3GSM blog

(Credit: Crave Asia)

The Samsung Blue Earth phone is an amazing piece of technology that brings solar charging to mobile phones. However, the Korean company has bigger plans than simply fusing solar panels to the back of a handset. It intends to create an ecosystem of "green communication" with a range of accessories.

Recognizing that not every country has ready access to sunlight, a dynamo-powered charge is available to convert kinetic energy to electricity. The popular Bluetooth headset has also been given a solar makeover, though we do not know how long it takes to charge the device using the sun. These are currently concept models whose availability remains unknown at this time.

(Via Crave Asia)

Related story:

Samsung's Blue Earth solar phone is ultra-green

(Credit: CNET Networks)

In just a couple of days, a few of us lucky CNET folk, including myself, Kent German, CNET News's Maggie Reardon, and CNET TV's Ariel Nunez, will be boarding a jet plane to head to Barcelona, Spain, for the 2009 GSMA Mobile World Congress (MWC) show.

This is where the cell phone industry converges every year to discuss and showcase the latest GSM technologies and developments, and over the years, it's become the place where handset manufacturers reveal their new models for the year.

Just take the 2008 show for example. GSMA is where we saw the debut of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1, Samsung Soul, and the Nokia N96, just to name a few. We also got a look at the first Google Android prototype.

It looks like 2009 is going to be an even bigger year. News has already been flowing in, weeks before the official start of the show. Garmin-Asus announced a strategic alliance and said they will unveil a second Nuvifone at MWC. Samsung previewed its new TouchWiz user interface, and we suspect we'll see some new devices rocking the fresh UI. Sony Ericsson also introduced a couple of handsets preshow, and we don't think that'll be the last we hear from them. In fact, the company has a press conference scheduled on February 15.

Other events include a press conference by Acer on February 16 where the company will unveil its new smartphone as well as press conferences from Nokia, HTC, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, and Microsoft. Palm will be at the show, though we haven't heard a whole lot about what they will have--perhaps a GSM version of the Palm Pre?

We also expect to see some new Google Android devices, especially since a number of handset manufacturers, such as Sony Ericsson, Motorola, and Garmin, have committed to bringing an Android phone to market this year.

As you can see, it's shaping up to be quite an exciting show. The 2009 GSMA Mobile World Congress event runs February 16 to February 19, and we'll all be there early to report back on all the sights and sounds. You can also follow me on Twitter for show highlights and any Barcelona adventures. Hopefully, nothing like last year though.

Now that I've give you our take, let me ask you: What do you expect or want to see at MWC?

Adios, Barcelona.

(Credit: Kent German/CNET Networks)

It's Valentine's Day and the GSMA World Congress is coming to a close. It's been a busy few days for the CNET team. Bonnie Cha and I journeyed from San Francisco with CNET TV's Ariel Nunez, CNET UK's Andrew Lim flew in from London, and John Chan of CNET Asia came all the way from Singapore. As one of the biggest mobile shows on the planet with more than 55,000 attendees, GSMA produced a lot of interesting news, from new smartphones to the first prototypes of the Android platform. Barcelona was a good host, which is impressive considering just how the show took over the town. So as we pack our bags and escape for a few days of rest, we're proud to bring you the highlights of the show. And be sure to check out our full GSMA coverage and watch the GSMA videos.

Sony Ericsson W980

(Credit: Sony Ericsson)

Handset news dominated the show, of course. Sony Ericsson and Nokia battled it out for the most high-profile announcements. Sony Ericsson unveiled a new Walkman phone, the W980, two new Cyber-shot models, the C702 and C902, and it introduced its new G-series line with the G700 and G900. The latter two models are especially noteworthy as they make interesting use of their touch screens. And last but not least, Sony Ericsson showed off the Z770, which is a super slim flip phone with an emphasis on Web browsing.

Meanwhile, Nokia wasn't any slouch, either. It rolled out the Nokia 6220, which brings a 5-megapixel camera to a midrange phone. And speaking of touch screens, LG showed off the LG KF600 and the LG KF700. Both offer lots of touchy-feely action, and the KF600 is the GSM version of the LG Venus.

The Samsung Soul is eye-catching.

(Credit: Kent German/CNET Networks)

Samsung wasn't a wallflower, however. The company did its best to make its new Soul (SGH-U900) the talk of the show (posters advertising the phone were all over town). The Soul also has a navigation touchpad that takes a cue from the Motorola Rokr E8. As you move through different functions, the icons on the touchpad change. Samsung also introduce the SGH-F400, SGH-F490, and F480, and also the SGH-G810 and SGH-P960. On the other hand, Motorola had a quiet show. It only introduced a new Wi-Fi phone, the Motorola Z6w, and two entry-level phones, the W161 and W181. It was certainly a change from CES last month where Moto dominated the mobile in Las Vegas with the Rokr E8 introduction.

