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MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS, one of the biggest tech conferences in the world, has just finished in Barcelona. TheJournal.ie spent an exhausting few days taking the whole thing in. Here’s a few things we learned.
No matter how much planning you do, nothing prepares you for the opening day
If you’re lucky enough to start on the Sunday, then you will probably be a little tired before The first day can simply be described as organised chaos. Everyone’s arriving, the big announcements are happening while attention spans are at their highest and companies and businesspeople mingle in the hope of striking partnerships and deals
This is par for the course at all conferences, but what makes MWC different than many others is the sheer scale of it. Even if you took the walkways, it would take a good fifteen minutes, maybe twenty to go from the north entrance to the south.
In short, there’s a lot of walking involved so if you don’t have comfortable walking shoes, you better hope you only have to stay in the one place otherwise you won’t be able to feel your legs come day four.
Booths are now less about showcasing and more about personality
Booths aren’t a way to showcase your products, they’re a way of expressing your company’s personality and show you’re not something that only cares about the bottom line. The bigger ones use it as a way to craft their image and give you an idea of what they’re about.
A lot of stands went for the futuristic look with large screens, bright lights and washed out colours, but others took a different approach. For example, Sony’s booth was designed in the style of a loft apartment, complete with couches, wooden floors and large devices which says “hey, we’re looking after all your entertainment needs”.
https://vine.co/v/O0J2Hz0dV0X
Microsoft’s went for a garden/central park look, complete with a balloon displaying tweets and a DJ playing underneath it. Likely to convey an adventurous theme around its products which is something it’s been experiencing for the past year now under Satya Nadella reign.
https://vine.co/v/O0J0OxxHTn7
And Netflix went the extra mile and actually got an apartment in downtown Barcelona, decking it out with posters of current and upcoming shows. Encapsulating the type of environment you want to be in when watching TV.
https://vine.co/v/O0QQP3nMWhm
In short, when you have the opportunity, use it to define who you are.
Competition is brewing, and that’s a good thing
Part of the reason why smartphones were stagnating was because development hit a plateau of sorts. For most people, there wasn’t any other way to improve than to add better specs or improve the battery saving capabilities (most went for ultra power saving modes as a way to remedy this), but the last year seems to have reinvigorated most companies.
Samsung has come out all guns blazing with a proper followup to its flagship S range. Sony, you would presume, is taking a more measured approach with smartphones. Microsoft is doing something similar as the release of Windows 10 slowly approaches and other competitors like Huawei are upping their game in the mid-range market. HTC has announced one of the most exciting partnerships in VR and appears to be living up to the young hype.
On top of that, you have the likes of Ubuntu and Jolla trying out new OS to break up the dominance Android has on the market. There’s still a long way to go before they can mount a serious challenge, but at least there are some companies willing to make a proper go of it.
Amateur photographers will have an exciting new feature to look forward to
While the quality of smartphone cameras have improved rapidly in recent times, so much so that even the mid and low range devices can take decent snaps provided you get the lighting and framing right, one development that many people will soon appreciate is the improvements to low-light photography.
Samsung Sony and HTC have incorporated it into the cameras of their latest devices and it’s going to really expand the type of photos you’ll be able to take. Effectively, it will mean less effort for users to capture a good photo at night time, and combine that with the bootup speeds of the newer smartphone cameras and you have an almost frictionless experience.
HTC may have achieved the coup of the year, and under everyone’s noses too
While there were rumours that Valve was working on a VR headset, some questions were asked about the provider but it wasn’t dwelled upon too much. Yet few would have guessed HTC to be the answer to that question.
This is massive for HTC as in the past, it’s been slow to embrace new trends. It’s only coming into fitness trackers now, its action cam, the RE camera, has struggled to set the world alight – when a product that’s not even six months old is being handed out as a gift at a press event, you know things aren’t going well – and it took a number of attempts to get its smartphones right.
