The Five Best Gadgets from MWC 2015

Just as every other year with MWC, this year’s event saw people from the world over pour in only to catch a glimpse of exciting new gadgets on display. With thousands of exhibitors congregating under a roof, this always promised to be a show of classy, innovative gadgets. Here is a look at five, besides plenty others, that stole the show.

SONY Z4 Tablet

Plenty of SONY users were anticipating the announcement of the next entrant in the SONY Xperia Z smartphone lineup. However, SONY decided to showcase its talents with its all-new slate which comes in black and white colours. SONY claims this is the world’s lightest 10-inch tablet with brightest 2K display. At 6.1mm girth and merely 392g, we don’t doubt them. The usual amenities such as NFC, Bluetooth 4.1 and WiFi 802.11b/g/n/ac are there besides IP68 certification.

Besides the impressively sharp IPS display sporting 2560x1600p resolution, this tablet packs the powerful 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor under the hood which runs Android 5.0 Lollipop. This is complemented by 3GB of RAM as well as 32GB of internal storage. There is the option to expand storage with a microSD card. An 8-megapixel rear camera with Exmor RS and a 5.1-megapixel wide angle front facing snapper are also onboard. 6000mAh battery inside the device offers 17 hours of playback.

The tablet is expected to be available in June starting at around $700.

HTC Vive

HTC has joined hands with renowned game developer Valve Corporation to bring people an all-new virtual reality headset. As one would expect, it promises to go head-to-head with the Oculus Rift in providing users an immersive experience with their games and movies. What sets it apart from some alternatives is the ability to freely walk around outside of, say, the game being played in a space of 15×15 feet.

Some refer to the experience as “the difference between playing a 3D game and being inside one.” The motion tracking ability is top-notch which would play a key role in the success of any virtual reality device since it’s primarily about the experience. It’s set to release later this year but there is no word on pricing yet. I guess we should be ready to explore a much more interesting virtual world that Vive would have to offer.

LG Watch Urbane LTE

LG has managed to produce a smartwatch that looks quite classy, to say the least. The clad metal ring around the 1.3-inch P-OLED display is complemented by firm leather straps. The two color options on offer will be gold and silver. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor operates the WebOS with understandably few app choices at the moment.

The 4G functionality allows users to measure their pulse and heart rates besides making calls and sending text messages. This smartwatch does not require any connection with a smartphone to achieve complete functionality. Other amenities include NFC, IP67 dust and water resistance and 700mAh battery. There is still no word on release date or price for the LG Urbane watch yet.

Huawei TalkBand B2

TalkBand B2 is a waterproof health and fitness tracker that is the successor to Huawei’s TalkBand B1. It is actually a mix of a Bluetooth headset and a lightweight wrist-worn grip made of aluminum. The headset as well as the display can be taken apart should the user feel the need to do so. It comes in three variants: black, gold with leather brown and silver with white.

The 6-axis sensor embedded within the device can tell different movements apart. These can vary from strolling to cycling and jogging. As usual, it even monitors the user’s duration of sleep. TalkBand B2 supports iOS 7 or above as well as Android 4.0 or above. The interface is clean and easy to work with. Manufacturers claim standby time of five days with normal use after a full charge that takes an hour and a half. TalkBand 2 is set to become available by the end of next month starting at about $189.

IKEA Charging Furniture

It was only a matter of time before our furniture qualified for that ‘smart’ category. Like it or not, IKEA has now partnered with Samsung in order to bring us a series of chairs, desks and wireless lamps that have charging pads embedded within them.

Thanks to the incorporation of Qi Wireless Power Consortium, all that will be required of you is to place the phone on the pad without having to go looking for a charger. These are said to become available next month starting at around $35.