Mini Cooper Mk II

Though the Mk II has a familiar look, every panel on the new car has been changed from the old model. New safety requirements mean that the overall length has increased by 60 mm (2.4 in), the front end raised and the indicators have been repositioned inside the headlights. The headlights themselves are now fixed to the front quarter panels rather than being housed within the bonnet so that they are not raised up with it when the bonnet opens. The car features a restyled grille and larger rear light clusters. The Cooper S retains the bonnet scoop in order to keep an association with the outgoing model — although the relocation of the intercooler to the front of the engine means that the scoop is now purely decorative. In addition, the Cooper S no longer has the battery located under the boot floor, instead being found in the more conventional place. The C pillars are no longer encased in glass and have been shaped to improve aerodynamics and to reduce the tendency for dirt to accumulate on the back of the car. Much criticized for the lack of rear legroom, Mini added more space for rear passengers by creating sculpted cut-outs in the rear of the front seats. An engine start button replaces the conventional ignition key and, with the optional ‘convenience package’, the car unlocks itself automatically when the key is brought close to the car.

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Mini III Cooper D

Mini introduced a new, second generation of the car for the 2007 model year, Mk II Mini (or R56), on a re-engineered platform with many stylistic and engineering changes. The engine architecture is shared with PSA Peugeot Citroen and is intended to be more cost effective and fuel efficient. The engineering was done in the United Kingdom by BMW Group UK Engineering, in Munich, Germany at BMW Group HQ and with external third parties. The so-called “Mk II Mini” (echoing the ‘mark number’ naming convention of the classic Mini) was introduced in November 2006 in the Cooper and Cooper S trim and the range was completed in 2007 with the Mk II Mini One. For the first time, there was a diesel-powered Cooper available from April 2007, badged as the Cooper D.

All models of the Mk II with optional DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) also include “Hill Assist”, a feature which prevents the car from rolling backwards on an incline by holding the brakes on for 2 seconds after the driver lifts their foot from the brake pedal, allowing them time to engage the accelerator.

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Mini Cooper Clubman

The Mini Clubman is an estate car available in Cooper, Cooper S, and Cooper D variations. The Clubman models are identical up to the B-pillar to the hatchback models including the engines used and, although the car is longer, the suspension set-up at the back shares many of the same designs features. For example, the rear trailing arms are the same, as are the anti-roll bars. It is 9.5 inches (240 mm) longer to accommodate more leg room and a larger boot. It has double doors as a boot instead of a pull-up hatch. It also features a “Club Door” on the right-hand side for passengers in the back.

The use of the name “Clubman” for the Mini estate van is a break with classic Mini tradition. It was originally the name given to the 1970s facelift of the Mini which mostly resulted in a squarer front end. The classic Mini estates were named either “Traveller” or “Countryman”. However, BMW did not purchase the rights to use those names. The adverts such as Clubmanitis, Etch A Sketch and Pinball are covered by this Clubman, but it’s originally used on these adverts on British TV in 2005 for the Pontiac GTO coupe.

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2009 Mini Cooper S

The last version to be made with the Tritec engine is the Mini Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit, a lightweight, race-prepped John Cooper Works model. Hand-finished by Bertone in Italy, it was produced as a limited-production run of 2000 cars in 2006, originally with 444 of those ear-marked for the UK market (although ultimately 459 were sold). The GP features more bolstered front seats but has no rear seats, which along with reduced sound-deadening, deleting the rear wash-wipe, offering optional air-conditioning and making other steps to reduce the overall weight, resulted in a weight saving of around 40 kilograms (88 lb) over a Cooper S. Additionally, the car has enhanced braking, suspension, a smooth under-body and 218 horsepower (163 kW) from the John Cooper Works engine modification package. In place of the rear seats there is additional body stiffening and below-floor storage areas. There are many unique styling points such as the red door mirrors, a carbon fiber rear spoiler, unique body kit, bespoke (2 kg lighter) 4-spoke alloy wheels and specialized badging. Available in just one color scheme, Thunder Blue with a Pure Silver roof, each car is individually numbered and features a decal on the roof along with a plaque on the dashboard. The last of the supercharged Minis and a genuine Limited Edition model, it is expected that the Mini Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit will become a collectors’ item.

