Kalakshar US

Lenovo can make a robot, too. Alongside proof-of-concept foldable gaming PCs and modular laptops, it introduced the AI Workmate Concept at MWC 2026. With its own Intel Core Ultra processor, 64GB of memory and its own Pico projector, it’s an AI-laced “workmate” meant to streamline office tasks and collaboration. And it has an LCD face.

For now, it’s a proof of concept, musing on how to integrate voice commands and LLMs (large language models) into workplace settings. It’s meant to sit on your desk, but preferably also near a wall – more on that later.

Voice commands aside, the concept bot supports writing, voice and gestures with on-device AI processing. While it can answer the usual voice assistant questions, it can also scan and summarize documents (both digitally and physically) and even assist with creating a PowerPoint presentation – though you might want to check its work.

The 3.4-inch 480 x 480 screen doesn’t seem to offer any data visualization or numbers. During my demo, it only seemed to show the bot’s eyes and facial expressions: it’ll sip coffee as it listens (with a moustache), cup a floating hand to the side of its face when it needs you to repeat a command, or twinkle when it’s processing more complicated tasks, like that fictional PowerPoint presentation.

With its articulated head, which houses the projector, cameras and LCD face, you can ask it to project images or documents on either the desk in front of it or a wall nearby. No need to flip around your monitor or laptop to share with colleagues. In one example, a spokesperson asked for a postcard. The Workmate then projected a (Lenovo-branded) image of Barcelona onto the desk. The rep laid paper down, then signed the ‘postcard’ and got the robot to scan it (with two downward-facing 5-megapixel cameras), and then send the file to a nearby printer.

In theory, this sort of flow could transition to document signing or adding notation to images and files. However, one caveat here is whether those of us who work in offices want the extra workplace noise of a chatty robo and the person barking orders at it.

Lenovo says this concept (and it has a few at MWC) is meant to demonstrate the company’s “exploration of spatial and physical AI experiences” that integrate “seamlessly into professional environments.” Hopefully, further evolutions offer a text-based way to make using it a little less noisy.

Lenovo was also showing a simpler AI work device, the AI Work Companion Concept. It’s a completely different premise, despite the name being a little too close to the AI Workmate Concept.

The AI Work Companion is not a robot, but a handsome chunky desk clock, with a solid, satisfying dial on the top and programmable buttons. The front is almost entirely display, able to show calendars, task lists and other work-centric dashes. It runs independently, plugging into a USB-C port for power and pulling data down wirelessly, while also acting as a port hub for charging other accessories and devices.

It’s certainly not as high-concept as the robot, but there are some AI smarts inside.

The Work Companion’s “Thought Bubble” uses AI to sync a user’s tasks and daily schedule across devices, synthesizing a daily action plan. It will even suggest times to break up bursts of work and attempt to monitor screen time to better manage burnout.

According to the press release, Lenovo says it also has “playful interactions with the user” and will, kind of bleakly, offer an end-of-week celebration report of tasks completed. It’s lucky it’s a good-looking desk clock.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/lenovo-concept-robot-ai-workmate-mwc-2026-230159746.html?src=rss 

A product briefly posted on the Canadian Best Buy website this weekend suggests Sonos may soon announce a new portable speaker called the Sonos Play. The speaker offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, AirPlay 2 support, Trueplay to tune the sound based on wherever you’ve placed it and voice controls, according to a page that’s since been removed. Best Buy Canada had it listed for $399.99 CAD (or a little under 300 US dollars), and put the release date at March 31.

The listing may have been taken down, but not before it was spotted and reposted on Reddit. The product page for the Sonos Play also showed that it comes in two colors, White and Black, and it has a little carrying strap for added convenience. It’s IP67 rated dust- and waterproof. Sonos hasn’t officially made any announcements about it yet, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see one soon.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/best-buy-canada-seemingly-just-leaked-sonos-next-portable-speaker-215601978.html?src=rss 

While Honor has already made plenty of product announcements, with tablets, foldables and more, its most interesting device at MWC 2026 is the Robot Phone — and maybe the humanoid robot that came alongside it.  

After briefly showing off a model at CES, Honor isn’t quite ready to launch its Robot Phone. However, we got more specs, tech demos and a closer look following the company’s MWC press event in Barcelona. The Robot Phone is currently set to launch later this year.

Honor has put a lot of effort into ensuring its camera gimbal is highly mobile, to the point of creating a tiny personal robot that is, dare I say, adorable? The Robot Phone’s pop-up camera can cock its head, shake to say no, nod to agree, and even “flip” – or at least rotate 360 degrees. According to Honor’s presentation, it can even bop along to songs. A spokesperson told me that it’s got five songs in its repertoire, so it’s not clear whether they’re programmed for these kind of demos, or will be a feature of the final retail device.

Another demo here at MWC showed how you could make the Robot Phone “sleep” by covering its gimbal eye, though it’s odd that the camera is still exposed rather than folded away. My main concern with the Robot Phone is the robustness and durability of its robotic mechanisms. We’ve lived through several waves of smartphones that attempted much simpler mechanical camera functions and the threat of dust or heavy-handed users can’t be ignored.

The company says it’s taken what it learned from foldables, regarding high-performance materials and simulation accuracy, and applied it to shrinking the camera module. On stage, Honor CEO James Li revealed what he calls the industry’s smallest micro motor, much smaller than a 1-euro coin and, he added, 70 percent smaller than existing micro motors. 

As this component has been reduced substantially, the Robot Phone’s gimbal will be the industry’s smallest 4-degrees-of-freedom gimbal system. That’s a spec – we finally got a spec! It’ll also offer three-axis stabilization in this tiny camera package, with the primary camera using a 200-megapixel sensor. 

The fold-away panel that the primary camera tucks into also reveals more typical cameras, so you’re not forced to use the gimbal if you don’t need it. Still, that’s one very thick camera unit:

Honor has already started building out camera modes and features, with a Super Steady Video mode that enhances stability while swinging the Robot Phone around to capture video. AI Object Tracking will apparently intelligently follow subjects, while AI SpinShot supports intelligent 90-degree and 180-degree rotational movement for more cinematic transitions. We’ve seen these sorts of pre-programmed movements and functions in full-size phone gimbals and action cams. If Honor can nail it in such a tiny form, it’ll be impressive. 

Other specifications during Honor’s press event were sparse, although the company announced a collaboration with ARRI Image Science to bring its cinematic smarts to the Robot Phone’s gimbal camera. 

In a press release, Honor’s Li said the collaboration would bring ARRI’s “cinematic standards and professional workflows” into mobile imaging. It’s apparently the first time elements of ARRI Image Science are being integrated into a consumer device. Dr. Benedikt von Lindeiner, VP at ARRI, said the goal is to bring a true cinematic aesthetic, such as “natural color, gentle highlight roll-off, and a sense of depth,” to shooting with an Honor smartphone.

Honor also made a humanoid robot companion for its Robot Phone. The bot took to the stage alongside the Robot Phone, danced alongside human dancers, did a backflip and shook hands with CEO James Li. It didn’t say a thing, but fortunately, during some on-the-rails banter between the robot, Robot Phone and Honor’s CEO, the Robot Phone was particularly chatty.

Like the many humanoid robots we’ve reported on and seen in person, Honor hopes to put it to work in both industrial and domestic settings, pitching it as a central part of the company’s multi-million-dollar push into AI. For now, it’s being called Honor Robot.  

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/a-closer-look-at-honors-robot-phone-145935198.html?src=rss