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Mobile World Congress 2012: four companies that stood out

Microsoft, Google, HTC, and Nokia top the list of companies that did interesting things at MWC 2012.
Written by Ricardo Bilton, Contributor

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As with most events of its kind, a lot of news came out of Mobile World Congress this week. Predictably, however, not all of it stuck. But of all the companies that announced some compelling news this week, here are four that had the most to say.

CNET: Mobile World Congress 2012

Nokia

An obvious winner is Nokia, whose 808 PureView and embedded 41 megapixel Carl Zeiss camera won it the "Best New Mobile Handset, Device or Tablet at Mobile World Congress 2012” award from the GSMA.

Basically, the device surprised a lot of people, and offered a new and compelling feature that essentially no other device was able to match. While the decision to add the camera to a Symbian device is a bit questionable, Nokia does intend to bring similar functionality to Windows Phone devices in the future, which is definitely a welcome thing.

(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)

Google

Unsurprisingly, Android was everywhere at MWC. While the merits of individual tablets and smartphones are disputable, what isn't is the palpable and unwavering presence of Android seemingly everywhere. Nearly every company had something to say on the Android front, including Google itself, which showed off the mobile version of its Chrome browser.

Google also had a lot to say outside the Android realm as well. Eric Schmidt's impressive and insightful look at the future of mobile technology was as impressive as a keynote gets. It's well worth watching.

HTC

HTC is slowly to coming to its senses on the Android front. It's already publicly announced its intentions to release fewer phones this year, which, one hopes, will only increase the quality of the devices it does announce.

It's working out pretty well so far. The company's new "One" flagship line, for example, is pretty compelling. The standout device, the One X, combines a 4.7-inchHD display with Beats Audio, both features which HTC hopes will draw in customers.

Microsoft

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With both Windows 8 and the Nokia Windows Phone deal maturing in the coming months, 2012 is a major year for Microsoft's mobile efforts. Left behind by iOS and dwarfed by Android, Windows Phone has struggled to gain a foothold in both the tablet and smartphone markets. But things may before long change.

Reception to the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, while measured, has been positive on the whole. Praised for its bold and attractive look, the Windows 8 Consumer Preview is one indication that Microsoft is finally catching up to the rapidly changing computing landscape. While Microsoft still has a long way to go, Windows 8 is shaping up pretty well so far.

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