Provided is a weekly snapshot of the recent 5G technology, laptop and ITAD related news that HOBI’s blog reported during the week 3/18-3/22.

5G wireless technology will bring four distinctive sustainability opportunities
5G is the next generation of wireless data network and it will provide speeds as high as 20-times today’s typical broadband networks. In fact, 5G will bring new forms of services, such as remotely monitoring water usage on rural farms to remotely conducting brain surgery. Due to the network’s ability to respond to human activity in real-time, 5G represents an opportunity to rethink the organization of society in order to support sustainable approaches to life.
Why some think smartphone upgrades are actually practical downgrades
Year after year, mobile phone OEMs try to outdo one another by impressing customers with unique updates. In the more recent years, the “wow” factor has centered on the allure of a foldable display, bezel-free appearance and facial scanners/fingerprint sensors. But some mobile phone owners are beginning to notice a trend among these new mobile features: when OEMs add cool new features to mobile phones, they often leg go of some of the practical features as a way to enhance positive user experience. But when your phone isn’t able to do the basics, are you really upgrading?
In a smartphone driven world, are laptops being phased out?
The modern smartphone has become the tech industry’s black hole, absorbing digital music players, point-and-shoot cameras and even many tablets. Aside from the iPad and a handful of budget tablets like Amazon’s Fire HD series, most standalone tablets have largely been subsumed by big-screen phones. And many assumed laptops would be the next piece of tech to be absorbed by the mobile phone. However, laptops have managed to stay relevant by embracing mobile phone features.
The most important questions to ask when choosing an ITAD provider
Hiring an IT asset disposition company to dispose of your outdated and unused IT equipment saves an enterprise time and money. While this is an attractive option for many companies, hiring an irresponsible ITAD provider can result in both monetary and reputational damage. These are three areas to investigate when researching prospective ITAD providers to ensure the best practices are used: data management policy, documentation and end-of-lifecycle opportunities.