The best gadgets from IFA 2015

IFA (it stands for Internationale Funkausstellung or International Radio Exhibition), held annual in Berlin, is one of the biggest technology conferences in the calendar. IFA 2015 was held earlier this month, and the eyes of the world were on the German capital to see the latest and greatest wares from the biggest gadget-makers on the planet…

Sony Xperia Z5

 

This was one of the biggest handset launches of the year, never mind IFA 2015. Design-wise, not much has changed, but the camera gets a significant upgrade (with better low-light performance and faster autofocus) and there's now a fingerprint sensor included as well. There are in three variations to pick from standard, Compact and Premium and the latter sports an incredible 4K screen (that's 2,160 x 3,840 pixels on its highest setting).

Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro

 

If you want some innovation in the tablet market, what about adding an integrated projector? The Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro can project your presentations (or movies) as well as showing them on the screen, and as far as the standard specs are concerned it offers a 2,560 x 1,440 pixel 10-inch screen, a 2.24GHz Intel Atom CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 13-megapixel camera and Android 5.1 Lollipop. It should give the iPad a run for its money, at least.

Samsung Gear S2

The Apple Watch might be the best-selling smartwatch up to this point, but the other manufacturers are determined not to let Apple have everything their own way. The Samsung Gear S2 runs Samsung's own Tizen OS and works with any Android device (iOS support is said to be coming soon) you get the usual mix of notifications and fitness tracking features, together with a clever rotating bezel for extra input.

Moto 360 v2

Sticking with the smartwatch theme, Motorola was on hand to unveil the second generation of its attractive-looking Android Wear device. With upgraded internals, a sharper screen and a choice of sizes to pick from, it's straight away one of the best options if you want a smartwatch powered by Google software. There's also a Sport edition of the watch, which comes with a built-in GPS unit (so you don't have to rely on your phone to get a location).

Neato Botvac Connected

Neato has been releasing robotic vacuum cleaners since the start of the decade, but the connected model doing the rounds at IFA 2015 is the first one with integrated Wi-Fi connectivity and that means you can control it with your smartphone from just about anywhere. You can start and stop routines manually or have them run automatically, and like previous models it can scan a room and

Work out its own cleaning pattern.

Acer Revo Build

 

The easiest way to think of the Revo Build from Acer is a mini PC that you put together like a series of Lego blocks the base unit remains constant (with all the essential computer components inside) and then you're free to add on extra storage, more powerful graphics, improved audio capabilities and so on. It means you get a machine that's perfectly tailored to your needs and one that's much easier to upgrade too.

Huawei Mate S

There are strong rumours that Huawei is making the next Google Nexus phone, which means the Chinese manufacturer would become much better known outside Asia than it is now. In the meantime, the firm launched its Mate S flagship phone at IFA 2015: you get a premium design, a fingerprint scanner, a camera packed with options and even pressure-sensitive Force Touch technology on the high-end variations in the lineup.

Huawei Watch

Huawei was also showing off a smartwatch at IFA 2015, a sign of the company's eagerness to make itself better known in Europe. It's one of the best Android Wear watches out there and it's also the first to be compatible with iOS the device uses a variety of premium materials for a stylish finish, and there's a sharp 1.4-inch 400 x 400 pixel screen to ogle over as well. There are six different combinations of casing colours and straps to pick from.

Asus ZenFone Max

You can't buy the ZenFone Max until October, but you can marvel at the massive 5,00mAh battery packed inside it that's almost twice the power-storing capability of other smartphones. While the Snapdragon 410 processor is less impressive, it should help extend that battery life even further. The phone also comes with 2GB of RAM, a 13-megapixel camera and a 5.5-inch screen running at a resolution of 720 x 1,280 pixels.

Samsung SleepSense

As usual, Samsung had plenty of kit to show off at IFA, and one of the most interesting gadgets it announced was the SleepSense tracker: the idea is you put this little paddle on your mattress and it keeps an eye on how much tossing and turning you're doing throughout the course of the night. It can also connect to other smart devices to control the temperature in your bedroom, and it has to be easier than wearing a smartwatch to bed.

SmartThings Hub

With Apple and Google developing their own smart home platforms, we should also mention the new SmartThings Hub, the first product from the company since it was acquired by Samsung. The upgraded unit includes more powerful components, 10 hours of backup battery life, and the option to connect a whole host of third-party kit as well. Some new and improved SmartThings sensors were announced at IFA this year as well.

LG Rolly

LG had some eye-popping 4K HDR OLED television sets to show off at IFA this year, but we were quite taken with this Rolly Bluetooth keyboard. As the name suggests, it rolls up into a little bar that you can slip into your pocket, and if you pair it up with a tablet you can get some serious typing done while you're away from home. It may not be the most glamorous of IFA 2015 gadgets, but it could eventually end up being one of the most useful.

Polaroid Snap

Since the digital photography revolution, Polaroid cameras aren't as common as they once were, but the brand name lives on in a variety of gadgets (like the Polaroid Cube). The latest gizmo to see the light of day is the Polaroid Snap, a modern-day take on instant photography: you can get borderless 10-megapixel snaps from the device thanks to the zero-ink technology built into the unit itself (it uses heated crystals to create colours).

Philips Izzy
 

Sonos is the name most people think of when it comes to wireless audio streaming, but other manufacturers are looking to muscle in on the scene, and Philips is the latest. The compact Izzy speaker won't cost you much and works primarily over Bluetooth you can link up to four of them together at once and the higher-end unit accepts USB input too. The speaker looks the part as well, and it's available with a black or white finish.

Onkyo W800BT

A lot of headphones work via Bluetooth, so you don't have to plug them into your music player of choice, but the in-ear W800BT set is truly wireless each piece is self-contained so there's no wiring between them. You can buy the earphones with a black or silver trim, and they're light without being large enough to get lost easily. According to the Japanese manufacturer you'll get 12 hours of music from this set between each battery charge.