Although you can’t deny the popularity of flagship handsets, manufacturers aren’t shying away from offering devices that are just one notch down from their highest tiered smartphones.

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The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, for instance, recently landed on Verizon and Sprint (with plans to reach AT&T and U.S. Cellular customers soon). It costs $99.99 on contract, though with temporary rebates and deals, Sprint is offering it for free to new customers only. The device features many of the things users love about the Galaxy S4, but in a smaller, slightly less powerful package.

Likewise, Motorola released a mid-range version of its Droid Maxx, … [Read more]