Yet it’s managed to achieve a major deal under the noses of all its rivals, especially Samsung and Sony who are working on their own versions.
Perhaps the biggest coup is just how positive the press has been surrounding it. From first impressions, it seems to have removed the nausea and sickness associated with VR headsets and if it manages to keep it that way for prolonged play, then HTC has cracked the one thing holding VR back.
This will likely the most exciting year for tech in a long while
Admittedly, that’s a statement which is thrown around often, but once you got past the hype, you were left with some very exciting products.
We’re barely a quarter of the way through the year yet the gantlet has been thrown down in smartphones, wearables, and VR. While it’s hard to tell whether this momentum will continue, it certainly has made the next few months very interesting indeed.
As much as I’d love for it to happen, I don’t expect a United Ireland to come out of this referendum. I suppose it’d be good to see exactly where we are at though.
Last time I checked, a significant portion of the population of Ireland (Ulster Unionists) did not want to be part of a united Ireland. Till someone persuades them ALL otherwise, it will remain a day dream.
Yep hold a border poll, it is part of the Good Friday agreement after all.
The Genocide and Partition, without doubt were the gravest evils ever perpetrated on Irish people, both these evils were perpetrated by monsters.
Partition has held ireland back for nearly 100 years.
Time for unity, time for prosperity, time for the brits to admit what they did to ireland and our people.
Give it a rest….
“Give it a rest”
what a typical free state mentality.
If people are going to gone on about the past then at least have the balls to balance their statements and mention the genocide carried out by the IRA aka Sinn Fein.
” the genocide carried out by the IRA aka Sinn Fein”
omfg…………….
The ira killed 800 civilians in 30 years. The brits killed 1600 (ruc, uda, uvf, brit army)
The brits murdered millions in 6 years and forced millions more to emigrate.
People like you make irish people sick.
over 60 fine gael/gardai/mi5 think that the genocide and partition of ireland was a good thing.
i mean isn’t it time for finegael/mi5/gardai to cut the bull and fly the union jack over there offices.
You poor blinkered idiot.
What a load of nonsense Limerick Boy, living in a past that never happened.
“you blinkered idiot”
is that it?
I destroy your stupid argeument with logic, truth and fact and all you can say is;
“you blinkered idiot”
What a guy, you must be either a gard or fine gael or both.
Dave
” living in a past that never happened”
yesterdays injustice is the cause of today’s injustice.
We must heal yesterday in order to heal today.
The British did not partition Ireland, the Irish did. Two sectarian states.
lmao
bruce and dave sound suspiciously like vincent dolan or paddy lyons.
eric
that’s gotta be the most pig ignorant comment i’ve ever heard, even vincent dolan wouldn’t agree with that one.
How so? Sectarianism in the north, sectarianism in the south. A protestant country for a protestant people in the north and a catholic country for a catholic people in the south. Who built these but the bigots themselves?
What’s the genocide you are talking about?
‘Free state mentality’
Pull your head out of your 19th century arse will you !
Good. No problem with finally debating and discussing it.
And if the vote doesn’t go the way SF want, will they finally shut up?
At the end of the day you can’t force this issue and SF must realise this,
SF isn’t the only party pursuing an end to partition. The SDLP also seek reunification, as do Fianna Fáil. They are simply a voice for the nationalist community.
And why do you frame it as “Will they finally shut up?” – Seeking an end to partition is a perfectly legitimate aspiration. Why would they have to shut up about it?
And Sinn Féin isn’t trying to “force” the issue – They are calling for a border poll, which was a key part of the Good Friday Agreement. I’m not sure exactly how calling for a vote on an issue is forcing it.
Why the point of wasting time and resources in strapped times ?….. as much as most of us in certain sectors of the irish public would like the Island reunited is not going to happen anytime soon what with both the UK and irish economies in crisis… and the southern taxpayer unwilling and unable to take on any more costs
Surely at a time of recession and austerity, a new republic makes sense? This would give us an opportunity to eliminate the costs of duplication that come about as a result of partition.
