Mini
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Grabbing and going with BMW's ReachNow car share service
BMW wants to make car sharing classier. Its premium-level ReachNow service launched in Seattle today with BMW 3 Series, i3s and Mini Coopers scattered throughout the downtown area. Its closest vehicle-sharing competitor Car2Go has already filled the city streets with Smart Fortwos. But those tiny cars provide more utility than luxury. While it may seem logical to assume that BMW is competing with Car2Go, the carmaker doesn't see it that way. It's appealing to a different sort of user — the type who wants to commute (or just cruise) around town in style. I drove a few of the German automakers swanky cars in Seattle and while the experience was indeed fancy, it still needs a bit of polish. One of the self-professed key features of the service is how quickly users can register for it — accounts are supposed to be verified within two minutes. Because you take photos of your credit card and driver's license, the sign-up process moves quickly. And while it did take about two minutes to finish the entire process, I was verified before I even got my mailing address plugged into the app. Reservations are equally painless thanks to a map that shows all available vehicles in the area. Tapping on a desired car shows its per-minute rate and license plate number, and if you like what you see, another tap on 'reserve' makes it yours. While you wait for the app to confirm your reservation, it displays a blue walking trail to the vehicle. Should you prefer Google or Apple Maps, you can tap the automobile's location to launch your navigation of choice. You have 30 minutes to get to the rental before the reservation expires. Once you arrive at your car you can unlock the vehicle with either the app or your membership card, but both take just long enough that, if you're impatient like me, you might think it's not working. A few times I kept pressing the card against the windshield again and again trying to unlock the doors. Right when I was about to give up, the car unlocked with two chirps. Frustration, apparently, is part of the luxury experience. Once inside, the center display walks you through the process to start the vehicle -- that includes inputting the PIN you had to create during the registration process to unlock the engine. It even shows you how to start the car. For example, the start/stop button for the Mini Cooper is in the center console and not on or near the steering column. I own a 2011 Mini and was not aware they had moved the button. Once you've jumped through all those hoops, all that's left is to drive the car and enjoy the BMW experience without the corresponding car payments. Of course the company is hoping ReachNow will turn BMW renters into BMW buyers. It even noted that the 70 i3s it added to the Seattle fleet will give anyone wary of electric vehicles the opportunity to actually drive one without having to visit a dealer. BMW may be branching out into mobility, but it still wants to sell cars. While you're using one of these cars, street parking is free. Well, not really. You don't have to pay the meter, but you're charged $0.30 a minute while in away mode. When you park and turn off the car, you're given the option of ending the trip or parking and keeping the car on your account. If you're just going to quickly run into a store, the parking feature is cool. But if you plan on spending any time in a restaurant or shop, it might be better to end the trip and find a another car when you're done. That parking feature conundrum also illuminates one of the other issues with the app. Once you're tied to a vehicle, you can't see if other cars are available in the area until you end your trip. That's fine when a ton of ReachNow rentals are available in the area, but if there aren't, you could let go of your ride and have another user grab it. Then you're left to find another way to get around. If you do decide to bite the bullet and keep paying for the car while it's parked, you can't change your mind once you're out of the vehicle. You have to return to the rental, unlock it, input your PIN and then end the trip. You can't do it from the app. Another weird issue is that while it's very cool that you can set a destination in the app and send it to your reserved car, you can't do it more than once per trip. The BMW in-car navigation system works fine enough, but it's still easier to input addresses on your smartphone. Although the service has its problems, it's still pretty good. At $0.49 a minute with the price capped at $50 for three hours, it's not that much more expensive than Car2Go's $0.41 per minute rate, and ReachNow is even matching Car2Go's rate for a limited time. Is ReachNow worth the extra 8 cents an hour? It is... if you're looking for a fancier driving experience with the odd issue or two.
BMW's next-gen Project i focuses on autonomous driving
When BMW talks about wanting to build the most intelligent car, it's not joking around. The automaker is kicking off a Project i 2.0 initiative that will push autonomous and networked driving technology in the same way that Project i boosted electric cars. In fact, BMW claims that it'll "lead the field" for self-driving tech -- no mean feat when seemingly everyone has similar ideas. The centerpiece is an iNext vehicle that will supposedly "set new standards" for autonomy, connectivity, EV tech, mapping and sensors.
