The coolest things we saw at MWC 2024
MWC 2024 is like a wonderland for tech nerds, and we can't help but want to point out all the interesting devices we saw at the show. Android Central's Nick Sutrich and Derrek Lee were present at the show, and while we already named the best of MWC 2024, there are some devices that are just so cool but didn't have any space on our list.
So, without further ado, here are some additional cool tech toys that we noticed at MWC 2024 that deserve some recognition.
TECNO Phantom Ultimate
Foldable phones are still taking off, but that's not stopping companies like TECNO from looking into a possible future where rollables dominate. The company showed off its concept Phantom Ultimate at MWC, which extends the display outward with the press of a button, giving it a more tablet-like size (although not exactly).
It doesn't get too big and really only extends about an inch or so, but it has a similar effect to a foldable phone, and it's roughly the size of a smaller foldable. The mechanism is also fairly quick, although I did encounter one unit that was having trouble opening. TECNO told us that if the phone detected any obstructions, it would keep itself from opening to protect the device.
When closed, the back of the phone has a long, vertical window that shows a sliver of the display, which could be ideal for notifications.
Overall, the device is pretty solid, and it feels like we could get a rollable phone on the market sooner rather than later. Of course, the price would likely be a concern, but TECNO is known for launching phones that undercut the competition by quite a bit, so if any company could introduce a fairly affordable rollable, it would be TECNO.
— Derrek Lee
Motorola Rizr
—Motorola showed off a rather interesting device at MWC 2024 with its wearable Adaptive Display Concept, but we also got to play with another concept phone, the Motorola Rizr. The phone harkens back to the old 2006 model that slides up to reveal a keypad, except this model rolls up to reveal more display.
We got to see it in person last year, but my hands-on at MWC 2023 really brought home how cool this thing really is, even if it might be a little impractical in its current form.
When the display detracts, the phone is fairly short and stumpy, and the part that rolls into the back of the device can be used for selfies with the rear cameras. When the display is extended, it's about the size of a normal smartphone, but the top half of the display feels a bit vulnerable since there's really nothing behind it to act as support. The phone is also fairly thick, which is understandable since you need to fit so many mechanisms inside a small body.
The Rizr may have its faults, but I like that Motorola is sticking to the idea of foldables and rollables, minimizing our current phones instead of expanding them.
— Derrek Lee
Lenovo ThinkBook Transparent Display Laptop
We've seen transparent TVs before, courtesy of LG and Samsung, but Lenovo wants to take your computing experience to the next level with the Lenovo ThinkBook Transparent Display Laptop.
As the name suggests, this laptop features a completely transparent OLED display and is a fully functioning Windows 11 machine. Any black colors show up fully transparent — remember, OLED pixels turn off when true black is displayed — and it looks pretty trippy to see right through your laptop's display instead of a black screen.
The keyboard is also fully glass for the concept, although Lenovo suggested that it probably wouldn't ship a proper consumer device with this sort of keyboard since it lacks the tactile feel Lenovo keyboards are so lauded for. This keyboard is also transparent and features capacitive touch keys, helping to keep the transparent aesthetics intact.
— Nick Sutrich
TECNO Dynamic 1
Not to be confused with the Tekno, the Robotic Puppy, the TECNO Dynamic 1 is a robotic dog that seemed to come out of left field. The company had the well-designed robot on display at MWC, showing off its tricks and interacting with passer-byers. Not only does the Dynamic 1 look incredibly cool, but its movements are surprisingly quick and smooth. Watching it prance around, hop toward onlookers, and shake hands with anyone willing to, I couldn't help but be impressed with just how natural it seemed.
Dynamic 1 features a high-powered chipset with a series of sensors to help it detect its surroundings. It can be controlled with a smartphone, controller, or voice commands, and the 15,000mAh battery promises to keep it going for up to 90 minutes at a time. That may not seem like a lot, but considering everything going on here, it's actually fairly impressive, and I hope TECNO considers launching it as a commercial product.
Alright, let me snap out of it before this turns into an episode of "Black Mirror."
— Derrek Lee
OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Edition
There's fan service, and then there's the OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Edition. The special edition comes in an elaborate collectible gift box filled to the brim with things fans will love. The phone is stylized after the character Keqing, including a lovely lilac color and enchanting etchings into the back glass that actually sparkle and project her name in the light.
The collectible gift box contains a treasure trove of content, including chibi pins and stickers, acrylic character stands, a special charger and matching cable, a gorgeous matching phone case, and even a special SIM tray eject tool. The phone has a special boot-up animation, custom ringtones and notification tones, special icons, and plenty of other extras that fans will love.
And let's not forget that OnePlus actually tuned the phone specifically for Genshin Impact! The OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Edition runs Genshin Impact better and even loads warp points faster than some of the best Android phones, showing how console-like optimization can even help smartphones. Plus, it comes with background task enhancements that keep Genshin Impact running in the background along with 5 apps for up to 72 hours, so you can minimize Genshin, look up tutorials on YouTube or chat with your friends, and head back to the game without having to load it up again.
This special edition phone retails for ?49999/€749/$649, which is hardly any more money than the standard edition of the phone. It's also got the same excellent internal specs and superb display as the standard OnePlus 12R, so you're not getting a lower-specced phone just because it's special-looking.
— Nick Sutrich
Doom (1993) on Husqvarna Automower NERA
It might sound cool to have a display on your fridge, robot lawn mower, or other smart appliance, but the real question is, "Can it run Doom?" This age-old question has been the crown jewel of geekdom for decades now, as fans are always willing to code a special edition of the classic shooter game to work on hardware it was never intended to run on.
The latest iteration of that concept comes from Husqvarna and is an official update for its robot lawnmowers, coming in April to customers who own a Husqvarna Automower NERA robotic lawnmower.
I got to check it out at MWC and was blown away at how well it works. The game fits perfectly on the display on the top of the lawn mower and can be played with the two buttons and rotating dial below the display. Players turn left or right with the dial, move forward with the top button, and shoot by clicking on the dial.
Husqvarna engineers had a great time with this one and even came up with a way to remotely connect lawnmowers, especially for MWC 2024. I played a round of deathmatch with the head engineer in charge of the project at the show and, admittedly, wasn't as good with this controller as he was. As he told me, this won't enhance your lawn mowing experience, but it sure is a great way to kill some time and show off something ridiculously cool to your friends in the process.
— Nick Sutrich