And since when did you speak on behalf of all Irish taxpayesr? An Irish Times poll in November 2012 showed that people wouldn’t mind paying more in taxes to facilitate reunification. Of course this may not even be necessary with the potential savings unity would bring.
Who’s speaking of behalf of all irish taxpayers ?…. just pointing out common sense and logic not a wish list based on emotion. … do you speak for all irish people ?…..I don’t think so. …. this is a project that needs to be well thought out and include all people of the Island and from my understanding of geography the border area is small and does not represent all the Island and all the traditions here. … in saying all that as nationalist there is nothing more I would like to see than unity
Yes, what’s the point of asking the people what they want? We’ll just ask Marcus what he wants. That would spare a lot of resources.
marcus,
britain give 12 billion every year to the 6 counties, excluding the cost of the military and police.
Do you think that the six munster counties get 12 billion from dublin? Dream on if you do.
It’s lazy bullshit propaganda to say that we can’t afford it. We can.
Cost shouldn’t prevent anyone from wanting his country united.
Common sense is an island the size of Ireland NOT having two different health systems, education system, tax systems and currency.
You’re right though, it is important that all traditions have their say on this, as Gerry Adams said,
“The Protestant, Unionist and Loyalist people are not going away. And Sinn Féin doesn’t want them to go away. They are part of what we are and we have to get to know each other better, to listen and take heed of what is being said.”
Seamus, I’d love to see a United Ireland – I really would. But our Government and senior Civil servants do no understand the definition of cost savings or duplication.
For example, here in Waterford Hogan – for some inane reason – wants to “merge” the City and County Councils for “cost savings”.
While keeping the e siting two administrative centres – with ALL their duplication – open.
It’s straight out of Kilnascully.
E sitting = existing
Lol. .. dream on Limerick boy and good luck paying 80 % taxes towards that end
Ah seamus give it a rest and ask the people. .. I’m only one person not the entire Islands
All Gerry does is complain about how bad the government are in Ireland why would he want northern Ireland to have to put up with them to?
Could we vote to hand over another one or two counties to the Brits? Louth, Monaghan? Cavan?
Please… No border poll. I can’t stand northern accents…
Our ‘leaders’ can’t handle 26 counties, what makes it plausible that they can lead a 32 county republic?
What makes you so sure they would be our leaders in a 32 county state? Besides, if unification ever came about in our lifetime – I’d envisage some sort of two parliament system with devolution for the north and south – with national concerns being only addressed by the national parliament.
Do we really want a million orange nuts as part of our nation? No thanks
Why don’t the Shinners ask the people of the south whether we want a thirty two county Ireland or not. The may not get the answer they expected
THE REPUBLIC SAY’S NO !!!
You might say no but for me, to one day see a united Ireland would be a wonderful thing
Why so wonderful Alan?
Hold the poll, let people have their say. Then do one in the south to see who wants to take on the North…
Exactly O’Reilly. More relevant to have a poll here in the south and let’s see how many are bothered even voting. Well down on the list of priorities.
What a load of bull from spinners.
Imagine if the poll was successful we would have to adopt the same austerity in the south that the shinners have inflicted on the people of the north.
Is that why the unemployment rate is 8% in the north and 14% in the south?
I guess historically the UK taxpayer who has propped the NI economy for decades. .
Reading between the lines you approve the austerity enforced by SF in the north.
Too bad SF can’t be honest about it.
£9b a year pumped into the North by the UK exchequer.
Honest about what? The northern Executive has a block grant delivered from London. The Tories gave the Executive a smaller block grant. Reading between the lines you seem to think that is Sinn Féin’s fault.
The GFA contains a provision for a border poll. If you voted in favour of the GFA then you voted in favour of a border poll.