Remix Mini won't replace your Roku, or your PC
I've heard more than a few times that Android is destined to replace Windows as the pre-eminent desktop operating system. As much as I want to believe them, the truth is that we're still years away from Android being robust enough for me to ditch my trusty home PC. That didn't stop me from wanting to take a look at Remix Mini, the Android Mini PC that made such a splash on Kickstarter last year. After raising a whopping $1.6 million over the course of its campaign, it clearly seemed worth a look.
Mini's weird-looking AR goggles are actually useful
Augmented reality is supposed to be the future, but its current usefulness is pretty fuzzy. Sony's SmartEyeglass is reminiscent of your old monochrome monitors, Microsoft's HoloLens' games look intriguing, but who knows when that's coming out and Google Glass, well, we're not sure what the future holds for Glass. BMW's vision of augmented reality is still a ways off as well, but it's recently partnered with Qualcomm to announce something rather unexpected: a pair of AR glasses meant specifically for, of all things, driving a Mini. It looks and sounds ridiculous. But the thing is: It's actually pretty damn impressive.
Mini is making augmented reality goggles for driving
Mini is rolling out a new product, and no, it's not a car. Announced at the Auto Shanghai show, the Mini Augmented Vision is actually a pair of augmented reality glasses that offers up info about your ride in your field of vision. You can see some of the following details as you're riding around in your Mini vehicle of choice: destination points that you can select pre-ride, the navigation display of your first and last mile, heads up info like speeds and speed limits, navigation arrows plus points of interest on your route, incoming message notifications, an X-ray view of the vehicle, plus a view of the curb from the car's external cameras so you can park easier. And, of course, since it's AR and see-through, you can still see the road in front of you. As you might expect, there's no details about pricing or availability just yet, but we'll be sure to update the post with more when we hear more.
Your BMW just downloaded a security patch
Have a BMW, Mini or Rolls Royce with the ConnectedDrive feature parked in your driveway? Maybe all three? Well, it turns out there was a bug that allowed ne'er-do-wells to manipulate it -- entirely wirelessly. According to Reuters, by simulating a fake phone network researchers at German outfit ADAC (essentially Deutschland's AAA) were able to gain access to systems governed by the platform's SIM card by spoofing a cell tower. They've even put together a video describing the gap in security which you can check out after the break -- if you speak German. While the vulnerabilities didn't include anything related to steering, acceleration or braking, the ConnectedDrive does have access to traffic information, air conditioning and... door locks.
Data-saving Opera Mini browser to land on Samsung Gear S watch
While Tizen's smartphone future remains foggy, it's slowly gaining street cred in the wearable space courtesy of Samsung's smartwatches and their handful of apps. The latest brand to help push this young ecosystem is none other than Opera, who is bringing its Mini browser to the Gear S due later this year. Of course, it'd be impractical to squint at a two-inch touchscreen all day long, but Opera Mini does offer a major advantage: its renowned data compression technology that can shrink web pages to as little as one-tenth of their size, thus making more efficient use of the Gear S' integrated 3G connectivity. As an icing on the cake, this app also offers private browsing mode and a "Smart Page" that aggregates social updates plus the latest news. Opera Mini will already be available for download by the time the Gear S hits the stores.
ZTE's camera-heavy mini flagship makes rare leap to the US
Chinese phone makers are smacking Samsung and others around right now, but it's still hard to find high-end, non-carrier-branded devices stateside. That said, ZTE -- which has quietly become the world's number five smartphone brand -- has just launched its Nubia 5S mini LTE in the US unlocked for $280. You may be more tempted by a Nexus 5 if specs are your thing, as the Nubia 5s mini is "merely" equipped with a quad-core Snapdragon 400, 2GB RAM, 16GB expandable memory and a 4.7-inch, 720p screen. But ZTE's wooing a younger crowd by touting the ample 5-megapixel front/13-megapixel rear cameras with f/2.2 iris and manual controls, along with the photo effects, LTE (for GSM carriers) and pocketable size. It also vows to repair any damage you inflict for any reason up to 18 months after purchase for $80 -- a boon to any of us who've broken a screen. It's now up on pre-order at Amazon, with shipping set to start on August 27th.
