As part of the Mobile World Congress conference, which took place the other day in Barcelona, ​​the 5G Test Summit was held, which was attended by representatives of the IMT-2020 PG (International Mobile Telecommunication 2020 Promotion Group), a group that develops and tests 5G components. These include the largest cellular operators (AT&T, China Mobile, NTT DOCOMO, Vodafone) and telecommunications equipment manufacturers: (Ericsson, Datang, Huawei, Intel, Keysight, MediaTek, Nokia, Qualcomm, Rohde & Schwarz, ZTE). The goal of the summit was to approve a single standard for next-generation wireless communication (5G), demonstrate plans to work on its upcoming versions and the results of field tests of various 5G components, which were carried out by operators and equipment suppliers.

Before embarking on 5G standardization, 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) - the organization that approves international standards for cellular communications - plans to bring new opportunities to LTE.The latest LTE specification released by 3GPP is revision 13(Release-13) and includes special measures aimed at adapting existing networks to the needs of the "Internet of Things" (in particular, additional radio frequencies in LTE and optimization of GSM / EDGE). In edition 14, which is currently being worked on, the capabilities of the IoT (Internet of Things) will be expanded towards better positioning, number of subscribers, mobility, energy efficiency and bandwidth. Special attention is paid to the communication of vehicles with each other and with other types of devices.

The next two editions will cover 5G architecture. Release 15 is slated for release in September 2018 and will cover the core set of challenges associated with commercializing fifth generation communications. Two ways of operating 5G radio networks are considered - relying on LTE as an "anchor" and fully independent operation. The priority use cases at this stage are, on the one hand, broadband wireless access, on the other hand, data transmission with low latency and high reliability, which is in demand in critical IoT applications (for example, traffic control). Frequency range, the bottom zone of which will be occupied by IoT, will initially range from 600 MHz to 40 GHz.

During work on Edition 15, experimental non-profit networks using 5G radio will operate. Non-standardized commercial networks are likely to emerge towards the end of this period, and 5G networks will open up for commercial exploitation following the publication of edition 15.

Release 16, scheduled for March 2020, will complete the testing and standardization of fifth generation wireless technologies. By that time, the upper limit of the 5G frequency range will reach 100 GHz. Part of the spectrum currently occupied by 3G networks will be allocated to 5G networks. In addition, the possibilities of unloading the licensed spectrum at the expense of unlicensed frequencies used by WiFi and the use of repeaters (relays) at cell boundaries will be investigated.

Also, edition 16 will better describe how to access 5G features for various services. For example, broadcast and multicast transmission (broadcast / multicast), communications in IoT (mmTC - Massive Machine-Type Communications). Proximity services will allow endpoints in close proximity to each other to communicate directly.

Several of the operators and equipment manufacturers involved in IMT-2020 PG have already field tested key fifth generation communication technologies. For example, in China, large-scale testing was completed with the participation of Alcatel-Lucent, Datang, Ericsson, Huawei, Nokia, Samsung and ZTE. A data transfer rate of 20 Gbit / s was achieved in the range close to millimeter (frequency 28 GHz), and a communication range of up to 350 m at a frequency of 15 GHz.

American AT&T conducted its test at the same frequencies and received speeds of 933 and 940 Mbit / s (reception and transmission, respectively), which in this case were limited by the bandwidth of the wired channel (1 Gbit / s). The delay in data transmission in the radio channel was 2 ms.

The Japanese operator DOCOMO, together with Ericsson, achieved a throughput of 10 Gbps per subscriber terminal and over 20 Gbps per cell with two terminals. The company expects that by 2020, commercial subscriber devices will master the speed of 5 Gb / s, and then 10 Gb / s. In the DOCOMO test, communication was maintained at a distance of up to 500 m in line-of-sight conditions at a frequency of 15 GHz, as well as in the event that the line of sight is blocked by a building, but there are reflections from other buildings (with a bandwidth of 3 Gb / s). Using Samsung equipment, the operator achieved a result of 2.5 Gbit / s at a frequency of 28 GHz when communicating with a car moving at a speed of 150 km / h.

MWC 2017: Xperia XZ Premium named Best New Smartphone

The GSM Association (GSMA), which brings together about 800 mobile operators around the world and is the organizer of the annual Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, ​​hosted the Global Mobile Awards during the MWC 2017.

In the Best new smartphone category, the winner was the Xperia XZ Premium, Sony in Barcelona. Note that the Galaxy S7 edge was named Best Smartphone 2016 by the association. This is to be expected as the Galaxy S7 edge is one of the best-selling mobile phones in 2016. Its predecessor Galaxy S6 edge at MWC 2016.

In total, Sony unveiled four new smartphones at MWC 2017: Xperia XZ Premium, Xperia XZs, Xperia XA1 and Xperia XA1 Ultra.

The Xperia XZ Premium is the only smartphone unveiled at MWC 2017 to feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-core chipset, which will also power the Galaxy S8 smartphone. However, the use of this chip also has its drawbacks, such as the fact that the Xperia XZ Premium will be on sale in late spring. The reason is that Samsung has reserved the first large batches of Snapdragon 835 chips for its flagship Galaxy S8.

MWC 2017: Smart IDReader technology will allow smartphones to extract all data from passports

The key novelties of the Mobile World Congress 2017, held in Barcelona from February 27 to March 2, 2017, were, of course, various gadgets. However, we cannot ignore the software technologies presented at the exhibition, especially since the Russian company Smart Engines was among its participants.

