stuff, and a tiny nokia in my pocket for talking to people and sending text messages.

works a treat tbf

What if you want to take a picture!

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Certainly is a brave decision to go in that direction...

 

[RoyReed]

I've got a laptop that I carry in my bag for computer stuff, and a tiny nokia in my pocket for talking to people and sending text messages.

Pretty much the same for me.

What if you want to take a picture!

I've got a camera.

 

[Firky]

I had one of these after a 3310, like all old Nokias it was brilliant. About 4" x 1".

 

[stuff_it]

 

[Throbbing Angel]

Hmm

Battery life would be my concern - leaving BTooth on all the time so the tiny phone stays linked to the phablet/smartshite/whateveryouhipsterfucksarecallingthemnow

 

[editor]

Hmm

Battery life would be my concern - leaving BTooth on all the time so the tiny phone stays linked to the phablet/smartshite/whateveryouhipsterfucksarecallingthemnow

The new Bluetooth tech is going to have vastly improved battery life.

 

[spacemonkey]

I had one of these after a 3310, like all old Nokias it was brilliant. About 4" x 1".

I love that phone, the battery would last for DAYS.

 

[baldrick]

I had one of these after a 3310, like all old Nokias it was brilliant. About 4" x 1".

I had one too. Fucking gutted when i left it on a train. I think until i got my current phone, that was easily the best one i had up to that point.

 

[Idaho]

Unnecessary gadget in unnecessary shocker!