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The best tech of IFA 2020 from Google, Sony and more

The best tech of IFA 2020 from Google, Sony and more

Each year Europe’s biggest tech expo IFA takes place in Berlin, showcasing world class electronics, gadgets and home appliances that you could only imagine.

This year, in the absence of a full-scale in person IFA event, things went a little differently by going mostly virtual. But that didn’t stop brands showing off their latest innovations and shiny new gadgets.

Lucy Hedges hand-picks the best bits from the pandemic-hit event.

A is for Asus ROG Delta S

IFA: Asus ROG Delta S
Acer is targeting gamers with these new headphones

MQA, which stands for Master Quality Authenticated and is the audiophile’s preferred way to stream music, has never been done in headphone form until Acer announced the first pair of ‘phones that are compatible with the lossless audio codec. Weirdly though, they’re aimed at gamers as opposed to discerning music lovers. Price and release date to be announced.

B is for Bowers & Wilkins 600 Series Anniversary Edition

Bowers & Wilkins 600 Series Anniversary Edition Speakers
The 7th version of Bowers & Wilkins 600 Series

Those British audio boffins over at B&W have been perfecting its 600 Series for 25 years. Now in it’s seventh iteration, there’s floor-standing, bookshelf and centre-channel speakers to choose from, alongside three different subwoofer options. From £449 (available end of September).

C is for Sony’s Cinema Line

Sony?s high-end, pro-focussed FX6 shooter, come fully loaded with all the hardware features and software you need to make movies with a cinematic edge. Price and availability tbc.
Time to create unique movies with Sony’s high-end shooter

With its sights set squarely on people who earn a living from shooting video, Sony’s high-end, pro-focussed FX6 shooter, comes fully loaded with all the hardware features and software you need to make movies with a cinematic edge. Price and availability to be announced.

D is for Dolby Atmos

JVC XP-EXT1 headphones (?999, availability tbc) bring Atmos audio to your ears
A home cinema in your head with JVC XP-EXT1 headphones

Anything with Dolby Atmos baked in usually comes in the form of a speaker, soundbar or TV. But JVC’s XP-EXT1 ‘phones (£999, availability tba) bring Atmos audio to your lughholes by essentially putting a home cinema system on your head. Equally impressive is Philips’ Atmos-loaded Fidelio B97 soundbar (price and availability tba) with detachable speakers for true home cinema surround sound.

E is for Sennheiser CX 400BT True Wireless earbuds

Sennheiser CX 400BT True Wireless earbuds
Affordable wireless buds, but forget the noise cancelling

One of the most respected names in the game is going for affordable with its wireless buds. They may not be as eye catching as the higher end Momentum True Wireless 2, but they pack the same 7mm size driver units, minus the active noise cancelling.

F is for LG’s PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier Face Mask

LG?s high-tech face mask has two H13 HEPA filters, each with its own fan to circulate air. Impressively, a sensor can detect the pace of your breathing, and adjust the fan speed speed to match those inhales/exhales.
This is one high-tech face mask for the Covid-era

LG’s high-tech face mask rocks two H13 HEPA filters, each with its own fan to circulate air. Impressively, a sensor can detect the pace of your breathing, and adjust the fan speed speed to match those inhales/exhales. Its case even uses UV lights to clean it when it’s not strapped to your face. Your bog standard face mask isn’t looking so good now, is it? Price and availability to be announced.

G is for Google Assistant

IFA: Google Assistant
The multi-talented Lenovo Smart Clock Essential now comes with Google Assistant

Lenovo’s relying on Google’s digital helper for its Smart Clock Essential. This talkative timepiece will happily sit in any room of the house, displaying its easy-to-read display and speaker that can be grouped with others as part of a multi-room setup, while its built-in light will helpful serve you in darkness. Price and availability to be announced.

H is for HP

No, not the sauce. HP teased the tech massive with a new always-connected Qualcomm-flavoured laptop and while the device is surrounded by mystery, we do know that it has a flat siloed pen, rocks a bit of leather, and has a detachable display. Expected later this year.