The Smart Engines booth demonstrated the Smart IDReader solution for recognizing international documents in mobile applications - passports, driver's licenses, visas and others issued in the USA, European and Asian countries. Unlike most similar products, which can only work with special machine-readable zones (MRZ), Smart IDReader can extract any relevant human-readable information, as well as photos and signatures.

The product is based on the technology of real-time video stream recognition using the computing resources of a mobile device. It, in turn, is developed on the basis of "ultra-light" neural networks, due to which, according to Smart Engines, high quality and processing speed are achieved. The user just needs to bring the document to the smartphone camera for a few seconds, during which Smart IDReader reads all the necessary data and enters them into the appropriate fields in the application.

In addition to Smart IDReader, Smart Engines also demonstrated a technology for searching for holograms on documents, which is designed to bring user identification by original ID to a new level. As for the security of personal data with which the solutions described above work, it is achieved, first of all, by the fact that all data is processed exclusively in the device's RAM without transferring it to remote servers or cloud services.

HP flagship Windows smartphone prototype seen at MWC 2017

The flagship Windows smartphone HP Elite X3 is well known to 3DNews readers thanks to last year's Mobile World Congress, during which the journalists of our publication closely studied the tempting novelty and prepared a separate photo report on it. This model was positioned by developers as a universal tool for efficiently running business and performing work tasks - a symbiosis of an advanced mobile gadget running Windows 10 Mobile and a pocket desktop system with some simplifications.

The HP Elite X3 was designed with a focus on performance and, as a result, advanced components. As a result, we managed to create a balanced premium device with a huge 6-inch AMOLED QHD display and:

• Snapdragon 820 chip and 4 GB of RAM;
• 64GB flash drive and microSD card slot up to 2TB;
• two slots for SIM-cards;
• rear camera of 16 megapixels and front camera of 8 megapixels;
• battery with a capacity of 4150 mAh;
• Bang & Olufsen stereo speakers;
• a body made of metal with dimensions of 161.8 × 83.5 × 7.8 mm and weighing 195 g, not afraid of water and moisture.

During MWC 2017, a pedestal with a glass dome shone next to the HP booth, which covered a device very similar in appearance to last year's Elite X3 model. The journalists, of course, could not ignore the gadget hiding under the transparent "curtain" and turned to the representatives of the developer company for comments. It turned out that the smartphone displayed in such a pompous form is a concept prototype of the next generation HP Elite X3.

"This is a clear example of how we see the further development of the x3 series",- confined himself to a brief answer to the question of the journalists of the online publication PCWorld, an HP representative about the origin of the gadget behind the glass, devoid of any markings and accompanying information plates.

The visually presented version, which should replace the X3, has undergone only minor changes at this stage. Experts from PCWorld noted that the front camera moved to the left side of the front panel, the updated manufacturer's logo was visible on the back cover, and the space above the display seemed less than that of its predecessor.

According to rumors, the upcoming HP Elite X3-based smartphone or its modification may receive a Snapdragon 835 processor and be equipped with 6 GB / 8 GB of RAM.

MWC 2017: Bosch's vision of the smart car of the future

At the MWC 2017 in Barcelona (Spain), Bosch presented its own concept of a connected car, which, in fact, can become a second home for the owner.

Connecting to the global network will allow vehicles to communicate with each other, road infrastructure, as well as their owner's computer devices. This will take the communication between the car and its driver to a whole new level.

The Bosch concept includes a number of innovative technical solutions. One of them is a driver control camera that recognizes faces and personalizes settings from the moment the driver gets into the car. For example, the car adjusts its steering wheel, mirrors, interior temperature, and radio according to the personal preference of a particular user.

Bosch proposes to implement a gesture control system and tactile feedback based on ultrasonic sensors. So, thanks to the touch screen with tactile feedback, the buttons that appear on the display will feel convex.

Another innovative solution is the Mirror Cam System, which can replace traditional exterior mirrors. In this case, the image from the cameras will be displayed on the screens in the area of ​​the front side pillars.

The owner will be able to interact with the car using a mobile device. The ability to start the car without keys is another way of personalization: the Perfectly Keyless system turns the motorist's smartphone into a remote digital key.

MWC 2017: Vertu-style smartphones and dual camera models at Doogee booth

The Doogee stand at MWC 2017 was full of smartphones for every taste and budget. The first attention of 3DNews journalists was attracted by the device, which stands out from the rest of the exhibits by its strict forms and inserts under the skin on the back. The Doogee T3 smartphone outwardly copies the style of premium Vertu gadgets, but without the use of exclusive and expensive body materials.

Although Doogee T3 looks very respectable, unlike Vertu products, it has a much more modest price tag. The stylishly wrapped device is equipped with a 4.7-inch main screen with a resolution of 1280 × 720 pixels and an auxiliary mini-display at the top for displaying notifications and the current time.

For the speed of the Doogee T3, the eight-core MT6753 processor and 3 GB of RAM are responsible. The built-in flash drive has a capacity of 32 GB. On the back of the Doogee T3, covered with a material imitating natural leather, there is a 13-megapixel camera, and a 5-megapixel front sensor is provided for video communication.

It is worth noting that in addition to the design with an emphasis on premium, Doogee T3 boasts IP67 protection against dust and moisture. At the same time, the device does not seem bulky in comparison with its counterparts protected from external influences, since it lacks massive rubberized body elements.

