Adorable Tech I’m Using Cover MWC 2026

We may receive a commission on purchases made through links.

Mobile World Congress is back in Barcelona, ​​Spain, and I’m back here to discuss the program. This year, I have a different focus than I did in 2025 – I’m still looking for new technology and gadgets to cover the trade show, but I wanted to use some products that were weird, cool looking, and really fun to cover the show.

MWC will have no shortage of new gadgets being introduced, but that’s no reason to rely on disposing of old tech on the show floor. In addition to having fun, I also focused on being small and in some cases, a little lovable. One of the challenges of covering a trade show is getting strapped to excess gear, so this year I’m focusing on losing weight and bulking up so I can survive the sport without my old back needing excessive medication.

Now that I’ve arrived in Barcelona and unpacked all the gear, I can now share it with you – except for a few things that are still banned (which you’ll read about later this week). So, without further ado, here is the thin, light, and lovely gear I have.

I hadn’t had a chance to use a sub-KG laptop yet, so when MSI showed me its upcoming 2026 lineup at CES, I was instantly smitten. Included in this list was the Prestige 13 (2025) which was released last year but was so incredibly thin and light I wondered how it would fare on the showroom floor. So, MSI sent one. Unfortunately, it arrived at my home a day after I arrived in Las Vegas. I’m not one to travel, so it was only a matter of time until I got the chance to check it out, and sure enough, 45 days later, the opportunity came.

A 13″ laptop is not ideal for my workload. I usually prefer two screens, which I will talk about below and later this week with two other things in my bag. To make sure I wasn’t shooting myself in the foot – this will be my only computer device on the first floor – I practiced at home to make sure this laptop would work for what I needed.

No plan survives first contact with the enemy, so just to be sure, I used it for a few weeks doing my normal day job and it went swimmingly. This model has Intel’s Lunar Lake processor, along with 32 GB of RAM and 2 TB of storage. There’s no touchscreen on this laptop — a small price to pay. But at 999 grams, this laptop will ride very well on my back for the next few days, and will serve as my main computer, and something else below.

This little spaceship, the J5Create CrossLink Wireless Dongle, is a tiny device I saw at CES, and the company was nice enough to send one over. I sometimes cry when I’m on the road that I can’t do my job because I only have one computer to work with. I’ve tried a few cloud-based apps that let you share your screen, but this is the first hardware I’ve taken to do the same job.

The spaceman is empty, but adds a little charm. The small figure houses the USB-A dongle and the USB-A to USB-C adapter that you use to connect the two devices. It also requires an app on both devices to work. There are apps for Windows, Android, and iOS — I’m using an Android tablet that I can’t discuss yet (but stay tuned).

The problem I experienced was a severe amount of lag between devices. I tried using a few pills last year that didn’t work very well. The CrossLink has a direct Wi-Fi connection option that enables communication between devices, but even that wasn’t very useful. I soon found out that the processor in the tablet seems to be the culprit. Once I plugged in the new tablet running the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, it was good as rain. I’m not crazy about the fact that the processor seems to be the logjam there – there aren’t tons of Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 tablets on the market right now, so that could be a problem, but if you have the hardware, this could be a good solution for you.

At CES, I talked about my internal debate between using the Remarkable Pro or the Remarkable Pro Move tablet on the go. I quickly learned that the Remarkable Pro Move was… move. Although I was initially worried that the tablet might be too small to work, that was definitely not the case. The remarkable tablet turned out to be an important thing for me, and its small profile easily fit in my bag, and as discussed earlier, the smaller the better.

I haven’t fully utilized the app part of the tablet. I still use it as a notebook replacement, which may not be the best way to do things, but it’s nice to have a digital note taking device that I can use to capture notes on the go. Paper doesn’t have a long shelf life in my world, and having a digital backup saved in the cloud might come in handy in the future, so I’m there, but for now, I’ve successfully bridged the gap between handwriting and taking digital notes, and I don’t have to sit at a press conference with a laptop, which is always welcome.

As an aside, I took the Remarkable Pro Move to the escape room two weekends ago, and it worked very well there. If you happen to have a Remarkable tablet, I would also add it to your escape room stash. We left with 18 minutes to go.

I’m on a seemingly endless quest to find the perfect backpack, but I found myself sidetracked when I came across the TomToc Navigator-T24 S sling bag, and I thought, “Well, if the theme is small, let’s run with it.” Carrying smaller items means I can use a smaller bag. The T24 can hold a 14″ laptop, which is a whole inch bigger than the one I have. Plus, it has a tablet sleeve and plenty of other pockets, including a nice outer pocket for small items and a hidden pocket on my back for critical items like a wallet or passport.

There is a big plan in this bag for such a small item. When paired with the next item on the list, I was able to pair my usual personal carry-on down from a 24L backpack to this bag without breaking a sweat, although I also packed this bag inside a new Wndrd Prvke bag because this is a trade show, and I have a stupid job, so I tend to leave more stuff than I showed. So, there you have a little travel protip.

The shoulder strap is soft and foldable, although the clasp to lengthen and shorten it can be difficult. Well, once you have it where you need it, you shouldn’t need to adjust it much. Overall, I like it. It is the perfect companion for a day trip somewhere.

Against everything else I’ve brought, there’s the Peak Design Roller Pro suitcase. I first saw this at CES and was instantly hooked. Unlike many other suitcases I’ve used, this one doesn’t have a clamshell design. Instead, the suitcase opens with a wide mouth, so it’s borderline cavernous inside. In addition, this item has many pockets that include an inner cover. I was able to fit in a few things that I usually carry in my bag, which makes things much easier to manage.

Additionally, the bag has a top pocket for small items and a sleeve for the laptop itself. That’s a nice addition for someone like me who might need to carry a second laptop because, again, I have a stupid job. Inside the bag, there are organizational bungee cords that allow you to tie things up and separate them that way.

The handle is buttery smooth and made of carbon fiber. The quad roller wheels are very smooth, even on carpet, which is fun and very different from what I’m used to. The only downside is that there are no locks on the suitcase – my previous suitcase had them together. But I never carry keys, so the key lanyard in that little top pocket is great for holding a couple of TSA locks, which is a nice job. Overall, this suitcase blows my mind.

Finally, I brought up a few issues and conclusions that I’ve talked about before but wanted to repeat here. First, there’s my on-the-go keyboard/screen setup that used the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, a ProtoArc XK01TB folding keyboard, and an Omoton TP02 360-degree tripod. The large screen and Pixel Snap on the Pixel Pro 10 Fold make it very portable.

I recently started carrying the ArkPro Ultra flashlight with me because it’s powerful and compact. I’ve talked at length about Meta RayBan sunglasses and how useful they can be on the show floor, although this time I’m using them as regular sunglasses. I left my revolutionary lenses on my way home. The Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds just came out of my review and they ride in my pocket for excellent ANC both on display and in the air. Finally, I have an Anker Nano Travel Adapter and a Baseus 70W Travel Adapter for my power needs on the road overseas.