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PlayStation Classic and original PlayStation, side by side
At the Tokyo Game Show Sony showed off its PlayStation Classic system for the first time in person. Engadget Japan editor Ei Ito said it wasn't playable so we don't know if this is just a mockup or the real thing, but it is sitting next to one of the original consoles that launched in 1994 so you can get an appreciation for the hardware design. Unfortunately Sony is still keeping quiet about the other 15 games it will pack-in, but a press release does note that the miniaturized console (45 percent smaller on the sides and 80 percent smaller in volume) will output video in 720p or 480p only, so it's likely that your TV will have more upscaling work to do.
Google Gboard can use selfies to create a 'Mini' version of you
If you want to send friends custom emoji using Gboard, you can either tap into your Bitmoji sticker collection... or use the keyboard's latest feature. Google has launched "Mini" stickers for iOS and Android, which use machine learning to craft personalized emoji from your photo. More precisely, the feature uses a combination of machine learning, neural networks and artist illustrations to conjure up the best representation of you, taking into account various characteristics like your skin tone, hair color and style, eye color, face shape and facial hair. Just access Mini from within Gboard and start the creation process by taking a selfie. It will then automatically create your avatar and generate packs of stickers you can use.
Mini created an electric version of one of its classics
Mini really wants everyone to know that it's embracing the EV future. At an event ahead of the New York Auto Show, the automaker unveiled the Classic Mini Electric that's exactly what the name implies: an older Mini that's been electrified.
BMW's new lease lets you drive for ridesharing services
It's not always obvious, but many car leases don't allow you to drive with ridesharing services or rent your car to others. And it's no surprise as to why -- the high mileage and varying driving habits aren't going to help the car's condition when the lease is over. BMW, however, is sticking its neck out. It's trotting out a Car & Ride Sharing Lease for BMW- and Mini-branded cars that, as the name suggests, permits either driving for a service like Uber or renting your car to others. If the payments on your 3 Series are a little too difficult to bear, you can make some money on the side.
BMW's next generation of hybrids relies on modular electrification
BMW's alternative-fuel interests go beyond plug-in hybrids. Sure, the company has been building a battery-powered ecosystem, with cars like the city-styled i3 and i8 sports Coupe and Roadster serving as the testing grounds for tech that will later trickle down through the rest of the model line. But the company is also licensing its electrification technology to Karma's recently resurrected luxury EV sports car, the Revero, in addition to luxury boats from Torqeedo and yachts from Hinckley.
Google Home Mini hands-on: Smaller, cheaper, subtler
Google's most adorable product launch today is definitely its puck-size Home Mini. No more imposing cylinders with AI voices, it's much, much, smaller and just less "tech." At $49, it'll square up against Amazon's Dot, but like the Dot, it will act as a gateway smart speaker for those not willing to throw down bigger sums of money. I took a look at the Home Mini at Google's satellite London event, and if other speakers left you cold, this unassuming AI speaker might win you over.
BMW will offer Alexa voice control in its cars next year
Amazon isn't content with Alexa pervading every corner of your home -- now, it's bringing that technology to your car. BMW has announced that it's making Alexa available in all its 2018 model year cars (including the Mini brand) starting in mid-2018 for the US, UK and Germany. You can use the voice assistant for typical Alexa tasks like the news or smart home control, as well as driving-oriented features like navigation or finding businesses. In many instances, voice responses will include relevant "visual cards" on your car's control display.
Driving with AR glasses may be information overload
The bridge of my nose is starting to collapse under the weight of the augmented reality glasses I'm wearing. I'm sitting in an Infiniti SUV being taken on a short tour near San Francisco's AT&T Park (home of the Giants. Go, local sports team), peering into what could possibly be the future of driving: a world where your glasses highlight landmarks and places of business while "following" a virtual Porsche along a route. I can't say if it's amazing or just another piece of technology being shoved into the automobile because it's in vogue. I do know that if anyone is expected to enjoy the wonders of AR, the glasses are going to have to lose about five pounds.
Mini shows off its pure-electric concept car
We've seen the fancy 3D renders; now here it is in real life: the Mini Electric Concept. Shown off on the first day of the Frankfurt auto show, the small EV is expected to hit production in 2019.