Remaining features of the Doogee T3 include:

• battery with a capacity of 3200 mAh;
• microSD card slot;
• preinstalled OS Android 6.0

Another dandy in the Doogee mobile family is the T5 smartphone. It, like the gadget discussed above, is replete with inserts under the skin, but in the hand it looks bulky due to the increased diagonal of the screen and a slightly different frame of the case to comply with the IP67 certification.

The specifications for Doogee T5 indicate the following characteristics:

• matrix with a diagonal of 5 inches and HD-resolution;
• eight-core MT6753 chip;
• 3 GB of RAM;
• flash drive 32 GB;
• microSD card slot;
• rear camera with a resolution of 13 megapixels;
• 5 megapixel front camera;
• rechargeable battery with a capacity of 4500 mAh;
• a body with overall dimensions of 153.8 × 78.8 × 13.5 mm and a weight of 232 g;
• pre-installed OS Android 6.0.

If the potential buyer does not like the brutal design of the T3 and T5, the developers from Doogee suggest looking at the visually restrained “camera phones” Shoot 1 and Shoot 2. Both gadgets are ready to pleasantly surprise their owners with the quality of photo and video shooting thanks to dual camera modules on the rear. side.

The Shoot 1 version is the oldest in the tandem and offers the user a 5.5-inch Full HD display. The quad-core MT6737T and 2GB of RAM will take over the basic tasks. As for the built-in memory, the offered 16 GB can always be increased by using microSD cards. The pride of the device is a dual rear camera with 13 Mp and 8 Mp sensors, as well as a decent 8 Mp front module.

Autonomous operation of Shoot 1 will be provided by a 3300 mAh battery, and it is proposed to use a fingerprint scanner to protect personal data. The gadget comes out of the box with Android 7.0 OS.

The Shoot 2 is an entry-level device, despite Doogee's advertised photographic capabilities.

The smartphone is equipped with:

• 5-inch HD matrix;
• processor MT6580A;
• 1 GB / 2 GB RAM depending on version;
• 8 GB / 16 GB internal memory;
• dual rear camera with a resolution of 5 megapixels for each;
• 5MP wide-angle front camera;
• battery with a capacity of 3300 mAh;
• fingerprint protection;
• pre-installed OS Android 7.0.

MWC 2017: Goodix Introduces In-Display Fingerprint Sensor

Chinese company Goodix, which specializes in the development and supply of biometric solutions for mobile devices, unveiled the In-Display Fingerprint Sensor at MWC 2017. According to a press release from the company, it is the world's first fingerprint sensor that can be embedded in an AMOLED display on mobile devices.

The In-Display Fingerprint Sensor turns any area of ​​the AMOLED display into a fingerprint reader. This technology eliminates the need to place a fingerprint scanner in the home button or on the back. As a result, manufacturers can create phones with thinner bezels and higher screen-to-bezel ratios. In addition, newer phones could be thinner as the fingerprint sensor will sit right below the display.

The company noted that the new technology could be integrated into curved AMOLED displays as well. Apple has registered a patent for a similar technology. A number of companies are now also actively working on similar ideas, but Goodix was the first to demonstrate a turnkey solution.

Previously developed by Goodix, fingerprint recognition technology is used by many phone manufacturers, including Huawei , OPPO, vivo, Xiaomi, ZTE, LG, Nokia and ASUS... Which company will be the first to use the next generation Goodix technology is not yet clear.

MWC 2017: Samsung Exynos 9 processor will be registered in virtual reality helmets

At a closed presentation at the MWC 2017 in Barcelona, ​​Spain, Samsung demonstrated a prototype of a self-contained virtual reality (VR) helmet.

Samsung already offers a Gear VR device, but it requires a smartphone to function. The shown example of a VR helmet is equipped with all the electronic components necessary for immersion in virtual reality, and does not require additional computing nodes.

Network sources note that in its current form, the prototype is intended primarily to demonstrate the capabilities of Samsung's mobile Exynos processors. The South Korean giant expects the latest Exynos 9 Series chip to become the backbone of its all-in-one VR headsets.

Recall that the processor in question was at the end of last month. The Exynos 9 Series 8895 product contains eight processing cores and a powerful ARM Mali-G71 graphics accelerator. Supports work with displays with a resolution of up to WQUXGA (3840 × 2400 pixels) or 4K / UHD (4096 × 2160 pixels). In addition, it can handle 4K / UHD video at up to 120fps. Thus, the processor can easily cope with the graphics load of the VR environment.

It is expected that in the future, the Exynos 9 chip will be registered in third-party self-contained virtual reality helmets. In addition, Samsung intends to promote Exynos products in the segments of smart cars, robotics, and more.

MWC 2017: Leisure L7, Ginger G7 and Ginger G7s smartphones at Haier

Haier brought several new smartphones to Barcelona (Spain) for MWC 2017. In particular, the Leisure L7, Ginger G7 and Ginger G7s are on display at the event.

The Leisure L7 received a 5.5-inch Full HD display (1920 × 1080 pixels), as well as cameras with 13- and 5-megapixel matrices.

The Leisure L7 is powered by a Snapdragon 430 processor, which combines eight ARM Cortex-A53 cores with a clock speed of up to 1.4 GHz and an Adreno 505 graphics accelerator. An integrated LTE Cat 4 modem allows download speeds up to 150 Mbps. The amount of RAM is 3 GB, the capacity of the flash module is 32 GB. The battery is characterized by a capacity of 3000 mAh. There is a fingerprint scanner on the back. The operating system is Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The estimated price will be 230 euros.

