We’ve hauled our gear around endless meetings, we’ve drunk all the coffee we can find and we’ve found a collection of disgusting purple couches. It’s all kicking off at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
MWC is the world’s largest mobile-focused trade show, where the biggest beasts in the industry are showing off their latest and greatest products, like the LG G5 and Samsung Galaxy S7. CNET is out in force this year, working hard to bring you the best tech news around.
Here’s a glimpse of what our team endures to make this show as special as it can be. We’ll bring you more behind-the-scenes content throughout the week, so keep checking back to see what’s going on.
I had some important things to say to the common folk:
![screen-shot-2016-02-25-at-19-31-49.png](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/de084b05519a9fc9feb5795a93a3b0e394efcc42/hub/2016/02/25/e37f7cdd-2280-42ee-8b0b-271f56545d69/screen-shot-2016-02-25-at-19-31-49.png?auto=webp&width=1200)
Seamus Byrne/CNET
We find an immense selfie stick and we all get a bit overexcited:
![screen-shot-2016-02-25-at-19-24-43.png](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/bc9fed63972bb34a4029113a7aa21f1b0d7f9c96/hub/2016/02/25/66ffc127-1788-4098-b10b-e5251c2dbf6c/screen-shot-2016-02-25-at-19-24-43.png?auto=webp&width=1200)
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Video producer Jonathan Garnham relaxes after a tough day of work with some light reading:
![ccalm0-weaitp7l.jpg](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/d123a770fe80b5f13f6927d4abb0498292ea61db/hub/2016/02/25/a8312f3d-b1c2-4150-9e29-50827be0da12/ccalm0-weaitp7l.jpg?auto=webp&width=1200)
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
The CNET stand played host to a live recording of the wonderful CNET UK podcast, which you can listen to here:
![ccds78jw0aavyhw.jpg](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/3202587691384ad377403d8fa6702dc30898908b/hub/2016/02/25/d6741ce4-6a82-4e64-8988-96d5bd261cf4/ccds78jw0aavyhw.jpg?auto=webp&width=1200)
Kent German/CNET
The whole team enjoying all the natural sunlight in our dedicated work room:
![ccaeof7xiaihdmb.jpg](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/722f77a5424e37e47dc2a05fdfa30f244edecd9f/hub/2016/02/25/a94c506d-0077-493f-bb11-4d682fe6fbbf/ccaeof7xiaihdmb.jpg?auto=webp&width=1200)
Kent German/CNET
My pursuit of steak did not subside throughout the week:
![screen-shot-2016-02-25-at-19-13-26.png](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/e6ff5ed2041bce3ce3cc96424505361e1614c2d3/hub/2016/02/25/964e5415-3b55-4fa2-97cf-80f4254d26e5/screen-shot-2016-02-25-at-19-13-26.png?auto=webp&width=1200)
Jessica Dolcourt/CNET
Samsung showed off a VR roller coaster, so of course we all had to take a ride:
![samsung-vr-roller-coaster-cnet-09.jpg](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/e1c2c5a5bc2794672adbbac299e4ee1b0ebf6e59/hub/2016/02/25/90e9a5a6-16df-47d2-8adf-5c6b5f622c0a/samsung-vr-roller-coaster-cnet-09.jpg?auto=webp&width=1200)
Kent German/CNET
It wouldn’t be Barcelona without some sort of strike taking place. This time, it was the metro line:
![screen-shot-2016-02-22-at-18-16-22.png](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/d237d9e19c87ebf32064a7a7e184f1f03503e503/hub/2016/02/22/538e358a-5d06-4be7-9eeb-ac9ade24d9bc/screen-shot-2016-02-22-at-18-16-22.png?auto=webp&width=1200)
Shara Tibken/CNET
Day two in Barcelona meant only one thing: Samsung’s massive launch event:
![screen-shot-2016-02-22-at-17-58-07.png](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/8c87d94ed1b3b567a72f311c749762326702c925/hub/2016/02/22/e0d603b9-a2d3-4e64-84a7-a179ccef490a/screen-shot-2016-02-22-at-17-58-07.png?auto=webp&width=1200)
Kent German/CNET
Everyone at CNET is well trained in queueing:
![cbwoa86w0aer08o-jpg-large.jpg](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/b09f985ec274c33962d32e56170d439dce7c8617/hub/2016/02/22/d95a3635-6e9b-4795-947a-be684cd8dad4/cbwoa86w0aer08o-jpg-large.jpg?auto=webp&width=1200)
Sarah Tew/CNET
We were not expecting Samsung to have provided VR headsets for everyone at the conference:
![cbwgff4weaqfmga.png](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/f536a839bdeaaefc8d9021d7eee49ea8987e390e/hub/2016/02/22/cce76f7e-8f4d-4062-9dfc-38422af11106/cbwgff4weaqfmga.png?auto=webp&width=1200)
Sarah Tew/CNET
Samsung had some helpful advice on care of our headsets:
