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Freescale Semiconductor introduces a tiny chip to address the miniaturisation trend for the Internet of Things (IoT)-- the Kinetis KL02, the smallest ARM-powered microcontroller unit (MCU) in the world.

The KL02 measures all of 1.9 x 2.0mm and still is a full MCU, with 32k of flash memory, 4K RAM, 32-bit 48MHz ARM Cortex-MO+ processor and built-in autonomous peripherals (including a 12-bit analog-to-digital converter and a low-power UART) allowing device makers to build increasingly smaller boards for tiny devices.

“The Kinetis KL02 CSP MCU brings the best ARM and Freescale technologies to applications at the very edge of the IoT and opens up exciting possibilities for a new tier of ultra-small, smart, power-efficient devices,” Freescale claims.

Applications for such a chip include any number of mobile devices, as well as "smart" appliances and wearable electronics. The curious can check the chip out at Embedded World, Germany, before market availability from July 2013.

Go Freescale Introduces Kinetis KL02

Intel follows up on its mobile computing ambitions at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2013, announcing the Clover Trail+ System-on-a-Chip (SoC) series and the XMM 7160 mobile device modem.

The latest in Atom-based dual-core smartphone processors, the Clover Trail+ line (Z2580, Z2560, and Z2520) promises double the compute performance and x3 the graphics capabilities of the first Intel mobile device processors, Medfield.

Clover Trail+ SoCs also support up to x2 cameras (with primary camera sensor up to 16MP), Intel Identity Protection Technology (IPT), Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean), Intel Wireless Display Technology and the UltraViolet common file standard.

The first device using the processors is the Lenovo IdeaPhone K900, revealed back at CES 2013.

After dropping webOS on the hands of LG, HP reveals the OS for its latest mobile device at MWC 2013-- the Slate 7 is the first Android tablet from the company.

A 7-inch low-cost ($170) device aimed at first-time tablet consumers, the Slate 7 carries a 1024 x 600 resolution display, dual-core Cortex-A9 1.6GHz processor, 1GB RAM and 8GB internal storage inside a stainless steel frame with soft-touch backing.

It apparently also is the first tablet with embedded Beats Audio according to HP, while native printing capability comes via HP ePrint app.

The HP Slate 7 should be hitting the market in either gray or red from April 2013.

Go HP Unveils Android Consumer Tablet

The Samsung-Google partnership propelled the Android OS to Apple-beating levels-- but as the mobile industry gathers at MWC 2013, does the search company actually think of the Korean giant as a threat?

According to the Wall Street Journal the success of the Galaxy device portfolio makes Google nervous. An anonymous source claims Android head Andy Rubin believes "Samsung could become a threat if it gains more ground among mobile-device makers that use Android," and the recent Motorola Mobility acquisition was actually "a kind of insurance policy" against mobile device vendors becoming too powerful over Android.

The WSJ does not have a comment from Rubin or an official Google representative.

But shouldn't Google actually celebrate Samsung, the biggest smartphone vendor in the world, whose Android-powered smartphone shipments total 215.8 million units (or 39.6% of the global market according to IDC) in 2012?