Mobile oddities: Delve into the stranger side of MWC
From Wi-Fi coffee makers to GPS-enabled canes, Mobile World Congress 2013 gave companies a chance to tout the offbeat side of mobile tech.
Imagine waking up, reaching for the tablet on your nightstand, and turning on your coffee maker from bed. You catch a few more winks before it alerts you that your hot java's ready. If Qualcomm's concept Wi-Fi coffee maker ever goes into production, your mornings may never be quite the same.
The coffee maker, however, is just one of many odd and unusual gadgets on display at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Fujitsu rolled (or walked) out a cane equipped with GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth that could help seniors get around. BeeWi showed off an early version of its Mobot power plug. Not only can you use it to remotely turn electrical devices off and on with your phone, but it also has a motion sensor and temperature sensor to warm you when things get too hot.
Revel in the weird and wonderful world of the wackier side of Mobile World Congress. If you ever dreamed of having a folding phablet or a smartphone that comes from a company that also makes compactors and hydraulic excavators, this is the place for you.