The Mobile World Congress, one of the world's biggest technology conventions, continues not to disappoint because, as Barbie creator Ruth Handler said in the recent eponymous film, "ideas live forever".
Indeed, the popular character became one of the headliners at the showpiece in Barcelona, marking a busy first day of new products drawing in the crowds.
From shiny new hardware concepts to the now seemingly contractually obligated new AI offerings, here are the biggest reveals at the 36th MWC (the show was cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic).
Lenovo's transparent laptop is real
It's straight out of a sci-fi flick, just like Tony Stark's transparent mobiles in the Iron Man films – only this time, it's actually real, in the form of a laptop from Lenovo.
In arguably the MWC's biggest draw, the ThinkBook Transparent, a proof of concept, comes with a borderless, 17.3-inch micro-LED transparent display, a transparent keyboard area and, for good measure, "a seemingly floating footpad design".
And while it seems to function pretty well, the long-rumoured device apparently has two flaws: first, since it's transparent, it's unclear how it'll hold up against light, sunlight in particular.
Second, and maybe more crucially, anyone in front of it can see what's on the display. Not exactly a covert way of handling sensitive or confidential files or media.
It is unclear if or when Lenovo plans to mass-produce the ThinkBook Transparent, much more so when it is to come to the shop shelves – but it's really cool-looking.
Motorola wants you to wear its phone on your wrist
Meanwhile, Lenovo's subsidiary, Motorola, wants you to keep your smartphone content closer to you – by having you wear it on your wrist.
The bendable device, also a concept, is what you'd expect on a smartphone – only that if you wrap it around your wrist, it turns into a 6.9-inch smartwatch.
Motorola designed the unnamed smartphone to have a firm grip to your skin.
Samsung Galaxy Ring puts health on your finger
Health tracking is now widely in the palm of our hands and at the touch of our fingertips but Samsung wants to take it on one of our fingers with the Galaxy Ring.
The device was actually first teased at the Galaxy S24 Unpacked event in San Francisco last month, albeit a really brief one. Now, we have more details.
Basically, the Galaxy Ring is meant to provide sleep and health metrics akin to the Oura Ring and Apple Watch, integrated with Samsung's Galaxy ecosystem and "bringing Samsung’s accumulated innovations to the smallest form for comfortable 24/7 wear", Hon Pak, vice president and head of Samsung Electronics' digital health team, said in a blog post.
Interestingly, last week, it was reported that Apple was developing its own smart ring but, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the ring "is just ... an idea".
The Galaxy Rings at the MWC were only prototypes, with a planned release "later this year", according to Samsung, which will undoubtedly link up with developers to shape up its new diminutive gadget. It's also unclear what would happen if you wear multiple rings.
Xiaomi rolls out its first electric car and walks out its updated CyberDog
After being teased as mere images at CES in Las Vegas last month, Xiaomi's first electric vehicle made its highly anticipated debut.
The Xiaomi SU7 looks clean – though in our opinion its front seems like a combination of a Porsche 911 and a Tesla – and uses the Chinese company's self-developed engines and batteries.
Details on the EV were sparse at the MWC. The company, however, has said it is also working on its own autonomous driving technology, which includes road-mapping and obstacle detection.
Xiaomi also unveiled the updated version of its CyberDog. The AI-powered canine can recognise its owner, bust out some dance moves and even perform a backflip. The company did caution that dogs "will be replaced" but according to actual dogs in its video "it's not scary at all".
Infinix E-Color Shift
In the spirit of the YotaPhone from years ago and, in a similar vein, the Nothing phones, Infinix is trying to do more with the rear side of your mobiles than just being a space for an e-ink display or a spot for dancing lights.
While originally unveiled at CES, the E-Color Shift features a back that basically changes its skin, described by the Hong Kong-based company as "by applying different voltages, the electric field within the microstructure changes".
And while it does bring colours into the mix – unlike the bland e-ink of the since-discontinued YotaPhone – it will basically force you to use a transparent phone cover or none at all to enjoy it.
Probably those who will appreciate this aesthetic feature the most are the ones who'll be looking at your Infinix while you use it.
Control a car with your eyes with the Honor Magic 6 Pro
Magic? Obviously, more of the wizardry of AI.
Honor, the former subsidiary of Chinese giant Huawei Technologies, introduced the Magic 6 Pro smartphone at the MWC. As an added bonus, it also unveiled a new feature that will let you control a car – by using your eyes.
The demonstration featured an app that has four commands – start or stop the engine and move backward or forward – and all you have to do is look at that command and AI will do the rest.
Honor also introduced its new AI chatbot, powered by Meta Platforms' Llama2 large language model, but did not disclose when it would release it.