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2009 Mini Cooper

In Portugal and Greece, the Mini One was powered by a 1.4 litre I4 version of the Tritec engine but all other petrol powered Minis used the 1.6 litre I4 version. Since 2004, a soft-top convertible option has been available across the entire range. There are numerous styling and badging differences between the models, perhaps the most obvious being that the Cooper S has a distinctive scoop cut into the bonnet. The The Cooper S also has twin exhausts which exit under the centre of the rear valance. The (non-S) Cooper has more chrome parts than the Mini One and has a single exhaust. The Mini One D has no visible exhaust pipes at all.

The names Cooper and Cooper S echo the names used for the sportier version of the classic Mini which in turn come from the involvement of John Cooper and the Cooper Car Company. The Cooper heritage is further emphasised with the John Cooper Works (JCW) range of tuning options that are available with the Mini. John Cooper also created a one-off racing model of the Mini Cooper S named the Mini Cooper S Works. This car features many extras which help to improve performance, such as a racing exhaust and air filter as well as uprated suspension. The car also has one-of-a-kind 17-inch (430 mm) racing wheels.

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2003 Mini Cooper S

The 2001 to 2006 model years included four hatchback models: the basic “Mini One”, the diesel-engined “Mini One/D”, the sportier “Mini Cooper” and the supercharged “Mini Cooper S”. In 2005 a convertible roof option was added. In November 2006 BMW released a re-engineered version of the Mini which is unofficially known as the “Mk II Mini”. The Mk II is currently available as a hatchback and a wagon (Clubman). The convertible was still based on the MK 1 until January 2009, when a Mk2 variant was launched.

In some markets, such as Australia and the US, only the Mini Cooper and Cooper S are sold because the Mini One’s engine was considered to deliver insufficient power to run an air-conditioner a necessary feature in those markets. Almost fifty percent of all Minis sold in Australia and about seventy percent of those sold in the US are the top-of-the-range Cooper S model. Other models of note, sold in varying markets around the world, are the Mini Seven, Mini Parklane, Mini Check Mate, and Mini Monte Carlo.

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Mini Cooper

Mini (styled as MINI) is a British automotive brand owned by the BMW Group that has produced the successor of the original Mini in Oxford, England since April 2001. Currently three body variants are available: hatchback, convertible and Clubman.

The car, whose first generation was designed by Frank Stephenson, is drawing inspiration from the original Mini, which was manufactured by the British Motor Corporation and its successors from 1959 to 2000. The name of the car’s brand, MINI, is all-capitalized to distinguish it from its predecessor.

The development of the first generation had been done between 1995 and 2001 by Rover Group in Gaydon, United Kingdom and BMW AG in Munich, Germany and was accompanied by continual contention between Rover and BMW. Especially the positioning of the car was contended. Rover wanted an economy car, whilst BMW supported a small sporting car and finally prevailed. In 1999 BMW assumed control over the whole project after BMW’s CEO Bernd Pischetsrieder had left the company. When BMW divested itself of Rover in 2000, BMW decided to keep the Mini project and to build the car, which was originally to be built at Rover’s Longbridge plant, the former production plant of the traditional Mini, at BMW’s Oxford plant in Cowley, Oxford, United Kingdom, in what was historically the Pressed Steel Company body plant.

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Samsung Omnia II

Verizon may not have the iPhone 3GS, but the sequel to Samsung’s popular iPhone pretender, the Omnia, will be coming to Verizon later this year, Samsung announced at an event on Monday in Manhattan. As for the exact timing of the Omnia 2’s lauuch, that’s still up in the air, as Samsung reps said that Verizon had a tight leash on what info-and couldn’t release at this time.