In addition, as already noted, the Ginger G7 and Ginger G7s smartphones are presented. They are equipped with a 5-inch 720p screen (1280 × 720 pixels) and a Mediatek MT6737 chip, which contains four processing cores with ARM Cortex-A53 architecture and a clock frequency of 1.25 GHz. The integrated ARM Mali-T720 controller is busy with graphics processing.

Model Ginger G7 carries 1 GB of RAM, flash module with a capacity of 16 GB, cameras with 5- and 8-megapixel sensors (both with flash). Operating system - Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The device can be purchased for 130 euros.

The Ginger G7s modification is endowed with 2 GB of RAM, cameras with 8- and 13-megapixel matrices, as well as a fingerprint sensor. The price is about 170 euros.

MWC 2017: General Mobile GM 6 - Android One smartphone with LTE support

General Mobile, in partnership with Google, has unveiled the GM 6 Android One smartphone at MWC 2017 in Barcelona, ​​Spain.

Let's recall the essence of the Android One initiative. The idea is to help manufacturers make cheap Android cell phones. To do this, Google creates reference platforms that third-party companies can then use as the basis for their devices.

In the case of General Mobile GM 6, the silicon "heart" is the MediaTek MT6737T processor. The named microchip contains four computing cores with ARM Cortex-A53 architecture and a clock speed of up to 1.5 GHz. The integrated ARM Mali-T720 controller is busy with graphics processing. The processor works in tandem with 3 GB of RAM.

The smartphone received a 5-inch OnCell IPS 2.5D display with a resolution of 1280 × 720 pixels (720p). The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4. The equipment includes cameras with 8- and 13-megapixel matrices; and both are endowed with an LED flash.

The device carries on board a flash module with a capacity of 32 GB (it is possible to expand the memory by using a microSD card), Wi-Fi 802.11a / b / g / n and Bluetooth 4.1 adapters, a GPS receiver. Fourth generation LTE mobile networks are supported. A fingerprint scanner is built into the "home" button. Dimensions - 144 × 71.3 × 8.6 mm, weight - 150 grams. Power is provided by a rechargeable battery with a capacity of 3000 mAh. The operating system Android 7.0 (Nougat) is installed on the smartphone.

MWC 2017: Robocar electric car for robotic races of unmanned vehicles

Before the Barcelona exhibition MWC 2017, the organizers of the Roborace racing tournament with the participation of robotic cars showed only renders of the future serial version of unmanned cars and very vaguely named their characteristics. But during yesterday's press conference on Roborace racing, the authors of the growing initiative finally showed a working prototype of the car. The need for the early development of such a test specimen was explained by the requirement to unify the format of the races in order to offer the participating teams a unified regulation and technical standard in the discipline.

The car, codenamed "Robocar", is similar to the model from preliminary sketches and is able to attract the attention of even those who are indifferent to any kind of racing. The structure weighing 975 kg, made mainly of carbon fiber, reaches a length of 4.5 meters with a two-meter width, which makes it larger than similar cars from the world famous Formula 1.

The developers have chosen an environmentally friendly electric motor as a power plant for automated fireballs. The final version of Robocar received four 300-kW motors, as well as a 540 kWh battery. The power of the electric motors allows the racing car to reach speeds of up to 320 km / h.

Unmanned track navigation and the implementation of accident-free robotic driving is carried out using a set of built-in sensors, including:

• two radars;
• five lidars;
• 18 ultrasonic sensors;
• two optical sensors for speed measurement;
• six cameras controlled by a software algorithm based on the AI ​​concept.

The central computer, which is responsible for processing all incoming data, is the NVIDIA development system - the Drive PX 2 chip.

The exterior of Robocar has a touch of futuristic cars from Hollywood blockbusters. There is a quite logical explanation for this: the designer Daniel Simon was engaged in the design of robotic cars. He took an active part in creating a visual image of the vehicles of the future in the films Tron: Legacy, Oblivion, The First Avenger.

MWC 2017 SanDisk Extreme Fast 256GB MicroSD Card

Western Digital has unveiled its new SanDisk Extreme microSD card at MWC 2017 in Barcelona, ​​Spain, which is Application Performance Class 1 (A1) compliant.

Application Performance Class cards are primarily intended for expanding the on-board storage of Android devices. They are optimized for multimedia content and applications.

The A1 standard sets the IOPS (input / output operations per second) for reading and writing at least 1500 and 500, respectively. The steady-state data transfer rate must be at least 10 MB / s.

The presented SanDisk Extreme card has a capacity of 256 GB. It is said to deliver data read speeds of up to 100 MB / s and write speeds of up to 90 MB / s.

The dimensions of the product are 15 × 11 × 1.0 mm. It is protected from water and temperature extremes. The novelty comes with a lifetime warranty.

The SanDisk Extreme 256GB card will go on sale at the end of March for about $ 200.

MWC 2017: four smartphones from the French company Wiko

MWC 2017 is a great way for young manufacturers like the French firm Wiko Mobile to showcase themselves to the world and introduce their range of branded products.

Wiko Wim device received an AMOLED-matrix with a diagonal of 5.5 inches and a resolution 1920 × 1080 pixels. Along the edges of the protective glass of the display has a slight rounding, which is commonly called the 2.5D-effect.

