Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
WITH ANOTHER YEAR done and dusted at Mobile World Congress, it’s time to say goodbye to Barcelona and look forward to the numerous products that were revealed there.
Yet while we have our memories, it is a place where the weird, different and unusual appear, mainly in ways you don’t expect.
The Mobile World Congress theme tune
Basically trying to recreate the magic of the Killers, but with branding. And hope. And buzzwords. And mobile.
It played before the start of every major talk that happened at the conference, making it the equivalent of those video ads you see when playing a freemium game (which does tie into mobile s0 maybe that’s what they were going for).
Stands go the extra mile to grab your attention
And how they do it will depend on their budget. Most will hold competitions, many offer coffee, snacks and food (note: if you offer popcorn, the smell alone will attract people to your stand), but others go a step further.
One stand from Japan had two people decked out in full samurai and geisha gear. Others like ZTE had dancers moving to classic 90s hits (the classic Backstreet Boys’ song ‘Larger than Life’ was one particular highlight), while others went for more traditional styles.
https://vine.co/v/O00TH6YDLmY
One even gave you the opportunity to get a photo of yourself sitting on the Iron Throne (aka, a green screen where the Iron Throne was superimposed) while some offered robotics and VR experiences.
https://vine.co/v/O0KH0Xg50Ba
While others went low-tech and decided to invest in air guitars (and mullets, especially mullets).
The thankless job that is walkway refreshments
Since there are eight halls (nine if you count the extra exhibition hall), the first floor is really a way to quickly access the different halls dotted around – and numerous travelators to help you out.
As you’re walking along, you’ll see numerous vendors dotted along the pathway selling refreshments, drinks, snacks and shots of espresso should you need a boost.
The way they’re set up, holding out cans of coke or coffee top ups makes you feel like you’re participating in an odd marathon.
The joy of finding offbeat products
Part of the fun of MWC (once you get over the continuous walking) is straying off the beaten track and seeing what else is out there. And when you do that, you’ll be rewarded.
One we came across early on was a smart skipping rope from Tangram, a design firm from Seoul, Korea. Its smart rope is able to track your jumps, rotations and displays those stats in front of you by using LED embedded in the rope. Its Kickstarter reached its target of $60,000 recently should you be interested in getting one.
https://vine.co/v/O0qqMgUM1vQ
Others like Snail, a Chinese games company that recently launched a mobile service in its home country, are releasing its own Android-based handheld and console, the former a cross between a smartphone and a PS Vita.
Alongside an upgradable console called the Obox, the handheld has both physical controls and touchscreen capabilities as well as eye-tracking, 3D display.
We got to see one game on both devices, Taichi Panda, a Diablo-style action-RPG, and with the brief time we got to play it on the Obox, it’s is fun and easy to play.
And then you had products like FLIR One which turns your iPhone into a thermal imager. The main purpose is to give electricians a cheap way to spot problems in wiring, but it has other applications for DIY enthusiasts, helping you improve energy efficiency in your home by finding leaks for example.
If nothing else, you can use it to take selfies instead. Selfies are always a solid choice.
The quality of MCs
The quality of this tend to vary wildly from stand to stand, but all of them have one thing in common: to show you why you should be absolutely ecstatic about x product(s).
Some like Samsung would have polished presenters meticulously detailing every little feature, using every positive adjective in the dictionary that only a team of researchers and scriptwriters could have dreamt of. On the other end of the spectrum, you just have someone reading from a sheet.
Either way, the first day is full of enthusiasm and vigour but once you get to the fourth and final day, all life has been zapped out of them as they anxiously wait along with everyone else for the clock to strike four.
Terrible product trailers
They’re everywhere and some are worse than others, but special mention must go to Huawei’s which almost rivals Samsung’s smartwatch ad for an utterly cringe-y experience.
During the press conference, there was some attempts to stifle laughter when the trailer for Huawei Watch appeared (a product that in all honesty, looks great). It tries a little too hard to convey a deep and meaningful message trailer and well, we won’t spoilt it for you.
And a bonus one, complete with clunky dialogue and delivery.
Inefficient way of working. Lots of people just staying for the social life. Much prefer the German approach of shutting the office down- if you can’t do your job from 9-5 something’s wrong – go home and relax and contribute to your community.
If only all companies were like this.
Some companies work people to the point of burn out.