I is for Intel

11th Gen Intel Core mobile processors, built on Intel?s 10nm SuperFin process, introduce the all-new Willow Cove architecture, which includes new CPU and GPU optimization and capabilities, greater AI acceleration, the fastest connectivity and more. They were introduced on Sept. 2, 2020. (Credit: Intel Corporation)
‘World’s best processor for thin-and-light laptops’

Intel unveiled its 11th-gen processor, paving the way for over 150 laptops to launch with new, faster guts. Called Tiger Lake, the Ice Lake successor’s been given the title of ‘world’s best processor for thin-and-light laptops’, making it the ideal sidekick for ultrabooks like Samsung’s 360-degree-hinged Galaxy Book Flex 5G (price and availability tba).

J is for JBL

IFA: J is for JBL
JBL’s 2020 lineup includes three new editions

JBL’s been in the Bluetooth speaker biz for yonks, so knows a thing or two about portable, rugged audio. With three additions to its 2020 lineup – JBL GO3 (£34.99), Clip 4 (£49.99 ) and Extreme 3 (£280) – expect new eye-catching designs, fresh colour-ways, improved drivers and levelled-up specs from this trio of straight-to-the-point speakers. Available October.

K is for Harmon Kardon Citation 200

IFA: K is for Harmon Kardon Citation 200
These portable speakers come in true slick Scandinavian style

Ooozing serious amounts of slick Scandinavian style, this Bluetooth audio bucket is a serious portable speaker packed to its Kvadrat wool fabric-covered grills, with wi-fi, Google Assistant, as well as Apple AirPlay 2 and Chromecast compatibility. £399 (available October).

L is for the LG Wing

LG Wing concept art
LG’s newest handset that comes with a twist

Samsung’s latest phone may bend beautifully, but LG’s newest handset comes with a twist. Quite literally. Adding a new category to the smartphone market, this dual-screen handset’s clever trick is that it swivels into a cross formation, to give users more screen time. Clever. Price and availability announced Sep 14.

[they teased it at IFA and the full announcement follows next week]

M is for Honor MagicBook Pro

IFA: Honor MagicBook Pro
Honor MagicBook Pro with top graphic capabilities and a good-looking design

When a laptop displays an impressive price to performance ratio, it’s hard not to sit up and pay attention. This one combines decent processor and graphics capabilities, with a good-looking aluminium design, 512GB SSD and a huge 16.1-inch HD display. And manages to do it all for under £1,000. £849.99, available now.

N is for Neato D10

Neato D10
Neato D10 new model adds a True HEPA filter for a proper clean

Neato’s auto-vac keeps that D-shape design the brand is famous for, allowing it to get into corners for a proper clean. This new model also adds a True HEPA filter to exterminate 99.97 per cent of allergens, while a new LiDAR-based system means more sophisticated mapping as it makes its way around your abode. Price and availability to be announced.

O is for OLED

IFA: Philips’s 48in OLED+935
Philips’ 48in OLED creates visual fireworks on your wall

Among the legion of rectangular boxes on show, Philips’s 48in OLED+935 (from £1,799, available later this month) stands out, thanks to tiny edge projectors that extend on-screen colours for visual fireworks on your wall, and Bowers & Wilkins sound round front.

P is for Philips Hue Play gradient lightstrip

IFA: Philips Hue Play gradient lightstrip
Match this multi-coloured light strip your TV’s colour output for more excitement

If watching TV the conventional way isn’t exciting enough for you, Philips’ multi-coloured light strip can match it’s colour output with whatever you’re gawping at on screen, just like its awesome Ambilight tellies. From £159, pre-order.

Q is for Qualcomm

IFA: Qualcomm
Qualcomm’s first laptop with a 5G chip

Acer’s touchscreen 2-in-1 Spin 7 is the first laptop announced to arrive with Qualcomm’s new 5G chip at its heart, alongside the promise of seriously fast download speeds, multi-day battery life, easy portability and a brilliantly shape-shifting design. Price and availability to be announced.