The eight-core Snapdragon 626 processor in tandem with 4 GB of RAM is responsible for the performance of the top representative of the Wiko family, and a 64 GB flash drive is responsible for storing information. The ability to expand the built-in memory with microSD cards has been implemented.

Smartphone Wiko Wim is notable for its photo potential, which is designed to reveal a dual rear camera with 13 megapixel sensors. According to the developers, the pictures taken by her, even in low light conditions, can pleasantly surprise you with detail and color accuracy.

An equally pleasant surprise was the front camera module with a resolution of 16 megapixels, which should be appreciated by all lovers of high-quality selfies. The autonomy of the new product is provided by a 3200 mAh battery with support for fast charging. The smartphone will ship out of the box with Android 7.0 preinstalled. Estimated price for Wik Wim is about € 400. The appearance of the device on the market is expected in June 2017.

The next exhibit offered for familiarization to the visitors of the Barcelona event was the Wim Lite smartphone. As you might guess from the name, the manufacturer positions it as a simplified version of its flagship. At the same time, the gadget inherited design features from the older version along with rounded shapes, as well as a front camera sensor.

Wiko Wim Lite was equipped with a 5-inch Full HD display, a Snapdragon 435 processor, 3 GB of RAM and built-in 32 GB storage, a 3000 mAh battery, a fingerprint scanner.

The front camera sensor here, as in the base model Wiko Wim, has a maximum resolution of 16 megapixels, but the rear camera has lost a dual layout and is presented as a single 13 megapixel sensor.

Wiko Wim Lite has a retail price of € 250. Sales start in June.

For those who are not ready to pay the indicated amount for Wiko Wim and its Lite variation, the French company offers a look at the more affordable Upulse and Upulse Lite models.

Wiko Upulse boasts:

In 2016, Huawei sold about 139 million smartphones, slightly short of the target of 140 million devices. Huawei's head of consumer business Richard Yu said on the sidelines of MWC 2017 that the company did not meet its mobile division's profit target, although revenue was higher than expected.

“He [telephone business - approx. 3DNews] is still profitable, but the profit margin is very small "- said Mr. Yu, adding that the consumer division brings Huawei about one third of the turnover.

In a memo to employees, Huawei Group Founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei urged staff to work harder and stated that otherwise the company could “fall apart”: “Strong men in their 30s don't work hard, they just want to count money in bed. Do you think this is possible? Huawei won't pay those who don't try. "

Huawei currently employs about 170 thousand people, 45% of whom belong to the research and development departments - the most vulnerable to layoffs, Reuters notes.

Huawei has maintained a 5 percent annual quota for layoffs of poorly performing employees, according to sources in the publication, but at the same time the company is pushing workers with poor performance to leave, transferring them to positions that people do not like.

MWC 2017: two new branded accessories for the HTC Vive VR headset

The Vive virtual reality helmet unexpectedly for everyone and for HTC itself became a financially successful initiative and helped reduce the losses the Taiwanese company brings to it from the smartphone business. The manufacturer has high hopes for the Vive VR model and is trying with all its might to popularize its product on the market. In an effort to stay ahead of the competition and offer better ways to interact with the digital world, HTC unveiled a set of branded headset accessories at MWC 2017.

Together with the virtual reality headset, the developers offer the Vive Tracker tracking device, as well as the Deluxe Audio Strap headphones. Both accessories will provide maximum immersion in the digital space and make using the VR headset even more comfortable.

The Deluxe Audio Strap is a headphone specially designed to work with the Vive, taking into account all its design features. Recall that previously the HTC Vive VR headset did not have speakers for audio playback. The owners of the gadget had to be content with improvised means to create musical accompaniment during virtual walks, which often caused discomfort due to inconvenient connection, the discrepancy between the sizes and shapes of the two devices.

Deluxe Audio Strap relieves the HTC Vive VR user of the problem described above, providing a comfortable surround sound experience. The cost of the accessory, which will be included with the HTC Vive Business Edition, is $ 100. The earbuds will be available for pre-order starting March 2, with deliveries scheduled for June this year.

As for the Vive Tracker, this gadget is a universal controller for tracking the position in the virtual space of any improvised object to which it is attached. Simply put, by installing Vive Tracker on an ordinary tennis racket, your every move, subject to software support, will find feedback in the virtual world. This will happen with any object under the "supervision" of Vive Tracker, which will make VR simulators even more realistic and true.

At its presentation in Barcelona, ​​Samsung unveiled its new tablets, including the Android flagship Galaxy Tab S3. The successor of the year before last model received a thin body with a glass back panel and supports the updated stylus S Pen.

Long awaited update

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is currently only available in a version with a 9.7-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2048x1536 pixels and HDR support. Inside there is a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 4 GB of RAM, 32 GB of built-in memory plus a slot for microSD cards up to 256 GB. The main 13-megapixel camera supports 4K video recording, the front module is 5 MP. The battery capacity is 6000 mAh, a full charge will last for 12 hours of watching movies. The model runs on Android 7.0 Nougat OS with Samsung's proprietary shell, multi-window mode and software for working with a digital pen. There is a fingerprint scanner, as many as four speakers from AKG and a USB Type-C port. The device is available in black and silver colors:

The stylus of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 has become larger, and it cannot be hidden inside the case (because the name of the tablet does not contain the word Note). The 0.7mm nib detects up to 4000 pressure levels, and the built-in magnets allow you to attach the S Pen to the metal frame. The case is still 6mm thick. Along with the novelty, a thin keyboard cover will be released.