We also got the chance to check out some carrier and service news. T-Mobile dropped that the carrier would switch on its 3G network in the United States by this summer. Also, by the end of the year, T-Mobile said it would bring the Apple iPhone to Austria and that one of its markets would get an Android cell phone. Speaking of Android, we took a test drive at the ARM booth. Though it doesn't look like much yet, it is taking shape. The LiMo Foundation is another open-source alliance from mobile phones. It showed off its first supported handsets. Another interesting stop was Modu, which is a company that's produced an intriguing modular phone.

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1

(Credit: Sony Ericsson)

GSMA 2008 saw plenty of smartphone action. Nokia released two new additions to its N series of multimedia computers: the geotagging Nokia N78 and, to everyone's delight, the Nokia N96, which now comes with 16GB of internal memory and a revamped design. Sony Ericsson stole some of the spotlight when the company revealed that it will start developing Windows Mobile smartphone and debuted the first such device, the Sony Ericsson EXPERIA X1. If you had to judge by the number of people swarming around the X1 at the Sony Ericsson booth, there's plenty of interest in this phone. Speaking of Windows Mobile, Microsoft announced that it will acquire Danger Inc., the manufacturer of the Sidekick handhelds, and made available MSN Direct services on Windows Mobile phones. And last but not least, HTC came out with a couple of new devices: an updated HTC Advantage X7501 and the GPS-enabled HTC P3470.

GPS was also big at the GSMA Mobile World Congress. We saw a number of handsets with integrated GPS at the show, including a number of the previously mentioned smartphones and the Symbian-based LG KT610. In addition, Nokia released a beta version of its mobile mapping and navigation application. Nokia Maps 2.0 adds even more navigation capabilities with a pedestrian mode and multimedia city guides. Finally, we got a hands-on look (sort of, anyway) at the Garmin Nuvifone with full video for your viewing pleasure.

After attending CES four times, CTIA eight times, Macworld two times, and several smaller show in between, I thought I have the whole trade thing mastered. You spend the day meeting with companies, wandering the show floor, and battling crowds before returning to your hotel for a night of work. You also go a few days without enough sleep or a decent meal. As I prepared for the GSMA World Congress, I knew it would be different--a different continent, a different culture, a different language, and an international focus. I had no idea of just how different it would be.

Now that GSMA is over, I can say without a doubt that it was the best trade show I've attended. In almost every way, GSMA is better organized than anything we have in the United States, particularly the huge and uberhyped CES. Follow along as I keep score.

T-Mobile's snazzy stand.

(Credit: Kent German/CNET Networks)

Booths:
At GSMA, company booths are called stands. Though such terminology kept me thinking of a lemonade stand, the stands can be massive with a full set of amenities (Nokia even had a doctor on staff). For instance, consider the T-Mobile stand, which was its own building. Floor-to-ceiling windows looked out on a reflecting pool with a sculpture. There was a terrace where you could get a drink. Worried about the chilly weather? Don't be, they installed heating lamps there to keep you warm.

Nokia's hospitality suite.

(Credit: Kent German/CNET Networks)

But best of all, GSMA introduced me to the concept of a hospitality suite. This is something unheard of at American trade shows, which is an awful shame. A hospitality suite is a separate area away from the riffraff of the show floor. It is where journalists and analysts can get product demos and talk with company executives in peace. You can sit down, relax, have a snack, or sip a refreshing beverage (some companies even offered booze). It was a very civilized way to conduct your business of the day. Nokia's hospitality suite spanned almost the entire second floor of the company's stand and was larger than my first apartment. I wondered why the idea developed at European trade shows and I just couldn't figure it out; maybe European journalists are just fussier. One thing GSMA doesn't have, and not that this is a bad thing, are scantily-clad booth babes milling about. Perhaps it's because "stand babes" sounds pretty silly.
GSMA 1
CES 0

Fira de Barcelona With Montjuic above.

(Credit: Kent German/CNET Networks)

Location:
This is a no brainer. Instead of the generic and relatively sterile Las Vegas Convention Center, GSMA is held at the Fira de Barcelona, which sits at the foot of the city's Montjuic area (site of the 1992 Olympics). In between the show buildings is a very cool fountain, while towering above is the beautiful Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. The show buildings were pleasant, and some even had natural light inside. But best of all, the Fira de Barcelona is near the center of town with easy access via the city's bus and Metro network. And as show attendee, I was given free use of the Metro for five days. CES on the other hand is held in Las Vegas with little public transit outside of the Disneyland-esque monorail. Getting anywhere in Vegas during CES is a gigantic hassle with taxi lines that stretch for days. While I love Vegas for a weekend trip, it can't compete with the beauty and atmosphere of Barcelona. The only downsides of GSMA were the distance (a long flight from San Francisco) and that the area around the show seemed to be rife with pickpockets--poor Bonnie Cha even fell victim--but GSMA still wins this round.
GSMA 2
CES 0

Hotels:
I have to give it to CES for this category as Las Vegas just seems to have more hotels rooms to support the show. When I tried to book a Barcelona room six months ago, almost everything was taken. For those rooms that were available, the rates could cost as much as 800 euros a night (about $1,177). I ended up renting an apartment that lacked a working heater, so it was frigid at night. While Bonnie found a hotel, the Wi-Fi kept breaking.
GSMA 2
CES 1

One of the on-site table-service restaurants.