'Flip' out for more of Barbie
Last year's Barbie film did generate a fair amount of hype in the lead-up to its release. HMD Global is going deja vu.
The Finnish company, which revived the once-iconic Nokia brand, announced a partnership with Barbie maker Mattel and teased a line-up of Barbie Flip Phones to be launched "soon".
Apparently, there are four devices to be launched – all pixelated, for now – and we're guessing the colours would represent the popular dollmaker's characters. That would be pink for Barbie and blue for Ken; we're unsure who yellow and grey will represent.
It's unclear if this will be a limited-edition run. So while you're waiting, maybe you can make do with the zillions of Barbie phone cases available to doll up your smartphone.
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Ballon d’Or shortlists
Men
Sadio Mane (Senegal/Liverpool), Sergio Aguero (Aregentina/Manchester City), Frenkie de Jong (Netherlans/Barcelona), Hugo Lloris (France/Tottenham), Dusan Tadic (Serbia/Ajax), Kylian Mbappe (France/PSG), Trent Alexander-Arnold (England/Liverpool), Donny van de Beek (Netherlands/Ajax), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon/Arsenal), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Germany/Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Juventus), Alisson (Brazil/Liverpool), Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands/Juventus), Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid), Georginio Wijnaldum (Netherlands/Liverpool), Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands/Liverpool), Bernardo Silva (Portugal/Manchester City), Son Heung-min (South Korea/Tottenham), Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich), Roberto Firmino (Brazil/Liverpool), Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona), Riyad Mahrez (Algeria/Manchester City), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City), Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal/Napoli), Antoine Griezmann (France/Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool), Eden Hazard (BEL/Real Madrid), Marquinhos (Brazil/Paris-SG), Raheem Sterling (Eengland/Manchester City), Joao Félix(Portugal/Atletico Madrid)
Women
Sam Kerr (Austria/Chelsea), Ellen White (England/Manchester City), Nilla Fischer (Sweden/Linkopings), Amandine Henry (France/Lyon), Lucy Bronze(England/Lyon), Alex Morgan (USA/Orlando Pride), Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands/Arsenal), Dzsenifer Marozsan (Germany/Lyon), Pernille Harder (Denmark/Wolfsburg), Sarah Bouhaddi (France/Lyon), Megan Rapinoe (USA/Reign FC), Lieke Martens (Netherlands/Barcelona), Sari van Veenendal (Netherlands/Atletico Madrid), Wendie Renard (France/Lyon), Rose Lavelle(USA/Washington Spirit), Marta (Brazil/Orlando Pride), Ada Hegerberg (Norway/Lyon), Kosovare Asllani (Sweden/CD Tacon), Sofia Jakobsson (Sweden/CD Tacon), Tobin Heath (USA/Portland Thorns)
Warlight,
Michael Ondaatje, Knopf
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Atalanta v Juventus (6pm)
AC Milan v Napoli (9pm)
Torino v Inter Milan (11.45pm)
Sunday
Bologna v Parma (3.30pm)
Sassuolo v Lazio (6pm)
Roma v Brescia (6pm)
Verona v Fiorentina (6pm)
Sampdoria v Udinese (9pm)
Lecce v Cagliari (11.45pm)
Monday
SPAL v Genoa (11.45pm)
MATCH INFO
Day 1 at Mount Maunganui
England 241-4
Denly 74, Stokes 67 not out, De Grandhomme 2-28
New Zealand
Yet to bat
Saturday's results
West Ham 2-3 Tottenham
Arsenal 2-2 Southampton
Bournemouth 1-2 Wolves
Brighton 0-2 Leicester City
Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool
Everton 0-2 Norwich City
Watford 0-3 Burnley
Manchester City v Chelsea, 9.30pm
The Bloomberg Billionaire Index in full
1 Jeff Bezos $140 billion
2 Bill Gates $98.3 billion
3 Bernard Arnault $83.1 billion
4 Warren Buffett $83 billion
5 Amancio Ortega $67.9 billion
6 Mark Zuckerberg $67.3 billion
7 Larry Page $56.8 billion
8 Larry Ellison $56.1 billion
9 Sergey Brin $55.2 billion
10 Carlos Slim $55.2 billion
Meydan racecard:
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (PA) Group 1 | US$75,000 (Dirt) | 2,200 metres
7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas (TB) Listed | $250,000 (D) | 1,600m
7.40pm: Meydan Classic Trial (TB) Conditions | $100,000 (Turf) | 1,400m
8.15pm: Al Shindagha Sprint (TB) Group 3 | $200,000 (D) | 1,200m
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (D) | 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,000m
10pm: Handicap (TB) | $135,000 (T) | 1,600m
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
