We’ve just wrapped up the second day of Mobile World Congress, the annual mobile technology conference in Barcelona. We’ve seen smartphones, VR headsets, and some batshit crazy stuff (see photo above)—and almost all of it has been awesome. Here are some of our favorites:
Galaxy S7 Hands-on: The Six Things You Need to Know
Samsung revealed its new flagship smartphone—the Galaxy S7—today at Mobile World Congress (MWC), and we were lucky enough to get our hands on the device for a short demo. After spending a few minutes testing the device, it became clear that Samsung can still make a great Android phone.
LG’s G5 Is Like an All Metal Phone Prototype From the Future
After weeks of speculation, the LG G5 is finally here. This is the fifth generation of LG’s flagship smartphone, and this time around, the phone has been completely reimagined: The G5 has an aluminum case, includes a crazy expansion slot that we’ve never seen on a phone before, and supports a handful of accessories that make the phone feel more like a toy than a smartphone.
HTC Vive Will Cost $800 and Hit Shelves in Early April
Here are the tantalizing final details about HTC’s virtual reality headset. The HTC Vive will be available for pre-order starting February 29th in advance of hitting shelves in early April. It’ll cost a whopping $799 (read: $800), far more than the Oculus Rift, which starts at $600.
CAT S60 Hands-On: The Phone That Lets You See Like Predator Is Awesome
Most phones these days are basically the same. A little gimmick here, a pinch of innovation there—but essentially they’re all identical. That’s not the case with the Cat S60, which is the first smartphone to have FLIR thermal imaging built in.
This LG Robot Ball Thing Is Insane
Let’s talk about balls for a second. They’re super handy. They’ve done a lot for humans. And because of spherical objects, we have sports and automobiles. Heck—even the Earth is a giant ball.
But LG just took ball technology to the next level.
Samsung Put Me In an Absurd Hell Chamber of Virtual Reality Headsets
Today was weird. Samsung’s events are not something that usually fall under the definition of normal, but today was particularly crazy. See, I sat in a gigantic dark room filled with 5,000 other people while we watched the new Galaxy S7 phone being revealed—through a VR headset. It was terrifying and cool, but mostly terrifying.
Using Nothing But Google’s Project Tango Tablet To Escape a Maze
The Palau Nacional (Catalan for National Palace) is a gigantic Renaissance-style palace built in 1929 that now serves as the main art museum in Barcelona. Google sent me into that gorgeous maze of never-ending halls and corridors armed only with a Project Tango Prototype.
Sony’s Latest Concepts Imagine a Creepy Future
Sony showed off three new concepts at the Mobile World Congress today, but they all share one thing in common: They’re a little bit creepy.
LG 360 VR Is One of the Shittiest Virtual Reality Headsets I’ve Tried
LG is jumping on the VR bandwagon with the release of its new LG 360 VR headset, designed exclusively for the new G5 phone. We had a chance to try it during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and ended up with some pretty strong feelings. The LG 360 VR is way less immersive (and impressive) than other headsets like the Gear VR, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive—and it’s hard to imagine who on earth would want a headset like this.
HP’s Elite x3 Is a Beastly Smartphone…Running Windows
When Microsoft announced its goal of unifying Windows 10 software across PC, tablets, phones, game consoles, and even Pi-powered micro computers, the future seemed promising. But there was one big problem with that vision: no one really wants a Windows smartphone.
Sony’s Ear Puts an AI Inside Your, Er, Ear
Sony clearly watched Joaquin Phoenix in Her. Its latest announcement is an earpiece that interacts with your phone to inject the sweet mutterings of an AI straight into your skull. Welcome to the future.
I Controlled an RC Car With My Mind and It Was Amazing
Many car accidents happen because the driver gets distracted or is too tired to drive. In order to help solve this issue, a company called Alchemy Technology has teamed up with Acer to develop a security mechanism, which uses EEG headsets to detect a driver’s brain activity, and slow the car down if it seems like the driver might not be paying attention. After a quick demo of the technology implemented on an RC car, all I can say is I’m psyched for the future of brain driving.
Samsung’s Gear 360 Wants To Make Everyone a VR Creator
It’s a common story in technology. Hardware always develops faster than the content enjoyed on it. Ultra-high definition (better known as 4K) televisions fought the problem, and virtual reality can’t escape a similar battle. So Samsung is taking the matter into its own hands, and yours, with the Gear 360.
Huawei Matebook Hands-On: A Great Windows Tablet Hybrid That Isn’t Anything New
Huawei is known for making smartphones. And some of them are actually pretty good. Now, the company is making convertible tablets too… with keyboards… and Windows 10. The result is the new Huawei Matebook, a device with a striking similarity to the Microsoft Surface but packed with a couple of quirks that make it unique.
Sony’s Xperia X Range Has a Phone for Every Pocket
Sony’s announced a variety of mid-high range phones today at Mobile World Congress, all under a new Xperia X umbrella. And there’s something for everyone: A regular Xperia X, the side bezel-free Xperia XA and speed-boosted Xperia X Performance.
The Most Important New Smartphone Feature Is a Little Magic Slot
When LG announced its new flagship smartphone, the G5, at Mobile World Congress yesterday, it did something radically different. At the base of the phone, LG built a small slot it might just change everything.