At the top of the thread it was 12bn – has the Brits pulled out 3bn in the last hour? Looks like an economic withdrawal is happening faster than we thought – stuff the border poll – the Brits will be gone by the morning.
God give it a rest Gerry…
Easiest way through all the assertions made above is to have the poll both sides. Then we are dealing in facts not extreme views on either side.
Won’t happen in our lifetime- a load of mullarkey
People said the same about the Berlin Wall…..
Very different situations. The overwhelming majority of East Germans wanted unification. The overwhelming majority of people in Northern Ireland have no wish to leave the United Kingdom.
“The overwhelming majority of East Germans wanted unification”, ah no they just didn’t want their Stalinist country any more. Unification was the cheapest option.
Richard, how do you know this as a fact? The border poll would offer a clear and indisputable figure as to how many support or oppose reunification.
The shinners showing once again that they are completely out of touch with the rest of the world. The only thing that can be achieved from this is a pile of stirred shit!
Did anyone notice the #flegs protests? NO chance this will happen any time soon. There’s a lot more work that needs to be done in the north, before this ever happens.
It’s a poll, nothing more. You don’t need anything to ask a simple question.
You’re absolutely right Jason. However, I’d question the timing and point of it, given the recent protests. I get the impression that it’s political posturing only.
Strange, strange timing. Be careful what you wish for, Gerry. Can’t think of a worse time to put such a proposition to the people of the North. Could take the issue off the table for a generation.
There’s one way we could find out. Some sort of poll perhaps.
Yes. But you need to be sure you can win a referendum before calling it. Otherwise you have no leverage in calling another one when the electorate might be more disposed towards the cause. I can’t help but think that the Scottish referendum has put Gerry under pressure. If they lose this by the margin the BBC poll suggests, nationalism will be set back, not bolstered.
First of all, this issue is not about ‘Gerry’ or any other individual.
Second and crucially – where is your integrity? I live in the North, my mum was born in 1921, my father was born in 1917- in a country called Ireland- a very impoverished land for most citizens- but the overwhelming majority of those citizens supported a unified Ireland where divisions between all on these shores would be healed.
I have a Lithuanian friend whose grandfather was sent to the saltmines by the Russians because he wanted a free Lithuania – she actively admonishes those in her ‘home’ country who bemoan that the price of ‘freedom’ has meant a change in economic circumstances for some – saying ‘How dare anyone equate national freedom and unity with ‘the number of sausages in their fridges….’…….. touché
The Irish men and women most of us are descended from would shun the pathetic selfishness of many on this site.
My local town has a 20% population from ‘newcomer’ people – they are more Irish in outlook than many of you. Very obviously if the economy was so impossible to flourish in, then how come so many are coming to our shores and managing to build a good life for themselves and their families. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy, have some courage.
Very well put Doc.
Have to agree if they wait say another 10 years the argument of the 6 county’s joining a shit economy should be gone and the catholic population will have grown that little bit more up north
A poll is supposed to be held every seven years after the first one is held. You can ask now and again in 7 years to see how much economic issues influence public opinion on reunion.
Just to point out that is not so – in actual fact the GFA says that is cannot be held until 7 years have passed. Different thing entirely.
Let them have their poll. Vast majority in North and South are opposed to it anyway
Where did you get that ‘statistic’?
Fine gael/mi5/unionisty party and there cohorts will be aghast.
They only want a united ireland under british rule.
Enda Kenny is a spy?
Does that mean Barack Obama is a lizard?
A plebiscite will be held “where sufficient demand for one exists”. Since we already know that a very substantial majority in the North are I favour of retaining the Union why does Gerry think that his demands are likely to be met. I think this is Mr Adams attempt to remain relevant among a population that have moved on and regard his ilk as throwbacks. The man is desperate to hold on to his Leadership of Sinn Fein as we approach the centenary of the ’16 Rising. It should be recalled that our Northern “comrades” did nothing to advance the interests of Irish Independence all those years ago and simply latched on to the title to give themselves a cloak of respectability for the murder and mayhem they caused. They have little to show for it as there are more today in favour of the Union then before they started the Slaughter.