GoPro cameras show what it's like to endure a terrifying car crash
GoPro is trying to build a media empire by capturing moments that other video cameras sometimes miss, and it just might achieve that feat if its latest (and arguably most dramatic) footage is any indication. The company mounted its action cams in the car of Guerlain Chicherit hoping to catch a record-setting jump, but instead caught what it's like to survive a horrifying crash. The clip is cringe-inducing, even if you've seen your fair share of in-car replays -- Chicherit can't do much more than prepare for the worst as his modified Mini tumbles end over end. He thankfully escaped with minor injuries, but the resulting movie is an especially stark reminder of just why stunt driving is so dangerous.
BMW and Mini make it easier for GoPro to record your road adventures
Sure, you can use GoPro with any car you want, but BMW and Mini owners will have an easier time controlling the device from inside their cars. Why? Because the action camera's now tightly integrated with BMW's infotainment system. When you pair up the two, you'd be able to configure the camera, choose from six pre-set modes and start and stop recordings right on the in-car system's screen. The partnership comes with a few limitations, though: it only works on 2012 or newer BMW and Mini models loaded with BMW Apps or MINI Connected option, and you need to use a WiFi-connected GoPro -- in other words, HERO3+ models. Also, you'll need to connect an iPhone (4 or later) to the vehicle via a USB cable, because the camera can only communicate with the entertainment suite through GoPro's iOS app. Come to think of it, that's quite a lengthy list of requirements, but anything to record your on-road adventures, eh?
The Daily Grind: What's your favorite vanity pet?
What does a vanity pet do for my gameplay? If we're talking about adding to my combat potential, it does absolutely nothing. But if we're talking about providing bragging rights, companionship, amusement value, and another layer of personal customization, such a pet has plenty to offer. Right now my favorite vanity pet is probably the Super Adventure Box spider mini in Guild Wars 2. Not only does it look totally rad in a 16-bit way, but it occasionally does breakdancing even in the midst of dire peril. Dancing retro spider with sunglasses, that's a win any way I look at it. What's your favorite vanity pet? Why do you enjoy it? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
European Amazon listing prices LG's G2 mini at 350 euros ahead of launch
So far we know most of the things we need to know about LG's G2 mini. Like, we know there will be two processor variants (Tegra 4i for Latin America and Middle East, Snapdragon 400 elsewhere), there's also a 4.7-inch (qHD) display, 1GB of RAM and an 8-megapixel camera. That's all fine and dandy, but what about the price? Well, if a few eager European retailers (one being Amazon) are anything to go by, expect to shell out 350 of your shiniest euros ($480, but will vary by continent) once it finally flips from "aún no ha salido a la venta" to "En stock" sometime in the next couple of weeks.
Verizon's 2013 Droid line now does KitKat
Maybe it was the marketing or the battery life, or just an aggressively convincing Verizon rep -- but whatever the reason, you chose a 2013 Droid over Motorola's fine Moto X. And then, maybe you kicked yourself as you watched Verizon update the Moto X to KitKat while your handset sat neglected like the red-eyed stepchild it is. Oh chin up, because KitKat's finally coming to the Droid line as of today. Yes, that means owners of the Droid Ultra, Maxx and Mini should start seeing that Android 4.4 update hit their devices. Although cool your jets on the System Update refreshes because it's "being pushed out in phases." We know the wait can be painful, but take comfort in knowing you're almost in the clear.
BMW and Mini connected cars now support Amazon Cloud Player
Almost a year after it rolled out to select Ford models, Amazon has finally secured itself another automotive partner for its cloud music service. The company today confirmed that its recently-updated Cloud Player iOS app can now connect to in-car dashboards in BMW and Mini Connected cars, letting owners access their cloud-hosted music with the help of steering wheel controls or touchscreen displays. It's a big coup for Amazon, as it fights Apple, Google and Nokia to integrate its mobile services into our in-car dashboards. There's no word on whether Amazon and BMW intend to extend support to Android devices, but we have contacted the company to find out.