“Please don’t kick the Gear VR”, requests Samsung at their conference. pic.twitter.com/ezLfuwy5Qw
— Andrew Lanxon Hoyle (@Batteryhq) February 21, 2016
We definitely weren’t expecting the Zuckdawg himself to turn up at the show:
![screen-shot-2016-02-22-at-18-04-02.png](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/52136d2fdbed85c50791d7affc5d99fc1dfcff84/hub/2016/02/22/1f9794ee-2c64-4076-9be9-5aea9e0492c6/screen-shot-2016-02-22-at-18-04-02.png?auto=webp&width=1200)
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
It was so exciting, we didn’t even stop to enjoy the variety of booze on offer:
![screen-shot-2016-02-22-at-18-06-05.png](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/06d92f3368a6e17b624715e7eeaf56ba3b536538/hub/2016/02/22/89b3011f-c5e7-4fe6-b18d-0687ec24a46f/screen-shot-2016-02-22-at-18-06-05.png?auto=webp&width=1200)
Shara Tibken/CNET
Leaving Samsung, I found perhaps the best door at this year’s MWC:
Best door of MWC pic.twitter.com/bP3iYYuMZh
— Andrew Lanxon Hoyle (@Batteryhq) February 21, 2016
And Seamus Byrne chatted to me about which of Australia’s most deadly animals he’d like to film using Samsung’s new Gear 360 camera:
CNET always rides in style:
![screen-shot-2016-02-22-at-18-20-24.png](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/903166df6ca4798a91481757287fbe672cc6845f/hub/2016/02/22/8eec8be3-d57d-4093-8897-5cb58d620024/screen-shot-2016-02-22-at-18-20-24.png?auto=webp&width=1200)
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Meanwhile, the rest of the CNET team gets to work at mini-showcase Pepcom, with Luke Westaway getting perhaps a touch too curious:
![cbwy-e5waaaaiy7.jpg](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/cba3ddd98fda73c838a536977d87ab54ed03455d/hub/2016/02/22/7bb89804-853c-4065-be6c-ef0462d0243c/cbwy-e5waaaaiy7.jpg?auto=webp&width=1200)
Kent German/CNET
After a busy day, there was only one thing on our minds. Food:
![screen-shot-2016-02-22-at-17-56-06.png](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/403a65a2edb187069547cd10328cdf0f489fb722/hub/2016/02/22/e92aaea7-d6f9-4f01-9008-0ccaa87feb24/screen-shot-2016-02-22-at-17-56-06.png?auto=webp&width=1200)
Kent German/CNET
Huawei’s press conference kicks off proceedings with a bit of colour:
![screen-shot-2016-02-21-at-16-28-19.png](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/d0fe2ab3522bbe9ec7a9c1cf226bc3b7534fe5d2/hub/2016/02/21/e685c5b1-7599-4ae7-87ed-991784650cfd/screen-shot-2016-02-21-at-16-28-19.png?auto=webp&width=1200)
Jessica Dolcourt/CNET
You can’t write quality content on an empty stomach:
![screen-shot-2016-02-21-at-16-17-51.png](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/2d8ab95daba2582389721a430d341ff5ca056e7d/hub/2016/02/21/1a0b795c-5c2a-45aa-b0a4-eff5a18ccfe7/screen-shot-2016-02-21-at-16-17-51.png?auto=webp&width=1200)
Jessica Dolcourt/CNET
Just ask me:
![screen-shot-2016-02-21-at-16-20-41.png](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/e8d8163ee6c9495843402c26857df045a68f9d15/hub/2016/02/21/4987d619-7219-495b-ac5b-6641e77d5e61/screen-shot-2016-02-21-at-16-20-41.png?auto=webp&width=1200)
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Reporter Katie Collins is taking to Spain really rather well, thank you:
![screen-shot-2016-02-21-at-16-16-05.png](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/b63d1b5571db0f0e81f5003c754b7ae781fa6fe7/hub/2016/02/21/17be3261-7b8b-46d4-9ef2-471c7c28f219/screen-shot-2016-02-21-at-16-16-05.png?auto=webp&width=1200)
Katie Collins/CNET
Meanwhile, Jessica and Shara explore the mysteries of their Barcelona hotel:
![screen-shot-2016-02-21-at-16-12-44.png](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/7097263d5bc53349f1b571f7ecab0469f7e016f5/hub/2016/02/21/804dfd33-11cb-4b8c-bb75-7ef926b31fc2/screen-shot-2016-02-21-at-16-12-44.png?auto=webp&width=1200)
Jessica Dolcourt/CNET
Most of the CNET team flew into Barcelona from our offices in Sydney, San Francisco, New York, Singapore and London:
Arriving in Barcelona timelapse
¡Estamos aquí! We’re here in Barcelona for Mobile World Congress. Get the latest news from the show here: http://cnet.co/1TuJnd7
Posted by CNET on Friday, 19 February 2016
Except for me and Luke Westaway, who decided to drive 1,000 miles from London in a Tesla:
![img6025-edit.jpg](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/b94c314af7243a2d0208392c16c9d0d7167b8bce/hub/2016/02/21/ca4253e3-1e7c-4ff9-84a7-caaec5b7e5f3/img6025-edit.jpg?auto=webp&width=1200)
Andrew Hoyle/CNET