But here’s what I know for the Internet, and it looks pretty good:

• 65K WVGA AMOLED Display (3.7-inch, 480 x 800–largest AMOLED display yet in a phone)
• Advanced R-type Touch Screen
• Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional (upgradeable to WM 6.5)
• 5-megapixel CMOS camera with autofocus and face-detection, plus geotagging and a photo editor
• Video recording at 30fps@720×480, plus video editor (trim video, audio dubbing, live dubbing, add subtitle)
• Audio supported: MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA, WMDRM, OMA DRM 2.1, plus FM radio
• Video supported: DivX, XviD, H.263, H.264, WMV9, MPEG4
• A-GPS with Navigation (3D Map)/LBS
• TouchWiz 2.0 UI with Mobile Widget/3D Media Gate
• Multitask manager/3D Interactive Games
• Bluetooth Stereo Headset (A2DP)
• WiFi
• 2GB/8GB/16GB of internal memory (3 different models)
• microSDHC expansion slot (up to 32GB)
• Up to 10 hours (3G) talk time
• Up to 430 hours (3G) standby time
• Dimensions: 4.65 x 2.36 x 0.47 inches (HWD)

A lot of these feactures look very much like the Instinct, but functionally superior. It is looks awesome!

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T-Mobile My-Touch 3G

T-Mobile’s big Android launch will draw mixed emotions. If you’ve been waiting for an Android phone whose outer design is as cool as the user interface, the T-Mobile myTouch 3G is certainly a more polished and appealing looking phone than its predecessor, the T-Mobile G1. However, cool looks don’t necessarily mean improvement, and if the exterior could use some tweaking, the onscreen keyboard needs a real overhaul. Ultimately, the T-Mobile myTouch 3G might let down multimedia fans with its poor media software and lack of necessary hardware, like a headphone jack or camera shutter button. Messaging fans will certainly lament the lack of a hardware keyboard. Though Android is still a smart competitor to other touchscreen operating systems, the T-Mobile myTouch 3G lacks the wealth of apps and advanced capabilities of the Apple iPhone 3GS, and it isn’t quite as intelligent or business savvy as the Palm Pre’s WebOS. Digging through the Google Market will reveal some hidden treasures that go a long way to improve the interface and basic features on the phone, but we wish some of these apps were simply bundled on the device, and a few features, like corporate contacts sync or video playback, still have no first-class options for the Android platform. The T-Mobile myTouch 3G is a stylish sign of things to come, but we’re already waiting for what’s next. Release: August 2009. Price: $200.

Pros: Slick design improves upon the square T-Mobile G1. Great Android OS and interface design. Top-notch Web browser. Loads of messaging options, including Exchange for e-mail.

Cons: Lacks calendar and contacts sync options beyond Google (not even Exchange). Hardware design is prettier, but not more usable than G1. Onscreen keyboard needs improvement.

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Samsung Hightlight SGH T749

The Samsung Highlight is an interesting alternative to the Samsung Behold, and I think it will have more appeal for a younger audience looking for a cool phone without the advanced camera features and chunky design of the former phone. The youngers will like the slim, icy blue shell. The phone isn’t great at any one feature, but it is pretty good at almost all of them, with a friendly, capable music player and a Web browser that was better than most basic feature phones. The key for this phone will be if T-Mobile can offer it for a bargain basement price, which isn’t the case at launch. It needs to be affordable for teens and even tweens when it is $50, who will definitely be the target audience for this cool looking, though underpowered, little tablet phone. Release: July 2009. Price: $150.

Pros: Small, cute and colorful touchscreen phone. Screen and interface were touch friendly and very responsive.

Cons: TouchWiz interface seems cluttered. Phone is a jack of all trades, master of none. Web browser and multimedia features are adequate, but not impressive.

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