MWC2015
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We're live from HTC's One M9 event at MWC!
The One M9 is, perhaps, HTC's worst kept secret of 2015. But maybe, just maybe, the Taiwanese company could surprise us all at its Mobile World Congress press conference -- after all, HTC is known for trying new things every now and then. Whatever happens, though, we're here in Barcelona to bring you the play-by-play from the company's event. So stay tuned to this post; we'll be flipping into liveblog mode at 10:00 AM ET.
MediaTek's standard lets your devices share their hardware
There are plenty of standards for sharing your media collection between devices, but what if you want to borrow a device's camera or display? MediaTek thinks it has an answer. Its new CrossMount standard lets devices share their hardware and software when they're on the same WiFi network, letting you use whichever components make sense in a given situation. You can use your phone's mic to dictate voice commands to your TV, for example, or use your phone's webcam for a video chat on your tablet.
Huawei unveils its first Android Wear smartwatch (update: our hands-on!)
Huawei didn't just unveil one wrist-worn wearable today; it announced two. Huawei has just revealed its first-ever Android Wear device and, appropriately enough, it's called the Huawei Watch. As was teased and leaked over the past few days, the Watch looks to have a rather premium pedigree, with a circular display and a design that's more reminiscent of a luxury timepiece than a geeky smartwatch. Indeed, Huawei took pains to say that it modeled the watch after classic designs -- it even has an ergonomically placed crown on the top right. Boasting a sapphire crystal screen (the first Android Wear watch with such a display), the Watch is encased in a "cold-forged" scratch-resistant stainless steel housing, available in gold, silver and black. As for the size, Huawei told us that the watch is a compact 42mm, which is apparently friendlier to those with smaller wrists. It also has a standard 18mm lug width and you have the choice of either metal or leather straps.
Huawei's second-generation wearable gets a stylish makeover
So many companies are afraid to do something different, so we have to give props to Huawei for persisting with its wrist-worn Bluetooth earpiece. Last year's TalkBand B1 was unconventional, but it wasn't the most elegant or stylish device ever designed for a forearm. Thankfully, a year after the original launched, the company has given the updated TalkBand B2 a fashion-conscious makeover as well as a few more substantial tweaks under the hood.
Microsoft will announce two Windows Phones tomorrow
We've known Microsoft will detail its plans for Windows 10 on mobile here at MWC, but in the lead-up to its event it's accidentally let slip that two new Windows Phones are coming as well. An empty article went live on its blog with the headline "Microsoft Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL: keeping you prepared for anything," and was swiftly removed, but not before The Verge spotted the mistake. From the model numbers, we can speculate that the Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL will be mid-range devices, one little, one large. Expect more details on the handsets tomorrow morning when we'll be live at Microsoft's press conference. Don't miss out on all the latest news, photos and liveblogs from MWC 2015. Follow along at our events page.
Killing time with LG's Watch Urbane and Watch Urbane LTE
LG's been none too secretive about its latest pair of wearables -- hell, the Watch Urbane and the Watch Urbane LTE were revealed before MWC even really started. Both of them aspire to be what LG calls "smartpieces," proper luxury watches that also pull double-duty as digital companions, but do they actually live up to those high-minded aspirations? I strapped both of them onto my wrists for a little test drive ahead of their launch in a few months, so let's find out together.
HP teamed up with Microsoft to build its latest flagship laptop
This isn't your typical laptop announcement post. The most interesting thing about the Spectre x360, HP's new flagship notebook, isn't its design, performance or even price. No, what's interesting about this laptop is that Microsoft helped build it. Over the course of a year and a half, the two companies met regularly to hash out everything from the BIOS, fan noise and wireless range, even obsessing over details like the screen's color gamut. The result is a well-built laptop that promises long battery life, fast performance and one clean OS install. If you've ever speculated about whether Microsoft might make its own clamshell notebook, this is probably the closest you're going to get. HP of course deserves much of the credit, but make no mistake: The x360 has Redmond's stamp of approval all over it.