Firstly I would read a history book if I were you. The Troubles began due to the social issues caused by Protestant suppression of the basic human rights of Catholics. The IRA could exist because nobody gave a damn about Catholics in the North.
Secondly, the poll is merely to get a clear and indisputable indication of how many support and oppose reunification. Both the UK and the Republic want a unified Ireland but only when it is the will of the majority north and south. SF want this poll so they can work on convincing people that a United Ireland is a good thing peacefully.
Jason
Thanks for the history lesson. Now let me give you one. Sinn Fein today have no claim of a legal or moral nature to the Organisation that bore that name during the Easter Rising in 1916. You might as well call yourselves the Tea Party for all I care . Our Nations founding Leaders would turn in their graves at the idea that the PIRA/Sinn Fein claimed to be inheritors of their political and military movement. Sinn Fein visited slaughter on easy targets with remote controlled bombs and sniper rifles. They killed civilians up close and carried out genocide along the border to further their aims. As a result of their behaviour they have created the circumstances in which a substantial majority North of the Border want nothing to do with a United Ireland. It doesn’t actually matter what the people of the Republic say in any plebiscite. Ut their wont be a referendum because the terms of the Good Friday Agreement have not been met.
Bear in mind that the journal is young fine gael/mi5′s playground, the comments from these people are not indicative of irish people as a whole.
Your comments just get more and more delusional. What next?
anyone with an ounce of sense knows that the majority of commentators on here are fine gael, guards or both.
Seems you missed the common sense bus.
And how do people know that exactly
A united ireland ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Any chance the UK might like Donegal as well? The seven counties has a nice ring to it.
Piss off!!
No thanks
To all Free Staters out there, it does not make economic sense to have 2 separate economies on such a small land mass, What is all the Free State Parties afraid of…oh ye the fact that they collectively abandoned the north to the pogroms of the union!
Tiocfaidh at la!
Keep calling us Free Staters and no one will like you or your poll.
Just imagine the situation we would be discussing if Henry VIII had just accepted the normal family values of the time.
I would have no problem with a border poll if there was even a remote possibility of a possitive outcome,but all indications sugest that it would be defeated,it would be far better if both parts of Ireland cooperated on economic matters first before attempting to unitfy the country.
Of course we are all assuming that that its Gerry’s flavour of a united Ireland we are talking about. What would happen I’d we voted for a united Ireland within the UK.
Want a vote? Let’s have some real options but first, is Gerry and his fellow travellers undertaking to abide by the democratic decision of the people if the decision goes the wrong way, or will we be having this over and over again until Gery ans his friends are happy.
Leave it out Gerry!
I miss Patrick Lyons
We couldn’t afford to take on the north we are broke
Just wait till the good folks in the north figure out that it will cost them 60 quid for a doctor to look at them for 30 seconds !, see what they think will be best for them and their families then !
This is why I could never vote Sinn Fein. There are huge issues to be dealt with on both sides of the border, but they concentrate on a referendum that is doomed to failure.
How exactly are they planning to campaign. If I was a Northern nationalist, I might baulk at saying Yes if it meant losing the NHS.
bring it on! gerry wont like the resilt!!
Oh look, it’s a Garda speaking out against the possibility of a United Ireland.
There’s a surprise…….
Excuse my ignorance, but does a border poll amount to a referendum like the one in Scotland?
Yes very much the same thing, I think the results would be interesting..
Yea we could use johny evans at the back
Why wouldn’t they because 4 out of 5 are British ?
Why don’t they just stay neutral there own identify Northern Ireland leave Britain and forget this 32 county cause it will never happen,if it was going to happen the Irish government would push for it but they don’t want the extra burden,and get a new flag green white and blue sorted
have your say