This happy go lucky workplace at Google etc is purely a way of keeping people in work longer and only socialising with colleagues.
Throw in the fact that they’re main targets are CS grads who might be a bit socially challenged and you have willing victims at the ready.
Software development is a very stressful and demanding job. Providing a relaxing atmosphere helps productivity.
Only stressful and demanding if badly managed. American companies think they own you so they don’t have to plan correctly, they’ll just throw more people at the problem whether it’s working until 4am or weekend work at regular rates.
These environments are fine when you’re young – the craic is great and you don’t mind working the hours if you get free drinks nights etc. however it breeds bad habits in management and workers. Just my experience.
Agreed – the American way of working is based on working long hours rather than doing your job well – its also very short term driven because of the bonus culture – it has led to biggest recession in recent memory
Modern IT is a 24hr culture. It’s not possible to do everything in the old style 9-5 workday. Software deployments and batch tasks tend to have to run outside these times. If people want a 9-5 job with handy money and promotions based on length of service etc, then IT is the wrong place to be.
“Modern IT is a 24hr culture.”
That’s not true. I work in IT, I arrive 10-15 mins late in the morning, and I am gone to catch the Luas at 5:32pm
Why not mix it up some days, and arrive 10-15mins early, and then go to catch the luas at 5.02pm. Keep people guessing
I like the cut of your jib, maybe I’ll even take it a step further and get the bus home. I’d be the talk of the office.
Anything that touches IT is like this. I just quit my job in IT recruitment, working 7:30 to 21:00 every day and then some on the weekends, take lunch at desk while working, it’s insane. Life is for living, not making other people rich mannnnnnn.
Though at 21:00 we did play some sick table tennis!
@cpm the fact that you are freely admitting to arriving late every morning and leaving at the same time each day suggests you are the work shy sort. Also you travel via public transport with the great unwashed which suggests you don’t earn enough to owe a car. I think you ought to work harder and you’ll achieve more, otherwise you’ll still be stuck at the java in your 60s.
Oh dear me, Jon! So many assumptions in such a short paragraph. Anyway, the reason I get the Luas is because it’s about 10x quicker than driving in the city centre. So maybe I’m just more efficient with my time than you are – this probably explains your 24hr work schedule.
“otherwise you’ll still be stuck at the java in your 60s.”
- let me guess, – you’re one of “those guys” who could never get their head around programming LOL
A lot of people actually choose to stay programming long into their careers, – it keeps the brain ticking over unlike a lot of other activities, and the challenge depends a lot on the complexity of the problem at hand.
Table tennis not ping pong.
Unfortunately for every Google, there are 3 places who just want to grind 10 hours a day of hard slog out of employees. ESP call centers (which aren’t it jobs). People want to work where they are valued, more likely to happen in a small business than a sprawling multi national. Not a huge shock of a survey in fairness.
Your right Paul,
Some horrible companies to work for out there.
When times are good, these companies won`t hire enough staff and people will have a high workload.
When times are bad, these companies will fire a lot of people, will then not have enough staff, people will have a higher workload, lower pay, and put in crazy hours for fear of being the next person to be fired.
Meanwhile some of the directors jump ship with payoffs close to a million quid. Not naming companies but these things happen.
Imagine the uproar if public sector workers got free haircuts, swimming pools, lounges and ping-pong tables.
Just saying.
Imagine the shock if the government that hired the public sector workers posted quarterly profits in the billions thus being able to afford the pools and nice lunches…
If IT companies are earning exorbitant profits like this doesn’t it mean we’re all overpaying for IT services?
To be honest, ill work with whoever pays me the most and offers the best T&Cs. Startups are definitely interesting but often can’t compete on wages. Young IT professionals will move around a bit.
Sitting round cuddling office dogs, playing ping pong and sitting in ‘creative spaces’ with nerds all day sounds like my idea of hell.
Office dogs sounds cool.
Don`t knock table tennis, great game.
WOOF
Some of the irish start ups are cowboy setups – people looking to make a quick buck and little interest in developing staff
Companies outside the IT sector need to take note. People perform better and you get better results if you have a fun environment and atmosphere to work in.
Lol!!! It’s not our fault we chose the right career path
I worked for two start-ups, both went out business at a moment’s notice, while the wages in start-ups with funding can be higher, the security just isn’t there, and if you have a mortgage that’s not a great thing. I’d be very happy to work for Google!
have your say