IFA 2012 Preview: Top ten devices

Posted on 17 Aug 2012 at 17:07, by Expert Reviews staff

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In less than two weeks, the Expert Reviews team will be winging its way to Berlin for Europe’s biggest technology event of the year: IFA 2012. The European show has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years and its positioning this year just before the Windows 8 launch makes it even more exciting.

Here’s a list of some of the things we hope to see, and some we definitely will. It’s going to be a huge show that will set the tone for the next few months, so make sure to check back on Expert Reviews from Wednesday the 29th for all the news and hands-on updates from the show floor. You can also follow us on Twitter @expertreviewsuk or at the Expert Reviews Facebook page.

10. ASUS PADFONE EUROPEAN LAUNCH

Although Windows 8 Devices are undoubtedly going to be at the top of everyone’s must-see list at IFA 2012, we’re really hoping that the long-overdue, Android-powered Asus PadFone makes an appearance. We love this ingenious smartphone-tablet hybrid device and a release date and price would be most welcome.

If you’re not familiar with this inventive mobile two-in-one device then check out our Asus PadFone coverage from MWC earlier this year.

It’s a smartphone, and a tablet and even a laptop if you want

9. JELLY BEAN ON EVERYTHING

Google’s latest iteration of its Android operating system is so silky-smooth in use that it finally levels the playing field with Apple’s iOS. It’s only one a couple of devices to date, most notably the company’s own Google Nexus 7 tablet.

We expect to see Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on plenty of new devices at the show, though. Some are bound to miss out before their launch, however, and could suffer in comparison because of it.

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, here seen on the Nexus 7, should make a wider-ranging appearance at IFA 2012

8. OLED TVs

They have certainly been a long time coming, but hopefully we might finally get a concrete date for OLED TVs making their way to Europe. The new technology uses millions of tiny OLEDs to make up the individual pixels of a display, completely eliminating the need for a backlight. This means black pixels will be completely back, even when they are surrounded entirely by white ones.

We bravely ignored the "no photography" sign to bring you this image

Unless you live in Korea, where you can pick up a Samsung ES9500 for the best part of $9000, OLED has been little more than a distant promise from TV manufacturers. Both LG and Samsung are the main supporters of OLED, but neither has announced anything outside of their home nations.

If you're at all into home cinema and are looking for the next big thing, OLED could definitely be it. With Samsung, LG, Sharp and Toshiba all in attendance, we might be able to finally put a date in our diary come the end of August.