When to expect?

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 will go on sale next month at a price of 680 euros for the Wi-Fi version and 770 euros for the 4G LTE model. The direct competitor of the tablet is 9.7-inch, but in the segment of Android devices there are no alternatives yet - manufacturers mainly release simpler models.

Samsung's presentation was not the most incendiary, which, however, was expected, since, unlike in previous years, the company did not show its flagship Galaxy line in Barcelona. This model will be shown on the morning of March 29 in New York, but until then we will discuss the Galaxy S8 in a separate article. There are samples of this device in Barcelona, ​​partners could get acquainted with them in detail at a hotel near the exhibition, as well as see a number of new accessories. While the impression is that this will be one of the key models of 2017, and having the opportunity to compare the S8 with the LG G6, created based on the first, I can say that LG has turned out to be a miserable likeness. But so far there is silence about what awaits us.

Samsung's presentation started later, delayed the start by twenty minutes, as they were trying to find people from Greenpeace who wanted to make a statement during the presentation of the company's tops. They did it in a crumpled way and not very incendiary, many did not even pay attention to it. During the presentation, it was repeatedly said that the company pays special attention to the safety of people, as well as the quality of products, these are echoes of the Note 7. But the highlight of the program was the announcement of the company's new tablets - the Windows tablet Galaxy Book, as well as the Galaxy Tab S3. Let's talk about these devices, and then move on to the little things.

Sound from AKG and new S Pen for the company's tablets

The tablet market is going through hard times, the Tab S2 updates have been waiting for a long time, but it appeared only now. Why? The answer lies in the fact that S2 was enough for the eyes, and the update would be cosmetic, which, in fact, happened. Samsung was clearly creating a competitor for the iPad Pro, the younger 9.7-inch model. So, the similarity is emphasized by a system of four speakers, the same screen geometry. After the purchase of Harman, Samsung will use the AKG brand for almost all equipment, including smartphones. For the first time in Tab S3, the speakers of this company, the device sounds good, the volume level is difficult to assess at the presentation, but the feeling is comparable to the same iPad Pro.

Of the advantages, I note that additional chips for sound have appeared in the tablet settings, now you can adjust the load on the central processor, that is, remove even minimal delays, which in theory gives better sound, but leads to more energy consumption. It is clear that something similar can be implemented on any device, but here the built-in limitations of Android, which have always existed and distinguished tablets on this system from iOS devices, have been bypassed. Now there is complete parity, plus software for musicians and those who conjure over music has been added.

For the mass consumer, working with sound is not at all critical, people simply will not notice the difference. Listening to different compositions with different settings in headphones did not reveal any fundamental differences, subjectively, at the level of perception, something sounds, but it seems to me that this is just a conviction of myself that there should be a difference, so the brain gives out “differences”.

The next big thing is the updated S Pen. It has become noticeably larger and more convenient, but this is not a Note series product, therefore, there is no place in the case to install the stylus and carry it along with the tablet. This is a huge disadvantage, as you will have to carry the S Pen separately or buy a case with space for it. I don't like this approach, as you remember, for this I scolded the MS Surface, as well as the iPad Pro - and here is a repetition of history. Nothing good about that.

But there was also a digital "pencil" Staedtler, I'm sure you remember these in your everyday life. High drawing accuracy, it is suitable for those who are engaged in graphics. Compatible only with the new Tab S3, as well as the Galaxy Book, and the pencil works in any application that supports such input. The set of applications is very similar to what we see on the iPad. As for me, this pencil is a very good thing, as it allows those who are used to drawing not to retrain.

The price of a pencil is unknown, at the presentation they were presented to everyone present, at the same time adding two ordinary, classic pencils. It reminded me of the presentation of luxury cars, on which they gave key chains from them - you took the first step towards your future car, and here it is.

Working with the S Pen is typical for a company, there are Air Commands, notes, an application for drawing and charting. All this is familiar from the Note line, something new and special has not appeared.

The fact that the new Tab S3 is made in the concept of smartphones, that is, made of metal and glass, makes it more expensive in perception. I really hope that Gorilla Glass 4 will be reliable in such an area, since I broke my iPad Pro in a couple of months, and when it falls on the carpet, it's a shame.

Samsung was somehow reluctant to talk about the cost of the tablet, but it was possible to find out that it will be on sale in March, the price for Europe for the Wi-Fi version is 679 euros, for the LTE version - 769 euros. A very expensive product. Nice, but extremely expensive. So for many, the Tab S2 remains a priority choice in the coming months, and the potential for this tablet in terms of sales remains high.

The concept of a two-in-one tablet on Windows was picked up by Samsung much later than other companies, but the corporation wants to take a bite of this pie too, it needs such products for the B2B segment, and they will be widely available. There are two sizes available for the Galaxy Book, there are detachable keyboards, and devices are built on conventional processors from Intel. As for me, this is still a compromise, for comparable money it is better to buy thin laptops on Windows, there will definitely be more sense. On the other hand, they will have certain sales. Nicely put together, the keyboard is a compromise - in a word, for very specific scenarios. Below you can see the characteristics of these tablets.

In my opinion, the Tab S3 is worth considering if you are looking for an expensive tablet with a great screen and maximum specs. There are no analogues on the Android market, and the choice can be between this tablet and the iPad Pro. Apple is said to be showing the next generation iPad Pro in May, so it's worth the wait and see what's in it. Still, tablets are bought today for several years, the expectation of a couple of months for such a period is justified.

