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IFA 2016 day zero: Selfie-phones and barista robots
We're edging ever closer to the official start of IFA 2016 (that's today as you read this), but the pre-show events continue. Huawei, ZTE and others brought new phones, and Sony showed its hand -- even if some of that was familiar. There was also a surprise visit from the future. If that future is the 1950's version of robots. We're live all week from Berlin, Germany, for IFA 2016. Click here to catch up on all the news from the show.
LG's 29-inch Windows 10 tablet comes stuck to a smart fridge
If you didn't know already, Samsung and LG are the two biggest companies in Korea which leads to plenty of corporate pissing contests. For instance, if LG were to release a 100-inch 4K TV, you can be damn sure Samsung will follow up with a 101-incher a few weeks later. It should come as no surprise to anyone, then, to see that a few months after Samsung launched a fridge with a built-in tablet, LG's got a version of its very own.
Sony's run out of ideas for its smartphones
If the definition of madness is doing the same thing and expecting different results, then someone needs to check in on Sony. Every six months, the company announces a handset in the hope of making some tiny level of impact on the mobile industry. And every six months, those same devices are rated as being generally fine, but not as compelling or cheap as alternatives from rival companies. You'd think that, after a couple of years of this crushingly predictable cycle, someone would have suggested a change. Well, you'd have hoped so, because the Xperia XZ just feels like more of the same.
Sony's gold-plated Walkman needs deep, strong pockets
How much do you love music? Do you love it enough to spend $3,200 on a fancy pants Walkman? That's the proposition on the table with Sony's new gold-plated NW-WM1Z music player. Essentially, Sony continues to position its immortal Walkman brand as a true audiophile experience aimed at fans of High Resolution Audio files (don't worry, it'll play your plain old MP3s too). The basic concept might seem contradictory: a portable media player that pairs with a (non-portable) amp and custom designed headphones. But this isn't a product that's meant to make sense to most people. Audiophiles will know. Or at least, that's what Sony hopes.
A closer look at Sony's Xperia Ear voice assistant
Sony has been teasing its Xperia Ear voice assistant since last year, but now we know the concept will be an actual consumer product later this year. At IFA 2016, the tech giant announced that the tiny Bluetooth- and NFC-powered device is set to arrive in November, though it still hasn't said how much it's going to cost. Still, unlike at MWC 2015, Sony's now letting people try the device here in Berlin, as opposed to only showcasing it behind a glass box.
Sony's new e-paper watch actually looks like a timepiece
Earlier this week, Sony introduced its FES Watch U, an e-paper timepiece that it is crowdfunding in Japan. And today, at IFA 2016, we had the chance to see it in person for the first time. As we pointed out before, the FES Watch U is a much more polished version of Sony's original e-ink watch, which was revealed in 2014. The new wearable features a steel frame, instantly giving it that premium look and feel, as well as sapphire glass on the higher-end model.
IFA 2016 warm-up: Pet treats, smartwatches and more
The IFA 2016 show floor doesn't officially open until tomorrow, but companies didn't wait to show off their new products in Berlin. Yesterday, ASUS, Acer, Lenovo and Samsung announced a myriad of devices, including phones, smartwatches and hybrid laptops. There will be a lot more to see in the coming days, we're sure of that. For now, here are some highlights from the event's kick-off keynotes -- and yes, of course we talked about the "Pawbo" pet accessories. Because why wouldn't we? We're live all week from Berlin, Germany, for IFA 2016. Click here to catch up on all the news from the show.
Qualcomm has a plan to make VR headsets a whole lot cheaper
At a quiet, barely-attended press conference on the far side of Berlin, Qualcomm revealed its plan to get the cost of VR headsets to plummet. The company has been working on a series of reference designs that encompass plenty of smart home gadgets, and now it's added a VR headset to its ranks. Much as it did in the smartphone industry, these reference designs can then be used by white label designers to cut costs on developing sophisticated headsets. The end result is likely to be a whole new generation of fully-featured VR devices that'll cost a whole lot less than they do now.
Withings launches its first watch with heart rate monitoring
Much like it was mandatory to wear Loom Bands in 2014, if a fitness wearable can't track your heart rate then it's dead... dead, ya hear? Withings doesn't make fitness wearables so much as timepieces that just happen to track your activity, which justifies its decision to drag its feet on the heart rate sensor issue until now. That's now set to change with the Withings Steel HR, a follow-on to the Activité analog watch that gains an optical HR sensor and a new digital sub-display for smartphone notifications.
TP-Link's latest Neffos smartphones are its most ambitious yet
Though TP-Link is a pretty well-known maker of networking equipment in other parts of the world, the brand hasn't made much of a dent in the US. Recently, however, it's been working on a rebranding in an effort to do so. It's pivoting more toward the smart home market and has also released a couple of smartphones earlier this year under the Neffos name. At IFA today, the company is continuing that consumer trend with the announcement of the Neffos X Series of smartphones, which consists of the Neffos X1 and the Neffos X1 Max.
