MINI F56

The next MINI, dubbed F56, will be unveiled this year, either at the Geneva Motor Show next month or in September at Frankfurt Auto Show. The F56 MINI is built on a new front-wheel drive platform which will be shared between the MINI and the FWD BMW vehicles. The first FWD BMW made its debut in concept form in September at the Paris Auto Show.

Several prototypes are currently undergoing intensive testing and the latest spy photos place them in the snowy Nordic part of Europe.

The F56 will compete with offerings from Audi, the A1 and other non-premium European brands. Design wise, the proportions of the F56 are similar to its predecessor, R56. Some design elements like the headlights and taillights will go through some changes, but will not steer away from the DNA of the British brand.

Galaxy S4, available worldwide soon

It’s been leaked, teased, accused of being a copy of its predecessor, and celebrated as the likely champion of the mobile ecosystem for 2013. Samsung has finally unveiled the next in their line of globally available smartphones, the Galaxy S4.  Times Square lit up in anticipation of Samsung’s event, and despite LG’s shenanigans earlier in the day it felt like the world stood still. The Galaxy S4 is finally here, and while it may look almost exactly like last years model, the two phones couldn’t be more different. Samsung’s Galaxy S4 is just barely lighter (130g), thinner (7.9mm), and possibly even shinier than the Galaxy S3, but what is underneath that Gorilla Glass 3 and textured casing is entirely deserving of the praise it will undoubtedly display.

Samsung's new Galaxy S4 features a 5-inch 1080p HD screen and a slightly slimmer, lighter build than its antecedent.