Acer wants to sell you a touchscreen fitness tracker for less than $90
This is Acer's latest play for your wrist, the Liquid Leap+. It takes the form of a fairly basic fitness tracker that also pulls notifications from your smartphone. Aesthetically, it's a continuation of what Acer offered with the original Liquid Leap, meaning it's very similar to Garmin's, Microsoft's and Samsung's fitness trackers.
Acer's new Windows Phone is unlikely to blow you away
For some time now, consumers have pretty much been stuck choosing among Lumias for their Windows Phone fix. Acer is aiming to change that with the launch of its catchily named "Liquid M220" smartphone. The M220 is a decidedly low-end handset, with a 4-inch WVGA (800 x 480 pixels) display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage (upgradable via microSD), 5-megapixel rear camera and 2-megapixel front-facing shooter. It's clearly aiming to compete with Microsoft's cheapest Lumias and although, admittedly, this comes down to taste, it's not exactly a looker compared to its rivals.
We're live at Mobile World Congress 2015 in Barcelona!
It's that time again: Our team has descended upon the heart of Barcelona to bring you another week of the latest the mobile world has to offer. As always, we'll be shooting videos and liveblogging events until our fingers fall off, and we certainly hope you'll come join us for the ride. So, what's in store for us all this time around? We're glad you asked.
Huawei teases a beautiful Android Wear watch using awkward videos
Huawei apparently just can't wait to show some of the wearable tech it has in store this year. While the company isn't supposed to reveal its Mobile World Congress plans until a press event on March 1st, it has already posted both videos and airport ads revealing its first Android Wear device, the plainly-titled Huawei Watch. You won't learn a huge amount from the clips, which are loaded with stiff-sounding English ("it has to look like a watch, because a watch is a watch..." wait, what?). However, it's already clear that Huawei is aiming for the upscale crowd with a sapphire-covered circular display, custom watch faces and oodles of metal and leather. The Watch is certainly one of the better-looking smartwatches we've seen, then. The real question is whether or not it does anything special under the hood -- you'll likely get the full scoop on that very shortly.
Official-looking render of Samsung's Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge leaks out
Samsung's already had its big launch event ruined by those pesky leakers and now, even its official partners are piling on. A Reddit user by the name of iamdenden, apparently a Sprint employee, has posted an image of both the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge standing by side-by-side. The same thread has also revealed Sprint's teaser website where users can pre-register their interest in picking up the latest "Samsung devices," plural. If true, it does appear as if the S6 Edge will have a wrap-around screen on both sides compared to the Note Edge with a shiny metal frame, to boot. At least we've only got a few more days until we know for sure.
Google exec hints at Photos, Hangouts and G+ split
Rumors have long suggested that Google might separate the parts of Google+ that people have been most interested in -- photos and messaging / Hangouts -- away from the social network's main stream. Now it appears that Sundar Pichai agrees with that viewpoint, but unlike angry YouTube commenters, he can actually do something about it since he controls Google products like Plus, search, Chrome and Android. In a pre-Mobile World Congress interview with Forbes, Pichai said that going forward, we'll see the company deal with Hangouts, photos and the Google+ stream as three "important" areas, instead of one. While Google+ has apparently done the job of creating a common login and identity across products, he says the team is working on "next generation" ideas to create "more scale at what we do."
LG's premium smartwatch now comes with LTE and mobile payments
Believe it or not, LG already has an upgraded version of its luxurious Watch Urbane: meet the Watch Urbane LTE, a souped-up version that focuses on speedy mobile data. The timepiece (which isn't using Android Wear) isn't as substantial a phone replacement as Samsung's Gear S, but it will let you leave your handset at home sometimes. You can make LTE phone calls, share your GPS location, translate foreign speech and hold walkie talkie-style voice chats. LG has also upgraded the battery from 410mAh to a hefty 700mAh, so your cellular wristwear shouldn't conk out prematurely.
