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HTC Mini is a bonkers tiny second phone for your Butterfly

HTC has unveiled a second phone to go with its 5-inch Butterfly, and it's tiny. Not to mention bonkers.

Joe Svetlik Reporter
Joe has been writing about consumer tech for nearly seven years now, but his liking for all things shiny goes back to the Gameboy he received aged eight (and that he still plays on at family gatherings, much to the annoyance of his parents). His pride and joy is an Infocus projector, whose 80-inch picture elevates movie nights to a whole new level.
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Joe Svetlik
2 min read
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Smart phones are getting bigger, there's no denying it -- but what if you don't want a device that's too big for your pocket? Buy a smaller phone? No, don't be silly; HTC has a much better idea.

The Taiwanese company has started bundling a second, smaller phone, named the HTC Mini, with its 5-inch Butterfly mobile in China, Unwired View reports. It pairs with your main device -- which you keep in your bag or pocket, I guess -- and lets you carry out the main functions like call and text. Is this madness? I think so.

The HTC Mini pairs with your main phone using NFC, then takes texts, calendar entries and more from it using Bluetooth. It also doubles as a remote control for your TV, as a remote shutter trigger for the camera on your main handset, and it'll set off an alarm sound from your bigger blower, should you lose it.

In some ways, the concept is sound. It's a bit like those smart watches that pair with your mobile to show notifications, so you don't have to look rude by constantly ogling your phone. While it's fine in theory though, I've never seen anyone actually using one. (But if Apple is getting involved, as rumoured, they could take off.) And it could work as a cool accessory to a tablet, a bit like the remote control for an iMac. But a smaller phone to go with your main handset? Has April Fool's come early?

Imagine the inconvenience. Two phones to take everywhere. Two to keep charged. Two to lose on a night out. Why not just buy a smaller phone in the first place? And what's the point of paying for a massive high-resolution screen that you're not going to use?

As I say, it's only for China at the moment. And I can't see it taking off over here. Here's a promotional video just to prove I'm not making it up. If anyone can translate, I'd be grateful.

Would you ever want a smaller phone to go with your main handset? Let me know what you make of it in the comments, or on our Facebook page.