MWC 2024: The most interesting gadgets out of Mobile World Congress

• Lenovo's ThinkBook Transparent Display Laptop
• Motorola's Bendable Concept Phone
• Samsung's Smart Ring: The Galaxy Ring
• OnePlus Watch 2: The 100-Hour Smartwatch?
• Tecno's Robo-Canine Marvel: The Dynamic 1
• Xiaomi's First Electric Car Offering: The SU7 EV
• Huawei Ambitious 5.5G Intelligent Core Network Solution

Lenovo's World First Transparent Laptop

Lenovo turned heads at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024 event as it introduced the world's first transparent laptop, the Lenovo ThinkBook Transparent Display Laptop.

Sporting a massive 17.3-inch borderless MicroLED display reminiscent of science fiction, the laptop can achieve up to 55% transparency when its pixels are turned off, and back to a full white opaque background when the pixels light up with a peak brightness of 1,000 nits. The concept laptop also features a completely flat-touch keyboard that functions as a drawing tablet when detached from the device. This keyboard functions as a projection rather than as a physical key, disappearing when a pen is brought close to the ThinkBook.

As for availability, the transparent laptop follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, the rollable laptop unveiled at last year's MWC, remaining a proof of concept for now.

Motorola's Bendable Concept Phone

At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Motorola (under the Lenovo umbrella) dared to defy convention with its bendable concept phone.

The concept phone is a 6.9-inch slab, featuring a bendable, woven-fabric material backplate that can wrap around a wrist or stand upright on a table. As the phone bends, the display adapts, rearranging app placement to suit its form.

The concept builds upon the advancements seen in foldable screens, with Motorola previously reintroducing its iconic Razr brand as a foldable smartphone in 2020. While Motorola's bendable display concept is currently experimental, it follows a trend of innovative prototypes showcased by Lenovo and Motorola at the event including its see-through laptop screen.

Samsung's Smart Ring: The Galaxy Ring

Samsung unveiled its Galaxy Ring at the MWC 2024 offering a blend of style and functionality. The smart ring was first teased alongside the Galaxy S24 series at its Galaxy Unpacked earlier this year.

Touted as a companion for the Galaxy smartwatches, it promises to be your perfect health companion. From monitoring heart rate and sleep patterns to detecting signs of sleep apnea, the Galaxy Ring provides comprehensive insights into your well-being.

Also, with its Vitality score feature and personalized well-being goals, the Galaxy Ring keeps you motivated and informed about your progress. While pricing details are yet to be revealed, the sleek smart ring is set to be available in US ring sizes 5 to 13 later this year.

OnePlus Watch 2: The 100-Hour Smartwatch?

At the MWC, OnePlus takes another swing at the smartwatch game with its second-generation offering, the OnePlus Watch 2, promising a revolutionary battery technology.

The OnePlus Watch 2 runs on Google's Wear OS 4 and boasts a unique dual-engine architecture powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 and the BES 2700 MCU. Backed by a substantial 500mAh battery, this combination promises up to 100 hours of battery life.

But here's the catch, achieving that impressive battery life requires smart mode with the always-on display off. Heavy usage scenarios bring it down to 48 hours, still commendable for a Wear OS watch. As the OnePlus Watch 2 hits the shelves on March 4t, priced at $299.99, will it redeem the brand's smartwatch reputation?

Tecno's Robo-Canine Marvel: The Dynamic 1

Tecno's debut robotic dog, the Dynamic 1, steals the spotlight at the Mobile World Congress 2024, as it gives a glimpse into a future where robotic companionship complements daily life.

Inspired by the beloved German Shepherd, Dynamic 1 is engineered to mimic the behaviour of real dogs. With lifelike movements, this AI-powered marvel can climb stairs, shake hands, and bow.

It sports an advanced headlight system for navigation and communication and is powered by an AI Hypersense Fusion System and an octa-core ARM CPU for precision in motion. It is also equipped with sensors and microphones that enable obstacle navigation and voice commands. With an impressive speed of up to 3.7 meters per second and approximately 90 minutes of playtime on a 15,000 mAh battery, it's a tech toy that promises endless fun.

Tecno's Futuristic AR Gaming Gadget: Pocket Go and AR Pocket Vision

Expanding its product lineup beyond smartphones, Tecno also introduced the Pocket Go wireless AR gaming set alongside the Dynamic 1 robot dog.

The Tecno Pocket Go is a Windows handheld console designed to complement a pair of AR Pocket Vision glasses, presenting an innovative fusion of gaming and augmented reality technology.

Sporting a compact form factor, the headset boasts a 0.71” micro-OLED screen with adjustable diopter settings, promising an immersive viewing experience. It is equipped with a six-axis gyroscope and AI algorithm to track head movements accurately. The set-up is powered by an 8-core, 16-thread CPU clocking speeds up to 5.1 GHz, and features advanced cooling technology and a replaceable 50 Wh battery. This seamless integration of hardware delivers high-performance gaming on the go.

Xiaomi's First Electric Car Offering: The SU7 EV

Xiaomi also took to the stage at the MWC with a closer look at its electric car offering - the SU7, following its announcement at CES back in January.

Positioned as a "full-size high-performance eco-technology sedan," the SU7 boasts core EV technologies like E-Motor, CTB Integrated Battery, Xiaomi Die-Casting, Xiaomi Pilot Autonomous Driving and Smart Cabin. Donning a sporty exterior with aerodynamic features, the SU7 can reach over 470 miles of range and can accelerate from 0 to 60mph in just 2.78 seconds. This comes with a fast charging capability, regaining 317 miles of range in just 15 minutes.

It is backed by Xiaomi's new operating system, HyperOS, allowing the vehicle to integrate seamlessly into the "Human x Car x Home" smart ecosystem, and promising unhindered connectivity and consistent operations across its over 200 devices.

Huawei's Ambitious 5.5G Intelligent Core Network Solution

Huawei has made a bold claim that it has developed the world's first 5.5G Intelligent Core Solution at the MWC 2024. With over 1.5 billion 5G users worldwide, Huawei already sees 5.5G (or 5G Advanced) as the next frontier to set a new standard for connectivity.

Achieving blazing-fast peak speeds of up to 8Gbps, this breakthrough technology promises to redefine connectivity and drive innovation across industries. It boasts a remarkable 10x improvement in speed, connected devices, and latency compared to standard 5G designed to cater to diverse use cases, from smart living to industrial applications.

The advanced capabilities of 5.5G will facilitate digitalization, automation, and IoT across various sectors, driving the digital upgrade of core industries and supporting affordable IoT solutions. Huawei also made strategic partnerships with leading operators to harness the full potential of 5.5G. The company stated that it would activate 5.5G technology for commercial use within the year 2024.

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