DryWired tech protects phones from water

BARCELONA, Spain--Fear spills and splashes damaging your smartphone no longer. Startup company DryWired believes it has the technology to easily and effectively armor your handset against water and other liquids.

According to the Los Angeles, Calif. based firm, the DryWired technique uses a nano scale monomer material that, when heated forms a gas, then cools to become a water-tight sealant.

A special machine applies the DryWired material to phones and tablets that have been partially disassembled, the idea being that a device's internal components are protected, not only its exterior.

Indeed DryWired claims that after an ordinary phone has … Read more

Plug in a BeeWi Mobot to control your gadgets while you're out

BARCELONA, Spain--Time for a new meaning to "plug and play": the BeeWi Mobot is a power plug that not only controls the gadgets in your home, but also tells you what's going on while you're out, thanks to a SIM card and an iPhone app.

The Mobot is a prototype shown off here at Mobile World Congress by smart toy-builder BeeWi. Plug the Mobot into a power socket, then plug an electrical appliance or gadget into the Mobot, and the Mobot will control that gadget. What makes it more than just a boring old timer plug … Read more

Samsung HomeSync lets Android take over your TV

BARCELONA, Spain--Announced on Saturday at Mobile World Congress, the Samsung HomeSync is a home theater media hub that aims to inject a little Android OS into your TV via your Galaxy handset. Slated for April, the device can stream videos, games, and other media from your Galaxy phone to your big-screen TV through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Think of it as an Apple TV for the Samsung faithful.

Design The Samsung HomeSync is packaged in a minimalistic glossy black box, and it's about the size of three DVD cases stacked on top of one another. When placed on a flat … Read more

The incredible, unscalable screen of the Chromebook Pixel

As a MacBook Pro Retina user, I can attest that Google's Chromebook Pixel rivals the quality of Apple's Retina display. But the Chromebook falls short in not allowing you to sacrifice some quality in favor of seeing more on your display.

Based on the tech specs floating out there, you might be forgiven in thinking that both the MacBook Retina and the Chromebook Pixel have similar screens. After all, Apple talks about the 13-inch Retina having "spectacular" 2,560x1,600 resolution, while Google cites the Chromebook Pixel having a 2,560x1,700 screen.

Display resolution versus … Read more

Charge your Nexus 4 without hassle

BARCELONA, Spain--Hot new handsets weren't the only products LG had up its sleeve at MWC. The phone maker also unveiled a new wireless charger, the LG WCP-300.

About the size and shape of your average bar coaster, the WCP-300 is designed to be simple and straight forward. Once connected to a power outlet (or Micro-USB port), just drop your compatible phone onto the WCP-300's disc-shaped charging pad. A small LED on the charger's edge lights up in green when juice is flowing.

Since the LG WCP-300 relies on the Qi wireless charging standard, it supports numerous smartphones … Read more

Qualcomm's Wi-Fi coffee machine: High-tech caffeinated kicks

BARCELONA, Spain--If you're sick of trekking to the coffee machine every time you want a fresh mugful, Qualcomm's concept Wi-Fi coffee machine may be right up your alley.

Making an understated appearance at Qualcomm's stand at Mobile World Congress, the machine is a standard coffeemaker that the processor company has hooked up to one of its Atheros 4100 chips.

To control it, Qualcomm's put several of its own platforms to work. Using Vuforia augmented reality tech, you wave your tablet's camera in front of the coffee machine until it's recognized, at which point you'… Read more

Fujitsu New Generation GPS Cane takes you places

BARCELONA, Spain--We all need a bit of direction in life, especially when we're getting on in years. With the Fujitsu New Generation Cane, a prototype superconnected walking stick, seniors can find their way, stay healthy, and keep loved ones posted on their progress.

The cane prototype is on show at Mobile World Congress, proving that "mobile device" doesn't just mean a phone or tablet. Packed with GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, it not only guides you to your destination but records data to make sure you're not in trouble.

The cane is topped by a contoured handle made of glossy plastic, which curves all the way around the hand in a loop. The handle flares at the front, a bit like the pommel of a sword, where there's a screen of large light-up colored dots that displays useful information to the walker. It displays either big green arrows pointing you in the right direction, or big green numbers to tell you your heart rate. … Read more

Asus explains why smartphones are more expensive than the $249 FonePad

BARCELONA, Spain--Asus has taken the wrapper off its new FonePad device, a 7-inch Android tablet that contains all the necessary tech to make phone calls. It also costs a mere $249, or £179. If Asus can sell what is basically a giant phone at half the cost of a high-end smartphone, why are smartphones so expensive in the first place?

I put the question to Asus, and while I didn't get a single, clear answer, I was given some clues.

"[With] small devices," Asus' regional director Jonahan Santaub said, "Often there's more engineering, development, … Read more

Sony's waterproof Xperia Tablet Z is the thinnest, lightest 10-inch tablet yet (hands-on)

BARCELONA, Spain--The Sony Xperia Tablet Z has been announced for U.S. and European markets. The Xperia is a 10.1-inch tablet and features a quad-core Qualcomm processor. This is Sony's third large-form Android tablet in two years. While the previous entry had some technical issues, the Xperia Tablet Z has the potential to be the company's best tablet yet.

Very, very thin and awfully light Sony claims the Xperia Tablet Z is the thinnest, lightest 10-inch tablet yet, and while I didn't have a chance to break out my scale or tape measure, it definitely felt … Read more