We were at IFA in Berlin for too short a time to even think about taking everything in. Sticking mainly to the Sony end of things, and now the IFA is complete for another year, we bring you the best of the rest based on what has the ‘blogosphere’ abuzz.
Extreme Netbook- email and internet only
The Sharp PC-Z1 is the first stop in our list. This mobile internet device is lightweight both physically and technologically. It runs Linux and has instant ON functionality.
The spec is decent for a product of its type but should only really be used for web browsing and email collecting. It seems to do its job well but shouldn’t be thought of as a laptop- or even netbook, to some extent.
Toshiba well and truly jump ship
Toshiba took their first steps into the world of Blu-ray by announcing their first ever blu-ray disc player.
Toshiba, the company behind the HD-DVD, announced it would be creating Blu-ray products some time ago but, at IFA09 unveiled their first actual blu-ray product, announcing it would be released in October.
The BDX200 offers 24ps and 1080p Full HD picture and 1080p upscaling for DVDs that aren’t blu-ray. Toshiba, it would seem, want to be back in the race.
Portable HD TVs
On display also were Sony’s new 19-inch Bravia screens. These are effectively portable HD TVs that can be carried from room to room.
With a USB 2.0 port and various HDMI connections, the S Series can be easily used to watch blu-ray discs, play video games and can even be used as a digital photo frame- however expensive a photo frame that might be.
Clock functionality also means that, when not in use, the screen doubles up as a handy household object that blends into the background.
Cameras in iPods
Rumours had been floating around for a while but before Apple had announced it, nothing was concrete.
At the IFA, however, a few keen-eyed bloggers noticed that the next-gen iPod cases (or sleeves) contained camera holes. Big giveaway.
Philips in the kitchen
Philips showcased a group of robust kitchen appliances including a juicer, a blender and a hand-blender. They look pretty sturdy and fit together well.
Not the most exciting of electrical equipment for the gadget-lover but the ‘tools’, inspired by amateur home chefs, provide the reliability, robustness and flexibility required to make home cooking a much easier and more enjoyable process.
The laptop to end all laptops
This one seems to be getting a lot of techies hot under the collar. A Samsung laptop with a reported 9-hour battery life.
The X3 weighs in at under 4 lbs and has a 14-inch screen. Even for video playback, Samsung say the device will last up to 6-hours.
Not only that but the laptop manages to fit in a 3-in-1 card reader, 3 USB ports and a HDMI port. On startup, the laptop takes a photo and shuts itself down if it is not the rightful owner. This is an amazing security feature but, be warned. If you get a haircut, you may be unable to access your emails until it grows back.