Gear VR and controller from Oculus

Samsung has unveiled the Oculus controller for the Gear VR, a small joystick for controlling games and apps.

The price of the accessory is still unknown, in any case, it was not possible to get a clear answer. Considering that Gear VR doesn't track camera movements (as of now, future versions will include camera tracking), using a joystick doesn't add much to the experience. I managed to look with one eye at the VR headset from the company, it was not shown to everyone and in private mode. The concept is very similar to HTC Vive 2, and, apparently, it was taken as the basis as the most successful product in this class, although the design is different. It is unknown when this helmet will appear.

In the end, I can say that, despite the huge Samsung stand, this exhibition is boring for the company, no furious announcements, but this was expected. We are waiting for the end of the month and the announcement of the S8 / S8 + in New York, so it will be very interesting there.

Lg g6

Modular LgG5 presented at the last MWC, although he had an interesting concept, he did not find much popularity among the people. Therefore, this year Lg refused to experiment, and the new flagship of the company - G6 - much more traditional. Perhaps fortunately.

The main feature is inconceivably narrow bezels: the screen occupies 80% of the front surface of the smartphone. This solution allowed the engineers to fit a huge 5.7-inch Quad-HD display into a relatively compact body. The Korean smartphone is less tall than iPhone 7 Plus or Google Pixel XL- and this despite the fact that the aspect ratio of his screen is 18: 9 (instead of the usual 16: 9), that is, it is proportionally higher.

Screen edges G6 slightly curved - but not as much as the EDGE models Samsung. This is done for beauty and for reasons of ergonomics.

Lg I experimented for a long time with materials in my smartphones - plastic, then leather and metal - and for G6 chose a combination of aluminum (frame) and glass (back cover). The smartphone looks, maybe not revolutionary, but modern and recognizable. Thin bezels around the display are the main mobile trend of 2017, and Lg has already made its move. In addition, the smartphone is waterproof.

Have G6 like its predecessor, there are two cameras, one of them is wide-angle. The usual module received an aperture of f / 1.8, which means good pictures at night. In general, for the camera in the new flagship Lg hardly need to worry - photography has always been one of the greatest strengths of Korean smartphones.

Working G6 on the processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 821, and not on the latest 835th version, so fans of knocking out numbers in benchmarks will remain disappointed. According to engineers Lg, this choice is due to the fact that the architecture of the previous processor model is familiar to them better, which made the smartphone more reliable. In any case, even the twenty-first "dragon" is still good - both in everyday life and in 3D games.

For now G6 looks like the most balanced smartphone Lg throughout the history of the company, which, however, does not guarantee its success.

Huawei p10

Against the background of "futuristic" LgG6 and recent leaks GalaxyS8 chinese flagship HuaweiP10 looks a little old-fashioned - which, in general, is not that very bad.

Externally P1 0 is an improved version of last year's model, which, we recall, was one of the most beautiful smartphones of its time. All the same rounded corners, symmetrical frames at the top and bottom, two cameras with a logo Leica on the back side. But there are some differences: the scanner "moved" to the touch button under the glass on the front panel, the back cover is still made of metal, but polished so much that it looks more like glass, and the side frames have become narrower. And the strip of antennas now spreads along the edge of the smartphone in the same way as in the last iPhone or Meizu.

Joan Cros Garcia / Corbis via Getty Images

P10 available in two versions: regular, with a diagonal of 5.1 inches and with Full HD resolution, and large - Plus 5.5 with WQHD panel. The Plus version also received more RAM - 6 gigabytes versus 4 GB for the standard and internal memory (256 GB, not 128). But the main difference is in the cameras. The "plus" model has more advanced optics with an aperture of 1.8. In the younger version, it is f / 2.2. And so that you finally have no doubts about in whose footsteps he is Huawei- v P10 Plus declared portrait mode.

It works in much the same way: the smartphone focuses on the subject and blurs the background behind it. Judging by the photos available on the network, the smartphone does its job well, but it is slightly inferior to the flagship Apple.

Generally P10- a logical continuation of those laid down in last year P9 ideas. Plus, it is by far the most beautiful Chinese smartphone to date.

Nokia 3310

Your eyes do not deceive you: on MWC revived Nokia really introduced 3310 - a remake of the cult push-button telephone, in terms of popularity, which can only be compared iPhone... 126 million sold worldwide 3310 .

Unfortunately, the return cannot be called triumphant. Than the original clung 3310 ? Massiveness, brutality, a body that cannot be killed. If you believe the military bike, when the AK-47 overheated, you can just throw it into a puddle, pick it up - and again into battle. The same could be said about the phone. Nokia: neither water nor dirt took him, he survived after monstrous falls. The Internet jokes that the phone's body is made of vibranium, a fictional metal that served as the basis for Captain America's shield.

Joan Cros Garcia / Corbis via Getty Images

The new phone is similar in shape ... to a nesting doll. Especially in bright orange (yes, there is one). It is similar to the original model, but unfortunately, it does not produce the impression of an ultra-reliable phone that can fight off criminals at night. On the other hand, there is now a color screen, a 2-megapixel camera, and without recharging it can work, according to the manufacturer, for a whole month. It is not surprising - the communicative functions of the device are limited only to calls and SMS - and this is not a minus in any case.

And then there is the snake. The same one.

But the cost of a new 3310 - only $ 50.

