The value of being there

Week(s) ending Friday, March 14, 2025

Mar 14, 2025

Ahoy, sailor. My intention of updating this every week is being sabatoged by my (quite frankly) dizzying schedule. It’s good to be busy! But I end up not sticking EVERY landing in the process. So once again, apologies for the late update. Maybe someday I’ll grow to accept that getting things done when they get done is actually ok and I won’t spend my first paragraph apologizing about it anymore! Maybe I’ll make that my stretch goal for next time! OK, lot’s to get to. But first, this button!

Mobile World Congress

I had the opportunity to attend Mobile World Congress in Barcelona for the first time last week. It was not only my first time at MWC but also my first visit to Barcelona. The running joke among my peers has always been about trying the local Jamón while in Barcelona. I'm happy to report that I did enjoy some delicious Jamón, albeit mostly at the hotel.

However, Jamón wasn't the main reason I was there. I attended MWC to immerse myself in the latest mobile device technology from a worldwide perspective. Having reported on it from afar for over a decade and having attended numerous Consumer Electronics Shows in Las Vegas, I found MWC to be more compact and easier to navigate. Every booth and place I visited had something that genuinely interested me.

My approach to MWC was different from how I tackled CES in January. Instead of booking wall to wall appointments, I scheduled meetings but left room for discovery, which allowed me to engage more freely with the technology and people. This strategy paid off, as I was able to write several articles for ZDNet and Digital Trends which I’ll get to in a moment.

I also created my first legit viral video on Instagram featuring the Techno Spark Slim, which has gained over 1.2 million views to this point. My follower count there has quadrupled since I posted the video, so I feel a bit of pressure in cultivating the community a bit more over there.

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For the first time, my travel was sponsored by Honor, who covered my hotel, transportation, and some meals. I was fully transparent about this in the pieces I wrote about the company, and they had no influence over my editorial content whatsoever. I would not have gone if it were any different.

This experience not only reduced financial pressure but also allowed me to focus on creating quality content. It has opened doors for future travel opportunities, and I'm eager to attend MWC again next year.

My Progress in Writing

Attending MWC surrounded me with professional writers who can produce pieces quickly. Witnessing their efficiency has made me more aware of my own writing pace. While it takes me hours to write an article, I'm committed to improving with each piece.

For Digital Trends, I wrote about the Techno Phantom Ultimate 2, a trifold foldable device. Although I couldn't use it personally, the article turned out well, capturing the buzz around the device at MWC.

I also reviewed the Honor Earbuds Open, which impressed me with their ability to project solid bass and get louder than similar earbuds like the Nothing Ear Open. Another piece covered the Honor Watch 5 Ultra, whose design reminded me of the OnePlus Watch 3. While the build quality was impressive, I have reservations about the proprietary OS limiting app availability.

For ZDNet, I wrote about AT&T's partnership with AST SpaceMobile, focusing on their milestone in testing video calls using space-based cellular networks. This technology has the potential to provide connectivity in remote areas, making it a significant development in satellite internet.

I also wrote about my sit down conversation with Sameer Samat, Head of Android at Google. We talked all about AI on Android, Gemini Live getting Project Astra features, the impact of Agents on app developers, and so much more. You can either read about the interview or watch it in full on this week’s episode of AI Inside.

Reflections and Future Plans

One big takeaway from my time in Barcelona is a strong desire to collaborate more with others in the industry. In 2025, collaboration is a big priority for me, and events like MWC provide invaluable opportunities for meeting up and learning from my peers.

I'm also exploring ways to enhance my content production, possibly by moving product reviews out of the studio to more visually appealing locations. The success of my viral video has shown me the importance of engaging visuals in capturing audience attention. Or at least, that’s my current theory!

That’s just a taste of what’s on my mind right now. But alas, I have a phone review article to write! (The Nothing Phone 3a for ZDNet, coming soon!)