Samsung Galaxy S6 leak hints at a slim, glass-backed body
HTC isn't the only mobile company having trouble keeping its 2015 flagship phone under wraps. XDA-Developers forum member reefur has posted photos of what's believed to be a prototype Samsung Galaxy S6 for AT&T. The tipster was understandably worried about giving it a spin, but he notes that this handset is "pretty slim" and more upscale than Galaxy S phones of the past. In addition to the expected metal frame, Samsung's usual plastic backing has been replaced with glass à la the iPhone 4 and Nexus 4 -- don't drop this, folks. There also doesn't appear to be either a removable battery or a microSD card slot, which is bound to disappoint some fans if this is what shows up at Samsung's March 1st event. Update: We've added a side-by-side comparison with the Galaxy S6 Edge to the gallery as well.
Sony reveals its high-res Xperia Z4 Tablet earlier than planned
Whoopsie boopsie! Sony just gave the world a look at its upcoming Xperia Z4 Tablet in Xperia Lounge -- a move we'd assume was in error, since it quickly pulled the listing. It didn't give away the whole farm, however. Along with a sidelong pic (above) and reference to a high-res 2K screen (2,560 x 1,440 or so), other specs like "the latest ultra fast processor" were more vague. Sony added it would have "industry leading battery performance" and a "lightweight premium body," all of which bodes well for a high-end tablet. We still don't know key details like the size, but it might be a 10-inch model (unlike the 8-inch Xperia Z3 Compact), judging by the name and pic. You won't have to wait long to find out, as Sony also revealed that the tablet will arrive on March 3rd, smack in the middle of MWC 2015.
Leaked HTC One M9 videos confirm new cameras and software tricks (updated)
If HTC was hoping to keep at least some of the One M9's details a secret, it's going to be sorely disappointed. Well-known tipster @Upleaks has posted three promo videos that reveal... well, just about everything. They confirm that the M9 will have a much higher-resolution 20-megapixel camera at the back, as well as an UltraPixel (likely 4MP) front cam for your low-light selfies. You'll also get Dolby surround sound from the One's signature BoomSound speakers. And that's just the hardware -- there's plenty on the software side, too.
Samsung's homegrown '5G' comes with a catch
Samsung and HTC's new smartphones may command the bulk of the attention at this year's Mobile World Congress but the show isn't just about new handsets. Samsung and Korean mobile carrier SK Telecom will use the show to demonstrate a new mobile data system that'll reach of speeds up to 7.5Gbps. Although the official 5G standard isn't yet defined, the pair are trying to elbow in on the act by calling the process "5G." Unfortunately, while that level of speed is thrilling, the technology behind it does come with a few "uhm," "ah," and "but" noises attached.
Here's a sideways glance at Samsung's Galaxy S6
Now we know there's some metal in there, but Samsung's recent video teaser didn't really give us a clear look at its new Galaxy phone. Fortunately, T-Mobile's got you covered, even if it's not quite the whole deal. While promoting a sign-up page for interested parties, the carrier also threw in the above image to whet appetites. So now we're confused: another teaser video suggested a more typically screened device without the curved display of the Galaxy Edge, but maybe Samsung's got two S6 devices. Or maybe it'll only have the one curved side, unlike early reports. Who knows? (Aside from the Samsung execs and, most likely, T-Mobile CEO John Legere.) We've reached peak teaser levels now, so barring an incidental complete leak, you'll have to wait seven more days for all the answers, curved edges and all.
LG's new midrange smartphones are made for selfie sticks
LG's already said it's bringing a new wearable to MWC, but it's also got a shoebox full of phones to showcase too. Like previous MWCs, the phone company has transplanted features from its flagship smartphone to models with smaller screens... and price tags. The biggest of the four new midrange phones, called the Magna, has a 5-inch display and 5-megapixel front-facing camera, alongside an 8-megapixel on the back. LG's even bought those back-of-phone buttons to these new models, barring the smallest 4-inch LG Joy. We've summarized the rest of the family after the break, but in an arguably depressing sign of the times, LG's also tweaked the sensitivity of its gesture recognition to incorporate selfie stick users. You can't stop the selfie. Unless you ban them.
