5 highlights from Mobile World Congress
Posted: 28th Feb 2013
Over in Barcelona, the annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) trade show is just wrapping up its week long presentation of all that’s hot in the mobile world.
So is your next phone or tablet among the highlights?
1. Huawei Ascend P2
Check out Techradar's hands on with the Huawei Ascend P2
Chinese manufacturer Huawei is best known for its MiFi modems in the UK, which allow multiple users to share a 3G connection.
With its new Ascend P2, however, it’s looking to take its wares upmarket, producing what it calls the fastest smartphone ever with a big 4.3inch screen. Lookout Samsung S3?
2. ASUS Padfone Infinity
The curious Padfone was originally unveiled by ASUS a year or so ago, but never really captured the imagination of consumers.
It’s a high-end smartphone with a quad-core processor and a large high def screen that plugs into a 10-inch tablet – the tablet has a detachable keyboard when you’re not holding it next to your head. The tablet provides a big screen workspace while the keyboard dock hides a battery powered charger.
The ‘Infinity’ has an excruciatingly high resolution 1920×1080 screen and is intended to be a single device for everything.
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9
The curious ASUS Padfone Infinity
Not a phone, but Samsung’s iPad mini rival stole the show in terms of sheer number of headlines written over the past week.
It’s an Android powered slate which many pundits think is the only real alternative to Apple for the serious tech head.
4. NFC
Near field communication (NFC) is the low power radio device fitted to most new phones, which allows you to do things like securely log into access systems and make payments from your handset just by swiping it over a reader.
It’s had a slow start as a technology, but a big push by Visa launched at the show could see it reach tipping point this year.
5. Samsung Galaxy S4
Not actually at the show, but its absence spoke as much as an official unveiling would have done.
The follow up to Samsung’s astonishingly successful S3 is due to be released in mid-March, and at this stage it’s still the phone that all the others are going to have to beat.
You might also like to read:
- Techradar’s Huawei Ascend P2 hands on
- Project J: Samsung Galaxy S IV
- Is this the year of the ‘phablet’?
- What is two-factor security?
- Wireless Nexus 4 phone charging is here