Sony sold me on Xperia Agent in one cup of coffee
I like coffee. I like robots. So, when Sony's cutesy Xperia Agent offered to serve me up a cup of Arabica at IFA, how could I refuse? Of course I didn't, and it was probably the best cup of show-floor joe that I had this week. We first saw the Xperia Agent at MWC, but we've barely heard anything from the bot since, so free coffee or not, it was good to check in with the little guy and see it doing its connected thing.
Neato's latest robot vacuums are much more affordable
If you like the concept of Neato's WiFi-linked robot vacuum but feel that $699 is too rich for your blood, you're in luck. Neato is unveiling two more affordable Botvac models, the $399/£399 D3 Connected (above) and $599/£549 D5 Connected, that promise WiFi and the core cleaning features at better prices. The D3 still has mobile app access and laser-guided navigation, but trims costs through a lower-capacity battery, a basic filter and fewer features -- you won't get the high-end model's boundary markers, eco/turbo modes, manual drive, spiral and side brushes or on-robot scheduling. Move up to the D5 and you'll get the battery, brush and filter upgrades as well as boundary markers. Also, only the D5 has in-app cleaning stats and a Find Me locator right now. Those are coming to the Botvac Connected flagship later, but won't be available at all for the D3.
Your vote will make ZTE's crowdsourced device ideas a reality
ZTE isn't wowing anyone with its new Axon 7 Mini phone, but it does have a far more intriguing device up its sleeve. The Chinese company shared some updates on its Project CSX campaign, which is an effort to crowdsource ideas for a groundbreaking mobile device. Starting today, you can start voting for one of the top 20 ideas in the company's forum.
ZTE's Axon 7 Mini smartphone won't wow you, but it's cheap
ZTE's Axon 7 was a surprisingly good phone, which proved that the Chinese company is capable of delivering on its "affordable premium" promise. In order to capitalize on that success, ZTE is offering a cheaper, more petite version. The Axon 7 Mini will arrive stateside in October, and while US pricing hasn't been announced, it will retail in Europe for 299 euros. That's about $330, which is $70 less than the original, as well as the OnePlus 3 and Alcatel Idol 4S.
Samsung brings quantum dots to its curved gaming monitors
Samsung has announced a trio of high-end curved gaming monitors that brings its quantum dot technology to the masses. There are two devices, the CFG70, which is available in 24-and-27-inch sizes, as well as a super premium CF791 that packs a 34-inch, 3,440 x 1,400 display. The devices promise to create more immersive gaming experiences that look as good as they possibly could, although we couldn't tell that from the demo. Unfortunately, a leisurely game of FIFA Soccer is the worst way to show off a monitor that's really designed for fast-paced games like first-person shooters
We're live from IFA 2016 in Berlin!
Like every year, we are back in Berlin for Europe's biggest tech trade show, IFA. This year, as we previewed recently, expect to see many new devices from some of the usual suspects: Acer, ASUS, Lenovo, LG, Samsung, Sony and more. We've already checked out a number of fresh laptops, smartphones and wearables at the event, but that's only the beginning since the show floor doesn't open until Friday. Stay tuned, because there will be plenty of announcements to digest over the next few days. And you never know what kind of weird gadget we might find. We're live all week from Berlin, Germany, for IFA 2016. Click here to catch up on all the news from the show.
The Xperia XZ is the 2016 flagship phone Sony should've made first
Let's not mince words: Sony's smartphone might be on the upswing, but the company still needs a hit. With any luck, the new, unlocked Xperia XZ can change all of that. It runs with the same Snapdragon 820 and 3GB of RAM as the earlier Xperia X Performance, but Sony squeezed that horsepower into a new beautiful new body and added a few tricks for good measure.
Sony's mid-range Xperia X gets a smaller spin-off
The new Xperia XZ might be the flagship phone Sony loyalists have been waiting for, but Sony still hasn't given up on making small smartphones. That's where the Xperia X Compact comes in: It's more enticing a package than you might think, given the company's recent batch of love-em-or-hate-em devices, and it's set to land the United States on Sept. 25.
TomTom's new fitness tracker can analyze your body composition
Today at IFA 2016, TomTom revealed a trio of new wearables, including its first fitness tracker. Unlike other similar devices, the new TomTom Touch has one feature that particularly stands out: it can analyze your body composition. That's something you typically only see on smart scales, so it's interesting to see TomTom bring this over to a fitness tracker. Not only does the Touch show you body fat and muscle percentage, but it also monitors your heart rate continuously, as well as count your calories and steps. Pictured above, the sleek wearable will hit stores in October for $130/£130.
HP Pavilion Wave PC looks like it's wearing a B&O speaker
Is that a speaker? Or a router? Those are questions my colleague actually asked me when I showed him my photos of the HP Pavilion Wave. He was wrong on both counts, but it's easy to see why he was confused. The Pavilion Wave is a 10-inch tall desktop that will be available September 23rd at a starting price of $550, and from my brief experience with a preview version, it'll be a beautiful, adequate addition to a modern house.
