mwc2019
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HTC's blockchain phone can now be bought with real money
HTC is taking its blockchain phone a little more mainstream. Today, the company has announced that the Exodus 1 can be purchased for 750 US dollars. That's right, traditional money. The kind that can be used in any store across the United States. Until now, the beleaguered phone manufacturer has only accepted Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and Litecoin (LTC) as tender. Presumably, that was a choice (and not just a lame marketing stunt) to ensure early adopters were open-minded crypto enthusiasts. In addition to USD, the company is adding the Ethereum-powered Binance Coin (BNB) as a way to acquire the niche handset.
Nubia's Alpha 'smartphone' is the wildest wearable yet
Flexible displays are everywhere at MWC this year. But almost every company is using them in the same way -- to build phones that seamlessly switch between a clamshell and small tablet. Nubia, meanwhile, is doing something completely different with the technology. It's building a wearable 'smartphone' with a narrow screen that wraps around your wrist.
Microsoft HoloLens 2 hands-on: A giant leap closer to mixed reality
Microsoft has made mixed reality less awkward. That was the major takeaway from my time with HoloLens 2, its new $3,500 headset aimed not at you (or me), but at businesses. It's not only because the headset is so much more comfortable, (though that can take a lot of the credit). Microsoft has also doubled the mixed reality field of view, making the holographic overlay less like a floating reticle and more like a (virtual) display that's useful.
Watch Sony's MWC 2019 event in under 9 minutes
Sony opened up its MWC booth a little early to announce its latest phones. We don't blame you if you slept in, it was early in the day even here in Barcelona. If you missed the festivities, don't worry: we've compiled the highlights in a 9-minute clip that will get you caught up while you wait for your next latte or cup of Earl Grey. Sony unveiled the super tall Xperia 10 and 10 Plus, both of which have 21:9 displays designed for those who love to consume content on the go. Sadly, the rest of the spec sheet is rather ho-hum. There's also the cinematic Xperia 1 flagship, a device that packs the first 4K HDR OLED display in a phone and a triple-lens camera setup with autofocus eye tracking from its A7 III mirrorless camera.
Android will support more password-free sign-ins
It just became that much easier to ditch passwords on your phone. Android is officially FIDO2 certified, making it possible to sign into supporting apps and websites (such as pages that rely on the WebAuthn standard) using a fingerprint or a physical security key. You might not have to punch in a passcode every time you want to check your bank statement, for instance.
A closer look at Samsung's 5G Galaxy S10
The first time we got to spend a little time with Samsung's new Galaxy S10 5G, it came with a serious caveat: We couldn't actually turn the thing on. (Annoying, right?) As a result, the company's first 5G phone became the S10 we had the least amount of first-hand experience with, and that simply wouldn't do. Thankfully, Samsung has a booth full of them here at Mobile World Congress, not to mention a small-scale 5G network for demo purposes. (More on that in a moment.)
T-Mobile denies delaying its 5G launch (updated)
Sprint may have committed to debuting its 5G service this May, but partner T-Mobile is a little behind. In an interview with CNET, the company's chief technology officer Neville Ray said that a 5G launch wouldn't occur until the last half of 2019. He'd previously said it would happen in the first half of the year. However, T-Mobile and Ray himself have denied this report. The company says that its plans haven't changed and that it is still on track to deliver what it originally promised.
Vuzix's M400 is another AR device built for enterprise, not you
Today, augmented reality glasses company Vuzix announced the M400 Smart Glasses, which will be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. They will be one of the first headsets powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1 platform when they hit the market later this year. Vuzix will announce pricing and availability this spring.
Here's what you missed over the weekend at MWC 2019
While you're enjoying a cup of coffee or tea to kickstart your week, there's a lot of MWC news to catch up on from over the weekend. Huawei, LG, Microsoft and others all hosted events in Barcelona yesterday to show off their wares, ranging from foldable phones to 5G handsets and mixed reality. We realize you may have snoozed Sunday away, so we've summed up all that you might've missed so far in one handy spot.
Sprint's 5G service launches in four cities this May
It's Sprint's turn to commit to a 5G network launch. The carrier has confirmed that full-fledged 5G service will debut in May in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and Kansas City. Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix and Washington, DC will follow before the first half of 2019 is over. It's not certain which devices will be available on launch day, although Sprint has already committed to offering the LG V50 ThinQ and HTC 5G Hub in the spring. The Galaxy S10 5G is due in the summer.