Retina iPad mini is now available, prices start at $399
Sure the iPad Air is thin, light and has amazing battery life, but the arrival of its smaller cousin is about to make your choice more difficult. Apple's upgraded 8-inch slate, the Retina iPad mini, is now available, popping up in Apple's online stores around the globe. According to an internal Apple document posted by MacRumors, while some countries are getting both WiFi and cellular models, mainland China will have to make do with the WiFi-only variant. As we mentioned in our hands-on post, the device retains most of the first iPad mini's looks, save for being a tad thicker and heavier. The biggest change is its updated high-res display, while inside you'll find the new A7 CPU and M7 "motion coprocessor" tandem that we first saw in the iPhone 5s. Because those changes come at a price, the most basic model (16GB, WiFi) sells for $399. If that sounds too basic, you can add $100 more for each step in the storage ladder (32GB, 64GB and 128GB) and $130 for LTE connection. It's available now from Apple's online store (16GB and 32GB WiFi models list ship times of 1 - 3 business days, while larger / LTE-equipped models have a 5 - 10 day window), and should arrive shortly at local retailers -- assuming you haven't already opted for one of the many alternatives available.
Galaxy S4 Mini leaked in bubble gum colors for AT&T and Sprint (update: Verizon too)
We're not sure what happened to the alleged GS4 Mini for Verizon, which popped up a couple of months ago and still hasn't materialized. Nevertheless, here we go with some freshly leaked images courtesy of @evleaks, this time purporting to show Samsung's shrunken GS4 in various degrees of color saturation for AT&T and Sprint. We have no idea as to when the device will arrive on these networks, or how much it'll cost relative to an imported unit (the GS4 Mini is still $410 at Negri, versus $250 for the GS3 Mini). In fact, we're still not convinced that these low-spec models were worth their salt to begin with -- although, to be fair, they seem to be pretty popular in Europe right now. Update: We can add Verizon to the mix, as @evleaks has also outed a model for that carrier carrying its logo not only on the back, but also on the home button.
Mini Cooper hardtop gets parking assistance and collision warning systems
It feels like the last time we thought about the Mini Cooper, it was pulling bank jobs with Mark Wahlberg. Since then, the diminutive coupe has apparently outgrown its rebellious phase and is now thinking about more mature notions, like safety. At next month's LA Auto Show, the 2014 hardtop will debut a new collision warning system that employs cameras -- instead of the feature's typical sonar tech -- for accident sensing, a video-based adaptive cruise control system and even auto-dimming headlamps. Nothing exactly new for automobiles, but definitely shiny features for the Mini line. For full details on these as well as the new assisted parking system, HUD and more, make sure to hit the PR after the break. Now if you'll excuse us, we're going to shut down the real Napster.
TiVo Mini DVR extenders suddenly add Netflix streaming, Amazon coming soon?
While we enjoyed our time with the TiVo Mini multiroom DVR extender when we reviewed it, we noted several drawbacks including missing apps for Netflix and Amazon Instant Video (Hulu Plus has been present since launch). Both have been supported on standalone TiVos for a long time, but according to user reports Mini owners may finally have access to them. Zatz Not Funny posted the picture above and points out a TiVo Community post where users report icons for both are suddenly appearing on their Minis, although currently only Netflix is working. Forum poster and Engadget reader sbiller reports 1080p streams currently cause the Mini to reboot, so even that app may not be quite ready for prime time. Whatever the case, it should be active so if that's been stopping you from adding a Mini to your setup it may be time to reconsider, or re-reconsider.
HTC Mini+ companion device coming to the UK with added functionality
When the HTC Butterfly (better known as the Droid DNA here in the US) launched in China several months ago, it was soon followed by a companion device called the HTC Mini. This accessory -- not to be confused with HTC's One mini -- is basically designed to be a Bluetooth handset and remote control for the larger smartphone. It features NFC for pairing, plus a numeric keypad and monochrome LCD. What's more intriguing, however, is that UK retailer Clove recently outed an update to the product -- the HTC Mini+ -- which gains an IR blaster and the ability to remote control a variety of TVs, along with HTC's Media Link HD. The companion device is expected to be available soon fort £54.16 (about $83) before taxes.
The Daily Roundup for 07.22.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
