7 Best Gadgets at Mobile World Congress 2012

There were a ton of exciting announcements from the very beginning of Mobile World Congress 2012. Even through now, we’ve learned of new developments and advancements from tons of companies and a lot of it has been great. What are the absolute best announcements and product showings, though? We’ve come up with our list of the 10 best Mobile World Congress happenings. Without further ado…

1. HTC One X and HTC Sense 4.0 — While HTC had more phones to show off, the HTC One X showed us that HTC’s headed in the right direction in both hardware and software. Great camera, super fast Sense 4.0 and no more ugly metal. Polycarbonate for the win![Hands-on]
2. ASUS Padfone — Is it a pad? Is it a phone? No, it’s a Padfone, a combo device that brings the best of both worlds. The tablet/phone promised to be one heck of a device when it was first announced last year, and the final build lives up to expectations. We’ll see how carriers take to ASUS’ promise of “two devices, one data plan.” [Hands-on]
3. Huawei Ascend D Quad and Huawei Mediapad 10 FHD — When did Huawei find time to produce their own quad-core processor and a phone and tablet to go with it? The Ascend D Quad and Mediapad 10 FHD are hopeful glimpses at the mobile maker’s future with powerful hardware and polished build quality. Huawei is gearing up to give the big boys a run for their money. [D Qaud Hands-on, Mediapad Hands-on]
4. Fujitsu’s quad-core prototype with Android 4.0 — Though the unit we played with was far from polished, Fujitsu’s latest waterproof Android promises to be the best yet. Quad-core processing courtesy of NVIDIA’s Tegra 3, a great looking 4.7-inch display, and a 13.1MP camera sensor should make for a great handset when its ready for release. Can we get a US release? [Hands-on]
5. Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 — While the original Samsung Galaxy Note is a great and exciting device, we are even more excited about the Note 10.1. As the original was aimed for artists and note-takers, this tablet is even more of an easel-like experience for those who draw, and more of a notebook experience for those who write. That alone makes it one of the most exciting devices shown at Mobile World Congress. [Hands-on]
6. LG Optimus 4X HD — This thing is super thin, fast, light, has a big HD display, a quad-core processor and a time machine. OK maybe not a time machine, but this is cutting edge stuff that should not go ignored. [Hands-on]
7. Samsung Galaxy Beam — Nevermind that Samsung attempted to introduce us to a project in a smartphone a couple years back, they have resurrected the concept with updated hardware including a dual-core CPU. The Beam seems a bit kooky but makes more sense when you see it in person. Forget about an HDMI connection and a TV to go with it. Point the phone’s project at a blank wall and voila. [Hands-on]

Honorable Mentions

Google Android Booth — Even though it’s largely the same as last year’s, it’s still awesome. The slide and shakes return, and now there are literal ice cream sandwiches and a crane game. It was hard to say goodbye to this green-filled paradise.

The future of NFC, as told by NXP — The NFC demos NXP showed off weren’t cool just because of the technology that goes into it, but because this is stuff that I could see myself wanting and using in every day life. Remember, it’s all about making life easier.

Ubuntu for Android – A full desktop operating system on your mobile handset running side-by-side with Android? This is Motorola’s WebTop on steroids. Full-featured Ubuntu brings even more power to Android smartphones.

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