BARCELONA, Spain—The 2011 Mobile World Congress struck an optimistic tone among many high-profile proclamations that the industry is once again rapidly changing. With 50,000 attendees descending on the show, MWC has plenty to offer in sights, sounds, and, naturally, mobile products and services. Alongside handsets, tablets, netbooks and everything from protective cases to wireless chargers, exhibitors from around the world brought their unique visions to the show floor. The center of activity was based, as always, in the sprawling hangar known as Hall 8, where LG, Samsung, and dozens of other OEMs and network operators played the game of one-upmanship, while smaller vendors employed diverse strategies to catch the attention of passers-by. Upstarts rubbed elbows with industry leaders, as heavyweights like Microsoft Steve Ballmer, AT&T President and CEO Randall Stephenson, and Google CEO Eric Schmidt touted their companies' innovations to packed audiences. As before, MWC planners woefully underestimated attendee interest in Ballmer's remarks, leading to a near-chaotic push to see the Microsoft CEO's comments on Windows Phone 7—echoing the same confusion and overflow crowds that lined up in the pouring rain last year to see Microsoft's big boss officially unveil the platform. The more things change ...
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3D Mapping, Microsoft's Ballmer, Android and Other Scenes from MWC 2011
by Nathan Eddy
Ballmer Draws a Crowd
Attendees grew pushy and impatient while waiting to hear Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's keynote address on the opening day of the conference.
A 3D World
Digital Globe's mobile mapping technology is showcased on the Samsung Galaxy II tablet—glasses required, sorry.
All Wet
NTT DoCoMo shows off the waterproof capabilities of the Regza T-01C in a display mixing advertising bravura with clinical sterility.
Writing on the Wall
Texas Instruments' DLP projection technology pushes mobile presentations to a whole new level—and angle.
Pay as You Grow
Visa showed off its mobile payment technology in a year where the concept is receiving serious attention from industry leaders.
Mobilizing the Sun
Intivation, a developer of solar cells and chargers for mobile phones and other electronic items, always looks at the sunny side of things.
Giving a Schmidt
Google CEO Eric Schmidt waxed poetic in a keynote address that stressed the importance the mobile industry brings to society.
Paranoid, Android
Android seems unconcerned as social networking behemoth Facebook and rival Microsoft loomed just over his (her? its?) shoulder.
Frozen Assets
Protective case manufacturer Sonim went to extreme, very cold lengths to demonstrate the durability of its product.
Suggestive Business Models
CBOSS, a software developer of billing systems for telecommunication companies ... are you even reading this?
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BARCELONA, Spain—The 2011 Mobile World Congress struck an optimistic tone among many high-profile proclamations that the industry is once again rapidly changing. With 50,000 attendees descending on the show, MWC has plenty to offer in sights, sounds, and, naturally, mobile products and services. Alongside handsets, tablets, netbooks and everything from protective cases to wireless chargers, exhibitors from around the world brought their unique visions to the show floor. The center of activity was based, as always, in the sprawling hangar known as Hall 8, where LG, Samsung, and dozens of other OEMs and network operators played the game of one-upmanship, while smaller vendors employed diverse strategies to catch the attention of passers-by. Upstarts rubbed elbows with industry leaders, as heavyweights like Microsoft Steve Ballmer, AT&T President and CEO Randall Stephenson, and Google CEO Eric Schmidt touted their companies' innovations to packed audiences. As before, MWC planners woefully underestimated attendee interest in Ballmer's remarks, leading to a near-chaotic push to see the Microsoft CEO's comments on Windows Phone 7—echoing the same confusion and overflow crowds that lined up in the pouring rain last year to see Microsoft's big boss officially unveil the platform. The more things change ...