R is for the Technics Red Bull BC One SL-1210MK7R turntable

IFA: Technics Red Bull BC One SL-1210MK7R turntable
A new version of Technics’ legendary deck, full of Red Bull themed designs

To mark its new partnership with Red Bull BC One, which also happens to be home to the world’s biggest breakdance competition, Technics has outed a limited edition version of its legendary deck, complete with plenty of Red Bull-themed design tweaks. Price tba, available end of Sep.

S is for Panasonic Lumix S5

IFA: Panasonic Lumix S5
Improve your snaps with the Panasonic Lumix S5

This rather remarkable snapper impressively shrinks down as much technology into as light and compact a body as physically possible. Expect a 24.2-megapixel full-frame sensor, OLED Electronic Viewfinder, articulating screen, autofocus improvements, 4K 10-bit recording at 60fps and more. £1,799, pre-order.

T is for Tado V3+ Starter Kit

IFA: Tado V3+ Starter Kit
Make your home even smarter with this nifty thermostat

Attempting to make your home smart can often feel like a bit of a mental minefield. This smart thermostat claims to make 95 per cent of boilers smart, supports voice control, and you won’t need help installing it. Throw in optional Wireless Temperature Sensors (£70 each) for more precise readings and control. From £179.99, available now.

U is for Samsung’s Life Unstoppable event

IFA: Samsung’s Life Unstoppable event
Samsung’s new 4K projector transforms your wall into a 130-inch virtual screen

In place of a physical press conference, Samsung used Epic’s Unreal Engine for games to build an impressive virtual, 3D playground for media to take a tour though its latest innovations. Our fave? Its new short-throw 4K projector that plasters your wall with a 130-inch virtual screen and also happens to be the worlds first to be HDR10+-certified. Price and availability to be announced.

V is for Smeg’s VIVOscreen oven

Inviting European-style kitchen illuminated by a wall of windows. Room is comfortably cluttered with papers stacked on a side table and several bottles and packages on the table. Fashionably distressed brick walls, painted white, give the room a rough, rustic feel.
A very clever, no fuss cooker by Smeg (Picture: Getty Images)

With a colour touchscreen, giant icons and a connected app that lets you cram its memory with all your favourite recipes, Smeg’s clever cooker is takes the fuss out of cooing, while its temperature probe keeps tabs on your dinner for complete cooking control. From £1,099.99, available now.

W is for wearables

IFA:  wearables
Honor’s Watch GS Pro with a battery that lasts 25 days

Wristwear hogged a substantial amount of the spotlight this year, with Fitbit launching its most advanced health smartwatch to date, the Sense (£299, pre-order), that boasts an EDA stress sensor, ECG monitoring and skin temperature sensing abilities. Samsung outed its fitness tracking, two week battery-toting Galaxy Fit2 (price and availability tba), while Honor pulled back the virtual curtain on the ultra-rugged Watch GS Pro (£249, available now), packed with GPS, heart-rate monitoring and a battery that’ll last up to 25 days.

X is for Xiaomi POCO X3 NFC

IFA: Xiaomi POCO X3 NFC
A true bargain of a smartphone

Decent budget blowers that really impress don’t swing by very often, but for £199 this smartphone offers up a 6.7-inch 120Hz screen with minimal bezels, and just a small hole-punch camera cutout; Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 732G chip that promised near flagship performance and a huge 5,160 battery. Available Sep 17.

Y is for Yale smart locks

IFA: Yale smart locks
Fancy turning your lights on by unlocking the front door? This one’s for you

As of the end of this month August and Yale smart locks will play nicely with the Philips Hue lighting system. So if you like the idea of automating routines that are triggered simply by locking or unlocking your front door, like turning on your lights when you get home, or switching them off when you leave, this latest innovative (and free) update’s worth checking out whether you’ve got all the kit or need to make a quick purchase to get involved.

Z is for ZTE Axon 20 5G

IFA: ZTE Axon 20 5G
Selfie lovers will be all over this one with its uniquely placed camera

ZTE doesn’t attract nearly as much attention as it’s higher-end counterparts, but by announcing the worlds first phone with an uniquely placed under-display selfie camera and 5G for under £250, it’s guaranteed to get people talking. UK pricing and availability tba.