IFA, Europe’s largest tech show, is now in full swing with the world's top tech companies showing off a load of new products during the five days extravaganza.
Over the years IFA has had many amazing moments; Albert Einstein gave the keynote speech about the future of Radio in 1930. In 1967 PAL colour televisions made their debut, and then in 1981 the CD player made its public debut.
Even before the show opened, IFA 2011 announcements started to come in. Here’s what’s been announced so far from Sony and Samsung.
Sony
Sony has had really busy IFA so far with the full unveil of their two new Android tablets, a new android-based walkman, a new Xperia Arc, Sony Reader and 3D Vaio all-in-one desktop.
Sony unveiled it 9.4-inch S1 tablet to attendees for the first time and it will be available across Europe from September 16.
It will come in two flavours: 16GB and 32GB with Wi-Fi and 3G. The Honeycomb tablet will have dual 5-megapixel camera and 0.3 front facing camera.
The S tablet will cost €479 for the 16GB Wi-Fi only model, which put it into competition with the iPad 2, Motorola Xoom and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Sony's other tablet P (S2) comes with a folding clamshell design and dual 5-inch screens is not so competitively priced, unfortunately.
It will be available in November and is going to cost you an eye-watering €599 – we can’t see the P being a massive success even considering it eye-catching design – the price just seems too high.
Both tablets will run Android Honeycomb 3.1 out of the box and will be fully upgradable to 3.2 in the near future, though if you plump for the Wi-Fi and 3G model you will get 3.2 preloaded.
Sony's official Playstation certification comes with both tablets, which will mean a whole host of Playstation titles will be available to play, along with more Playstation network content after launch.
Sony also unveiled a new version of their top-selling Android phone the Xperia Arc. The Arc is one the top phones around at the moment and the Arc S looks to improve upon the recipe.
They've upgraded the processor to a 1.4GHz, meaning the camera starts 25% quicker and media conversion has been given a bump too.
Sony also unveiled a 6-inch eReader – the Sony Reader Wi-Fi PRS-T1 – to take on the Amazon Kindle. It weighs just 168 grams and is 8.9mm thick. The PRS-T1 features a one month battery life, is available in black, white and red and will allow borrowing from local libraries.
In the PC arena, Sony showed off its Vaio L 3D, or Vaio VPCL21S1E/B to give it its full name – an all-in-one desktop with a 24-inch Full HD Vaio LED backlight screen.
Sony showed off a new prototype Walkman at IFA - the Android-based media player is looking to cash-in on some of the good-will left in the Sony brand.
A Sony Android walkman has been touted since 2009 and it actually looks like Sony is finally going to be releasing it "soon". But is it too late to try and take on the iPod and iTunes?
It sports a 4.3-inch LCD touchscreen, is compatible with Bluetooth headphones and comes with mini-HDMI port.
The HDMI and DLNA suggests a home media device, but what about your TV shows and movies? You'll be wanting a set-top box for that, and a hi-fi for your music. It doesn't seem to fit in anywhere, does it?
Samsung
Samsung have had a busy IFA too, with the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S WiFi and its new Galaxy Note.
The Galaxy WiFi is their version of an iPod touch and is loosely based on the Galaxy S phone. The media player comes with a 3.6-inch HGVA screen, an ultra-faster 1GHz OMAP processor.
The media player will be running Android 2.3 ginger bread and will support a wide range of video and audio formats allowing users hassle-free compatibility.
SoundAlive provides users with the ability to adjust sound levels to fit the song they are listening to or the film they are watching, ensuring a professional and rich audio experience"¨. Users can communicate with friends in numerous ways using the device's WiFi connectivity.
Users can make voice or video calls over the internet, using platforms such as Google Talk to stay in touch.
The device also includes Social Hub, which means that when connected to the internet users can access a variety of social networking services as well as email and instant messaging platforms from a single inbox.
Samsung also showed off their latest Tablet the Samsung Galaxy Note. The Note comes with world’s largest AMOLED screen, coming in at 5.6-inches the tablet looks more like a giant media player rather than a tablet.
The superior screen also offers a 180 degree viewing angle, allowing contents to be shared comfortably.
At 5.3-inch the best-in-class display is the largest ever included in a primary mobile device; measuring just 9.65mm thick, the Galaxy Note fits comfortably in a pocket to offer true portability.
The Galaxy Note's advanced pen input functionality is combined with the full touch screen to create a new input experience. The incorporated digital S Pen can be used for accurate sketching and artwork, and instantly capturing ideas freely before they float away.
The Galaxy Note features S Memo, a multimedia application designed to record all forms of user-created content; pictures,voice recordings, typed text, handwritten notes or drawings can all be captured via a single application and converted to a 'memo', to be edited, annotated and shared as desired.
The 1.4GHz dual-core processor ensures the device is incredibly fast and a smooth user interface ensures seamless usability. Lightning fast network speeds are enabled through the HSPA+ and LTE-enabled device's super-fast connection, ensuring a quick and seamless browsing experience. This means that users can stream videos in real-time or engage with their friends through online gaming platforms.