Gigabyte made the tiniest GeForce GTX 1080 card yet
NVIDIA has been shrinking gaming laptops with its Max-Q graphics initiative, but what about desktop users who want high-end graphics in a discreet, portable case? Gigabyte has come up with the GeForce GTX 1080 Mini ITX 8G, an unwieldy name for the world's smallest GTX 1080 graphics card. At just 16.9 cm (6.7 inches), it's nearly four inches shorter than a regular model, so it can be tucked into a Mini-ITX case (6.7 x 6.7 inches), as the name implies. Yet, it packs the same power as any other GTX 1080 desktop card, letting you do 4K video, gaming and VR with ease.
BMW shows off its all-electric Mini concept
The all-electric Mini could blow the bloody doors off the EV landscape, simply by making plug-in power more accessible. That's why the prospect of a 3-door electric version of the iconic car is so exciting. And now, we're finally being treated to a decent look at the car itself -- well a concept, anyway.
BMW's updated EV plans include a 3-door Mini
BMW's plans to electrify the Mini go well beyond an early experiment and a plug-in hybrid. The Bavarian brand has unveiled the next steps of its EV strategy, and the highlight is an all-electric version of the 3-door Mini due in 2019. In theory, you won't have to splurge to avoid a gas-guzzler. The automaker is saying precious little about what the Mini EV will entail, but it'll be built in Britain (of course) using a German powerplant. Want something bigger? Don't worry -- it's just the tip of the spear.
Mini's new plug-in hybrid packs thrills into a compact cruiser
From the moment it appeared at the LA Auto Show, the new Mini Countryman ALL4 plug-in hybrid seemed to run in a different pack than other affordable EVs. That's due in large part to the Mini's heritage. Driving a Mini always meant having a good time, and the argument for strapping into a Countryman is as much about whipping around in a grown-up go-kart as it is about conserving fossil fuels.
The slow evolution of the tech-centric LA Auto Show
The LA Auto Show billed itself as the place where established automakers and enthusiastic startups would come together to show off the latest technological achievements in the world of cars. It even rebranded as "AutoMobility," combining the traditional show and connected car event into one.
The Morning After: Thursday, November 17, 2016
We put the 4K-ready Chromecast to the test, saw increasingly less snow around the US, and gawp at the first hybrid Mini -- as well as a whole bunch of new cars coming out of the LA Auto Show. There's also the discovery of a "Watch Dogs 2" character that has fully rendered sex organs for no apparent reason whatsoever. Not just another Thursday.
Mini unveils its first hybrid vehicle
Tiny-carmaker Mini unveiled its hybrid all-wheel-drive Countryman S E at the LA Auto Show today. What's intriguing is that while it's an AWD vehicle, the front wheels are powered by the gas engine while the rear are connected to an electric motor.
BMW teases an all-electric future with Mini and X3
BMW's outline to reinvent itself as an automaker of the future has a new wrinkle to it. The company plans to sell electric versions of the X3 SUV as well as an EV Mini, according to Reuters. There isn't a timeline for the former, but the latter is expected in roughly three years. In addition to licensing out its EV tech, it looks like the company will keep charging ahead (sorry) on its homegrown alternative fuel projects. This all dovetails nicely with the recently completed coastal charging network, Formula E news and the EV rumors from earlier this month. Will it be enough to get a leg up on Tesla, though?
BMW reportedly steps up its electric vehicle plans
Mercedes isn't the only car maker determined to beat Tesla before it gets huge. Sources speaking to German business daily Handelsblatt claim that BMW is in the midst of planning an executive shuffle that will also include a big shift in its electric vehicle strategy. While the company would still offer ground-up EV designs like the i3, the new strategy would greenlight electric versions of some of BMW's most important vehicles, including the 3-series sedan, X4 crossover and iconic Mini. If the leak is accurate, management is likely to approve the change at the end of September.
BMW expands ReachNow car sharing service in Seattle
After its initial Seattle launch in April, BMW is ready to beef up its ReachNow car sharing service. According to GeekWire, the automaker saw some 13,000 members sign up to use its fleet of 370 i3s, 328xis and Mini Coopers in the first month. To deal with the increased demand, BMW is rolling out another 150 vehicles in even more neighborhoods.
Mini's latest concept is the mood ring of cars
Mini has produced tight, efficient economy vehicles since its first car was introduced in 1959. But its parent company BMW has been exploring how differently cars will be used in the future with its concept cars. Unlike the luxury emphasis of its self-driving Rolls Royce and BMW models, the Mini entry in the Vision Next 100 line expands customization for multiple users, a clear benefit for a car-sharing ecosystem.