Blackberry KeyOne

Maybe, Blackberry are going through hard times right now, but their latest smartphone is KeyOne - deserves attention unambiguously. It seems that the company has finally succeeded in attaching it to a full-fledged Android-smartphone physical keyboard. As a result, you can use both without dancing with a tambourine.

Display diagonal KeyOne- 4.5 inches, resolution - 1620x1080, aspect ratio - 3: 2. The screen is small, but this made it possible to make the smartphone compact. Don't forget - there is a full-fledged QWERTY keyboard under the display. Like the good old days. With its help, you can not only print, but also, for example, scroll through pages, "google" with one touch and even open applications. Let's say, "hung up" on the number "1" Instagram, by two - Facebook, and forgot about the existence of desktop shortcuts. In general, although the screen here is touch-sensitive, if you wish, you can not touch it with your fingers at all.

Working KeyOne on the processor QualcommSnapdragon 625- far from the most powerful, but very energy efficient. Considering that the battery is 3505 mAh, the smartphone should hold a charge very well.

As a significant bonus - a new one is on sale Blackberry comes with pre-installed Android 7.1 on board. It will happen in April, the cost is $ 549.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 and Samsung Galaxy Book

Breathe life into the fading tablet market with this MWC made up my mind Samsung. Galaxy Tab S3 Is a direct competitor iPad Pro 9.7, a powerful tablet with stylus support.

You cannot tell about the design of something special - you have seen the previous model, which means that you have seen the new one. S3.

The tablet has a Super AMOLED display (2048x1536) with HDR video support. Processor - last year QualcommSnapdragon 820, RAM - 4 gigabytes. A digital pen comes with the tablet S Pen... With it, you can draw, write notes, edit images, create "gifs" from videos - in general, nothing extraordinary, but it's nice that you don't need to pay extra for the stylus.

Overall, Galaxy Tab 3 now can be called the best Android- a tablet. True, this is largely due to the lack of worthy competitors.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3

Pau Barrena / Bloomberg via Getty Images

If Tab 3- this is the answer Apple, then when creating Galaxy Book, hybrid tablet, Samsung clearly looking away MicrosoftSurface... These devices have a lot in common: nice design, metal in the case, full Windows 10 on board, keyboard case, mobile processors Intel, stylus support.

Galaxy Book will be sold in two versions: 10.6 and 12 inches. The second is more interesting: there is a better screen (Super Amoled HDR, not LCD), and the camera and processor are more powerful. Both models received two USB-C ports for charging and connecting peripheral devices and will be able to work on a single charge for 10 hours.

The best part is that the keyboard for Galaxy Book there is a backlight, as well as a large full-size touchpad.

Sony Xperia XZ Premium

The most technically impressive smartphone on the MWC brought Sony. Xperia XZ Premium Is a festival of numbers. Here, for example, a 4K screen with HDR support is installed - and this is with a diagonal of 5.5 inches. You are unlikely to see the difference between the display XZ Premium and some kind of QHD panel. Sony I inserted it into my smartphone, not for practical reasons, but simply because it can. However, the screen is good anyway.

But it is the world's first smartphone capable of shooting video at 960 frames per second. Filming slow-mo on it should be terribly interesting. This became possible thanks to technology that itself Sony calls Motion eye... Engineers have added a very fast memory to the camera system, where all the images that the lens catches are instantly sent. Roughly speaking, when you turn on the camera, it starts shooting from the very first second, so there is no delay between pressing the shutter and the finished picture: the algorithm simply determines at what particular fraction of a second you pressed the button and transfers the picture to the main memory of the smartphone. Pretty smart!

Chris Ratcliffe / Bloomberg via Getty Images

For this to work, the camera must be perfectly focused - and Sony promises that it will be so: there is a laser autofocus, and phase, and infrared sensor, and even ExmorRS... And the matrix resolution is now 19 megapixels.

On camera paper Xperia XZ Premium look fantastic, it remains to wait for the release of the smartphone on sale and see everything with your own eyes. Figures in this matter are far from the main thing.

Of the other features - the very-very processor QualcommSnapdragon835 on board, full water resistance, fast charging, fingerprint scanner in the side button and new glass finish that collects fingerprints.

In general, a logical continuation of the line Xperia but definitely not a revolution.

The device does not have any extraordinary design, but it is difficult to call it just a laptop, because, firstly, it easily opens 360 degrees, and secondly, it can also be easily divided into two parts.

The Porsche Design Book One is equipped with a 13.3-inch display with a resolution of 3200x1800 pixels and decent hardware: an Intel Core i7-7500U processor, 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of solid state drive. The price has not yet been confirmed, but it is said that the branded ultrabook will cost a little over $ 3000.

Samsung Galaxy Book

Samsung is also trying not to forget about the release of Windows tablets, which with the advent of Windows 10 and the increasingly economical Intel processors are becoming more user-friendly.

In Barcelona, ​​the Koreans showed the Samsung Galaxy Book - a tablet in 10.6 and 12-inch versions. The younger one has a resolution of 1920x1080, the older one has 2160x1440 pixels. The new products have everything the most modern: 4.5-watt Intel Core processors of the 7th generation, up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB on a solid-state drive, as well as a Wi-Fi module (IEEE 802.11ac), an LTE modem and a GPS receiver / GLONASS. Both models have a fingerprint scanner and USB Type-C ports.

The Galaxy Book comes with a magnetic keyboard case and a wireless S Pen.