Category Archives: MWC
olloclip clip-on lens for iPhone impresses
Rating: Snapper particular rates the macro mode
At the recent MWC 2013 show in Barcelona, GoMo News acquired an clip-on lens – the olloclip 3-in-One lens for Apple iPhones. Not being ardent photographers ourselves, we asked a professional photographer friend to try it out. Continue reading
Guest Post: A swift look back at MWC 2013
by Jim Somers, CMO with Antenna Software
Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2013 ended with record-breaking attendance from more than 72,000 visitors, and over 1,500 participating companies – according to the local Press. The event itself took place in a newly founded 94,000 square metres of exhibition space – which I must say was a welcomed change by myself, particularly for the outdoor networking spaces. While there were some great announcements at the show, a few companies held off announcing anything at all and opted to create noise either before or after the congress. Continue reading
GoMo misses out on bill shock prevention from Uros
Rating: Our efforts in Barcelona pretty successful, though
Well, regular GoMo News readers will be more than familiar with the concept of ‘bill shock’ which occurs after having roamed abroad with a smartphone/tablet device. Presently, the biggest shock worry derives from data charges rather than text/SMS or voice call charges. The reason behind this being that it is not always so simple to turn data roaming off – especially when you have set up a mobile device to download your emails and then travel abroad. As GoMo News discovered from our recent trip to Barcelona to attend MWC 2013, even the best laid plans of mice and men can still lead to bill shock. Continue reading
GoMo tests Android contacts book cleaning app from tactel
Rating: Android OS recoils in horror at number of deletions
Whilst visiting the recent Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2012, GoMobile News just happened to run into ace Swedish PR lass, Madelene Kornfehl, who tempted us onto the tactel stand within the Swedish pavillion. What we actually wanted to see was an app (which is still in Beta) that allows you to control an Android handset from a web browser. That app is called Reach Beta and is available for free. However, when GoMobile News mentioned why we wanted to try out the application and tactel’s Jonas Andersson pointed at another completely different app – Contact Clean App. We were pleasantly surprised when we road tested it. Continue reading
Famous no-shows at MWC 2013 – a Sailfish powered handset from Jolla
Rating: CEO talks a lot but no handset materialises
Perhaps one of the biggest disappointments for us here @ GoMobile Towers was the fact that whilst Mozilla’s Firefox benefitted from Samsung and Telefonica’s announcements @ MWC, no such luck for Sailfish fans. All the company behind Sailfish, Jolla, did was to announce the availability of the first Sailfish OS Software Development Kit (SDK). However, Jolla’s CEO, Marc Dillon, did a lot of prominent speaking. He should have given a keynote speech on the topic of Mobile as a Platform for Innovation today [February 28th 2013]. Continue reading
MWC hacks are suckers for gadgets – official
Rating: Journalists go crazy over olloclip 3-in-1 lens
Here at GoMobile News, at MWC 2013 we’ve noticed that some hacks [journalists] place undue editorial emphasis on gadgets which they themselves personally find absolutely brilliant. We trotted along to the pre-show media gathering known as ShowStoppers run by Steve J Leon and saw some pretty impressive products. But one of them stood head and shoulders above the rest and that was the olloclip 3-in-One lens for Apple iPhones. Continue reading
Guest Post: Trends in m-commerce from MWC 2013
by Mark Haviland, md with Rakuten LinkShare UK
Mobile World Congress Barcelona has morphed from a telecoms sector-specific trade show in years past to an industry event that has implications for everything digital. From retail, music and entertainment to gaming and social networking, smartphones and tablets are ubiquitous and many are waiting to hear how the latest apps, handsets and periphery technology will improve their everyday lives. The retail sector in particular has benefited from advancements in the mobile technology, and here are my three trends in the mobile shopping space which should cause a stir in 2013. Continue reading
GoMo’s own NFC experience experience @ MWC
Rating: It doesn’t look too good, captain
The GSMA (which organises the Mobile World Congress (MWC) show here in Barcelona) has gone to great lengths to help the spread of NFC technology here in Barcelona. The whole objective is to make life a whole lot simpler thanks to the use of ‘contactless’ technology in the shape of NFC (Near Field Communication). We’re not contactless refuseniks here at GoMobile Towers – because we happily use an Oyster RF card to get around London’s transportation system. However, we couldn’t see much benefit from our use of NFC in Barcelona. Continue reading
GoMo releases Payforit 101
Rating: Meet the experts – txtNation @ MWC 2013
Perhaps there is nothing more crucial to keeping the wheels of mobile commerce turning than an efficient payment system. Historically, we’ve seen technologies such as Premium Rate SMS (PRS) provide one workable answer. However, by far the most elegant solution is an instant mobile payments system and probably the best example of this is the Payforit micropayments system established by all five UK MNOs (mobile network operators). Continue reading
NEC showcases consumer ad engagement technology
Rating: Mixes M2M comms with advertising world
You might think it impossible to put M2M (Machine-2-Machine) communications and advertising together in the same sentence, but here at the Mobile WorldCongress 2012, Japan’s NEC has managed it very easily. GoMobile News has been chatting with Gareth Price, head of new business strategy with NEC Europe. He explained how NEC has the ability to capture the kind of consumer engagement level data that most major brands/advertisers would kill for. Better still, Price revealed that this technology is here now and has even been rolled out in a genuine retail environment in Korea. Continue reading
Gone are the days when … MWC 2013
Rating: Just more of the same, actually
In the good old days [circa 2004], it was really quite achievable to spot a major shift in the cellular industry’s perception of what was important right now. Those days appear to be over. Continue reading
txtNation announce their attendance at Mobile World Congress 2013
Press release
February 23rd 2013. txtNation is pleased to announce its attendance at the forthcoming Mobile World Congress in Fira Gran Via, Barcelona on February 25 – 28th [2013]. Business Development personal from txtNation will be in full attendance throughout the show, demonstrating a full array of mobile billing and messaging options for business. Continue reading
The hipKey could save your valuables at MWC 2013
Rating: Bluetooth powered, location-aware alarm for iOS
As the cellular industry’s premier event, over 70,000 people are expected to descend on Barcelona for Mobile World Congress from Monday 25th February [2013]. Unfortunately attendees stick out like sore thumbs from other visitors to the Catalan capital. Most are wearing suits; carrying laptop bags (or a bag with the MWC logo on it); and some even forget to take their badges off outside the exhibition centre. Hence, many will be victims of street crime including the theft of bags [pocketbooks], wallets and, of course, mobile phones. For owners of Apple smartphones or tablets, Danish company hippih has the answer – the hipkey. Basically, it is a Bluetooth powered, location-aware alarm for iOS devices. Continue reading