(Credit: Kent German/CNET Networks)

On-site food:
GSMA wins again here. At CES, the convention center eating options are limited to overpriced fast food stands. GSMA has sit-down restaurants with table service and real menus. Here again, you can get alcohol. The food at the stands was better as well. Yahoo offered several candy bins and gelato.
GSMA 3
CES 1

Show news:
Of course, I have to rate the show news. Yes, I'm comparing apples and oranges here, but GSMA's international focus makes it much more interesting. It puts CES to shame as far as mobile news, which makes sense considering it's a mobile show, but also there seemed to be more a focus on substance rather than hype.
GSMA 4
CES 1

So CES, there several things you could do to make yourself more bearable. You can start by taking lessons from your European friends. After all, it beat you four to one.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

Yesterday, I finally got a chance just to walk around the vast halls of Fira de Barcelona and really take in the sights of 2008 GSMA Mobile World Congress. While doing so, I stumbled upon NTT DoCoMo's booth and ended up spending a fair bit of time there, wandering in awe. For those of you who don't know, NTT DoCoMo is Japan's leading cell phone provider, and they have got some amazing devices. There are ones that you can fully submerge in water. There are gaming and mobile TV handsets, and I know we've got those in the United States too, but I would actually use the DoCoMo ones for those purposes; the features aren't half-baked. There are high-fashion phones, wellness phones (don't ask), and fitness phones. Hell, even some of the models for youth are more advanced than the ones we have. We all know that Japan and Asia in general are ahead of the times when it comes to technology, but you get a sense that they've really embraced how technology can enrich their lives. It seems as if the cell phone manufacturers have developed devices for every type of lifestyle.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

To that end, I've been trying to observe some of the cell phone habits here in Barcelona, and it seems that the Spaniards use their mobiles much like we do in the United States. They're mostly ways to keep in touch with family and friends, whether it be through text messages or calls. No one has anything fancy--a good mix of slider, flip, and candy bar style phones. Anyway, if you're curious or feel like torturing yourself, I'll be putting together a slide show next week of some of the cool DoCoMo phones I saw here at GSMA.

Sony Ericsson MBS-100 Bluetooth speakers

(Credit: Sony Ericsson)

While scanning the Sony Ericsson booth at the GSMA World Congress, we noticed this eye-catching item in the accessories case. The ball-shaped Sony Ericsson MBS-100 Bluetooth speaker goes far beyond what we normally see in cell phone speaker design. Designed for use with any stereo Bluetooth music phone (it doesn't have to be a Sony Ericsson handset, even though the company might prefer it to be), the MBS-100 can wirelessly broadcast your tunes to the world. And in case Bluetooth isn't your thing, it also comes with a 3.5-millimeter headset for connecting to a stereo. At 3.9 x 3.9 x 3.9 inches and 7.94 ounces, the MBS-100 remains quite portable and it comes with a carrying case. Battery life is promised at up to 5 hours of music streaming time and up to 50 hours of standby time. No, the former isn't a lot, but there's no arguing that the MBS-100 is a conversation piece. As far sound quality, we wanted to pair it with one of the new Sony Ericsson W980 Walkman phones, but we'll have to wait for a review model to do so.

GSMA Mobile World Congress

(Credit: GSMA)

On February 11, thousands from around the world will converge in Barcelona, Spain, for the annual GSMA Mobile World Congress (formerly known as the 3GSM Mobile World Congress). The four-day show brings together the cell phone industry to discuss and showcase the latest GSM technologies and developments. This year Senior Editor Kent German and I, along with CNET News.com's Maggie Reardon, CNET UK's Andrew Lim, and CNET TV's Ariel Nunez, have the fortune of traveling to Barcelona to cover the show so that we can bring you the latest news through blogs, pictures, and videos.

What do we expect to see? With major handset manufacturers such as Motorola, Nokia, and Sony Ericsson having a presence at the show, we wouldn't be surprised to see some cell phones and smartphones make their debut. To give you an example, last year Motorola unveiled the Motorola Q9 series; Samsung showed off some new designs; and Nokia showed off its new E series. Some blog sites, including Engadget Mobile, are reporting that Nokia will unveil its touch-screen concept. We also hope to get more information on the next version of the Windows Mobile operating system. Details of the OS have already leaked onto the Web. Finally, we expect to see a lot of mobile software and services as cell phones and smartphones become more than just devices that make calls.

Now, this is just a sneak peek of what is to come. The GSMA Mobile World Congress promises to be an action-packed show so check back on February 11 when our live coverage begins. We'll report back on all the sights and sounds. See you then!