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MWC18 may have finished up two weeks ago, but we’re still buzzing from all the tech and mobile phone news we saw out there, so I wanted to put all of the BEST bits of MWC and my thoughts on the tech in one location for anyone who missed my coverage of the event. Look out for a vision of the future from MWC tomorrow 
Samsung Galaxy S9
Just look at how gorgeous that new Lilac Purple looks!
The new Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus are simply amazing. Samsung have taken what made the S8 great, and improved and added new features to create the S9. Check out some of the features we love the most:
- With AR Emoji, you can turn yourself into a living emoji which will react live to your facial expressions
- Samsung have added a new 960fps super slow motion video recording feature which is loads of fun. Just picture those super slow mo water balloon fights you can record when the weather picks up
- The new camera tech in the S9 is fantastic – it uses magic to automatically switch aperture to capture less or more light depending on the scene, so you get amazing photos no matter the lighting situation
Sony Xperia XZ2
Sony have done it again, creating a stunning phone that looks and feels amazing in your hand
Similar to the above, Sony have taken what made the Xperia XZ1 great, and made it even better. Check out some of the new features Sony have managed to cram into this svelte device:
- With Sony’s Dynamic Vibration System all your movies and videos become a new, uniquely stimulating experience. Plus, with powerful stereo speakers, you get fully immersive audio.
- Discover the world’s first 4K HDR Movie recording in a smartphone. With more contrast, colour and detail in every scene, your videos will be closer to cinema quality.
- The Xperia XZ2’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Mobile Platform delivers world-class speed and performance. From smooth gaming to fast streaming, it means no more waiting.
New form factors
If you were to draw a smartphone, chances are it’d just be a rectangular shape with most of it being a screen, and some buttons here and there. So when ZTE showcased their ‘Axon M’ dual-screen flappable phone, it stood out.
While I think it’s great seeing manufacturers explore new form factors and innovate, this one does have some pros and cons and I’m not sure exactly how practical it’d be in everyday situations. Some of what I found great:
- Loading Google Maps and having a huge viewing area across two screens – hardly any zooming needed
- Watching YouTube on one screen while browsing on the other, without compromise
But, after around 20min or so playing around with it, there were some things I felt such a form factor didn’t really work that well, or be especially practical:
- With the way the phone ‘folds’ it doesn’t look like any sort of case or protection would be possible
- Viewing full-screen website spanning across both displays looked odd as there was still some bezel right in the middle
- It felt awkward holding it while both displays were unfolded – forget about one-handed usage, you’ll need to use this like a tablet
Speaking of form factors, do you think the current ‘slabs’ are still the best way to go? Do you wish flip-phones would make a triumphant return? Do you think smartphones should get bigger? Smaller?
Virtual Reality looks here to stay
VR feels like it’s been waiting in the shadows for a couple of years now, but one thing’s for sure… VR looks like it’s here to stay and slowly but surely, it’s being adopted more and more – and with Samsung updating its Gear VR headset to include a motion controller, if you have a compatible Samsung Galaxy device you can experience more immersive VR than ever before.
Check the videos here of some Gear VR demos Samsung had on show at MWC this year. Can’t get more immersive than that!
Quick-E Recyclable Powerbanks
Power banks are nothing new, and they’re fantastic for taking with you on holidays or days away to ensure you’ll always have enough power to play games, watch movies, tweet and upload selfies. If you’re in need of a powerbank, O2 sell some fantastic models right here.
While out at MWC, or more specifically the off-shoot 4YFN event, we spotted a UK start-up called ‘Quick-E’ who specialise is one-time use recyclable powerbanks. These are ideal for people who are out & about, get caught short, and are in need of a charge. Eventually, Quick-E hope to have presence in train stations, universities & colleges, music and sport events – anywhere there’s a chance of a lot of people potentially needing a charge.
What’s great though is you buy one of these for £1.99, charge your phone, and once the powerbank is out of juice you just pop it in a postbox to be safely recycled – the battery is enclosed inside a self-addressed pre-paid envelope. Easy peasy, job done.
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@Anonymouswrote:
@MI5wrote:
@Anonymouswrote:
Yes Apple I’m looking at you specifically!! I'm hunting for a 5c at present!Make sure you get a 32gb version.
If you buy a 8gb it will be full before you save your contacts list and the 16gb will be full about a week after that.
I don’t do much on a mobile, so I was thinking 16 max.. I’m pretty sure that even that will be overkill! I shall see what Schpock has available!
Better too much than not enough 😉
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