Parrot Minikit Neo 2 HD: Much more colorful, a bit more clear (pictures)

Parrot updates its svelte Minikit Neo Bluetooth car kit.

The Minikit Neo 2 HD starts with subtle tweaks to the design, but the general layout remains intact.

The Neo 2 HD presents a large central knob that doubles as a button for making selections.

The now-red visor clip is larger than before, which makes mounting the Minikit easier. However, the body is still as slim as ever.

Audio is output via a low-profile flat-panel speaker that occupies most of the device's surface.

On one side is the power switch which, when slid beyond the neutral position, triggers the Minikit to speak its current battery status.

On the other side is a Micro-USB port, which is used for charging and firmware updates. Beside the port is a small charging indicator light.

Also in the box is a small USB charging socket and a USB charging cable.

With a full charge, the Minikit Neo 2 HD claims up to 10 hours of talk time. When not in use, it can also maintain a standby charge for up to six months.

Compared to the older Minikit Neo (left), the Neo 2 HD appears larger but is just as low-profile when mounted.

The mounting clip is now more flexible than the old version.

The design of the LED indicators that flank the control knob has also changed.

Both Minikit Neo models are more compact than the first generation Minikit slim.

The surfaces that flank the control knob are also buttons that can answer and end calls and manually trigger voice commands.

The Minikit Neo 2 HD connects to up to two mobile devices at a time using Bluetooth 4.0.

The Minikit Neo 2 HD also uses a "Magic Word" functionality to listen for voice commands without the need for the user to touch the device.

The Minikit features its own onboard voice command software, or the user can choose to speak directly to the host handset's voice-command software, which is useful for fans of Siri or Google Now.