A closer look at the foldable Huawei Mate X
The battle for foldable supremacy is raging on, and Huawei has a strong contender in the Mate X. But just like with Samsung's Galaxy Fold, we haven't been able to actually touch Huawei's bendy handset. Still, we were able to get a closer look at the fascinating flagship today at MWC, as well as get some answers to questions that we've had since first checking out the device. First up -- Huawei told Engadget the Mate X will launch in June.
Watch Microsoft's HoloLens 2 event in 13 minutes
If you missed Microsoft's big MWC event yesterday, we've distilled all of the news down to 13-minutes to get you caught up quickly. There's plenty of HoloLens, mixed reality, Kinect and more, so here's a brief rundown of what you might've missed.
Watch Huawei's MWC event in 12 minutes
MWC 2019 isn't all about foldable phones and 5G. Eh, who am I kidding... it is pretty much all about foldable phones and 5G. Lucky for us, Huawei combines both with the Huawei Mate X, and peppered in some laptop news with the Matebook X Pro. If you missed any of the news from yesterday's event, including the official reveal of that folding model, we've condensed it all down to a 12-minute clip so you don't have to relive every second of the hour-long presentation in order to catch up. And when you're done watching, take a gander at our reaction to the Mate X and the challenges Huawei faces with it's foldable device. Spoiler alert: it ain't cheap.
Oppo's prototype foldable phone looks a lot like the Huawei Mate X
Nope, we're not quite done with foldable phones from MWC just yet. Following its 10x camera zoom technology unveil over the weekend, today Oppo surprised us with its very own foldable phone, but in a not-so-official way. The company's vice president, Brian Shen, took to Weibo to show off said device which, much like the ones from Royole and Huawei, folds outwards. What's awkward is that Oppo's prototype bears a striking resemblance to Huawei's Mate X, especially with this hinge design and also that camera strip on the back when folded.
Qualcomm launches its first platform made for robots
Qualcomm's interest in robots is definitely more than a passing fancy. It just unveiled RB3, its first all-encompassing platform for robotics. The part is based on last year's Snapdragon 845 system-on-a-chip but is "highly optimized" for drones and other automatons, including AI and sensor processing, support for private LTE networks and tight security. More importantly, it's flexible. Companies can customize it to their heart's content if they're not happy with the off-the-shelf hardware, and choose an OS like Linux or Robot Operating System.
Qualcomm's latest PC platform brings speedy 5G data to laptops
Qualcomm's 8cx platform won't just deliver a much-needed CPU speed boost to always-connected laptops -- it'll improve the performance of the connection itself. The chip firm has unveiled the 8cx 5G, billed as the first commercial PC platform to use next-gen wireless tech. Not surprisingly, performance is the main draw. Qualcomm is promising multi-gigabit peak data speeds from portables that could still deliver multi-day battery life, enabling "highly responsive" multiplayer games, high-quality streaming VR video and other feats that might be impractical with LTE.
Qualcomm's Quick Charge technology extends to wireless power
Qualcomm's Quick Charge tech has been falling behind the times -- it's focused on wired power at a time when wireless is in vogue. The company knows it's time to change, though. It's introducing a version of Quick Charge for wireless power that aims to speed up your cable-free top-ups. Charging pads (with matching chargers) that meet Qualcomm's guidelines should not only deliver electricity quickly, but in a "consistent and safety-conscious" fashion. You shouldn't have to worry that a pad is overheating your phone, or that it's not living up to its performance claims.
Sony unveils its cinematic flagship, the Xperia 1
Sony is playing to its movie studio and mirrorless camera strengths with the launch of the Xperia 1, its new flagship phone. The 6.5-inch, 21:9 aspect ratio smartphone is the world's first with a 4K OLED HDR display (3,840 x 1,664), making it ideal for both watching movies and creating them. It also packs a triple-lens camera and is the first smartphone with eye autofocus tracking borrowed from its A7 III mirrorless camera.
Google is making the Assistant smarter on feature phones
Google is doubling down on KaiOS, the "light" operating system that makes low-cost feature phones feel a little smarter. Today, the company announced that the Google Assistant will be upgraded with Voice Typing "over the coming months," allowing KaiOS users to dictate text messages, web searches and basically anything else that uses a text box. KaiOS and the Assistant can also be set to different languages, according to Google. That means you could read the phone's menus, icons and settings in English and then talk, text and search through the Assistant in Spanish.
Google Assistant is sliding into the Android Messages app
Google is continuing its mission to put Assistant everywhere and it's not just trying to stuff its digital helper in various hardware, but in more apps as well. The company already inserted Assistant in the Maps app, which it officially unveiled at CES this year. Here at MWC, Assistant is showing up in perhaps a more personal, conversational app -- Android Messages.
