I am past due for a smartphone upgrade, and my HTC Thunderbolt shows it. But after going big (as in screen size) two years ago to get a phone with Verizon LTE, I’m more determined than ever to find a model this time around that fits a little more snugly in my pocket.
The good news is there are a couple of “mini” Android smartphone models to choose from. The bad news is none of them come with top-of-the-line specs. I don’t need an incredible camera or tons of storage space, but there are other bells and whistles I’d really like to have.
NFC support, for example. Do I need NFC? No. But I’m pretty sure there’ll be new NFC applications to try over the next couple of years, and I hate to miss out. Then there’s wireless charging. Do I even want a wireless charging mat now? No. But I know there will be more charging surfaces popping up soon, and I want to be able to use them.
I find I’m leaning toward getting the HTC One Mini, but that has its own issues even beyond the feature set. For one thing, I worry about HTC’s future as a company, and its ability to dedicate resources to further software upgrades. For another, I’ve heard the HTC Bluetooth stack is lacking, which could have implications for pairing accessory devices.
When it comes right down to it, I use my smartphone for a handful of primary activities: email, music, texting, phone calls, casual photos, and GPS navigation. And the HTC One Mini should be able to handle all of them exceedingly well. Plus, I’ve liked my HTC phones, the Mini gets good reviews, and the phone even looks good in addition to being small(ish). In short, the HTC One Mini is probably the right choice for me.
I just wish I didn’t have to compromise.