IFA 2012: 10 best gadgets on display

Cinema-like entertainment

Samsung Galaxy Camera 
This prototype from Samsung is quite interesting, and takes Android beyond the usual mobile computing devices. While many may find this concept unusual, we think it’s worth a mention. Samsung has showcased the hybrid of a camera and a smartphone. While the camera part of it is taken from Samsung's extensive range of point-and-shoot digital cameras, the smartphone and the interface part is likely to be a slice of its Galaxy S line-up. This Android-based point-and-shoot digital camera, according to GSMArena, is the Galaxy S III glued onto a camera and has no physical buttons. The camera has a 16MP sensor of unknown size, Xenon flash, and a curved right side to help with the ergonomics. It runs Android Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) OS, and will come in Wi-Fi and 3G + Wi-Fi versions supporting only mobile data, not voice. We aren’t sure if the device will have any takers, but the concept sounds very exciting.

Point n Shoot camera plus Galaxy smartphone

Sony Vaio Tap 20
The Vaio Tap 20 isn’t your average portable Windows 8 device. It is Sony’s attempt to bring a nifty touch product into your home. Though you will see a wireless keyboard and mouse bundled with the device, this table top PC isn’t the usual All-In-One PC either. The backstand is flexible, and lets users position the device according to their viewing comfort. In fact, one can lay it completely flat for coffee-table use. The 10-point multi-touch display lets one take utmost advantage of the Windows 8 UI and turns it into an interactive table. Sony has also added its Family Paint application that enables multiple users to simultaneously paint, draw and scribble on a virtual notepad. They can select from pencils, crayons or paint brushes. A range of collaborative software and multiplayer games will be offered once the device is available sometime at the end of October.

Windows 8 Tabletop (Image Credit: PCPro)

Sony Xperia T
Remember the Sony Xperia phone dubbed ‘Mint’? Rumours about it had surfaced sometime last month. Well, the company has unveiled the handset at IFA, giving us some magic from Android in the Windows 8 dominated event. The handset was codenamed Mint, and is officially called the Xperia T. It runs on Android’s newest Jelly Bean flavour, and is fuelled by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and an Adreno 225 GPU. Sony hasn’t jumped onto the quad core bandwagon yet. However, the smartphone promises an improved battery life, fast performance and sharp graphics. Sony also employs the Mobile Bravia Engine to deliver razor sharp display clarity. It will be dipped in shades of black, silver and white, and is slated for a global launch in a couple of weeks. There is no word on the pricing yet.

Its Xperia T, not Mint

Here are a few specs of the Sony Xperia T:

• 4.6-inch HD Reality Display powered by the Mobile Bravia Engine
• LTE, UMTS / HSPA+, NFC
• 13MP fast capture camera with LED flash and a 720p HD front camera
• 16GB internal memory along with a MicroSD card slot
• MHL

ZTE Grand X IN
This ZTE handset is the first Android ICS phone with ‘Intel Inside’. The ZTE Grand X IN features the low powered Intel Atom processor Z2460 with Intel Hyper-Threading Technology and support for HSPA+ 21Mbps network with the Intel XMM 6260 Platform. With these Intel technologies, the handset will offer an energy efficient, high performance user experience with faster browsing, and a responsive Internet experience. This ZTE flagship phone is expected to launch in Europe this month. So far, there is no news about its availability in other regions.

Intel Inside

Here are the specifications of the phone:

• 4.3-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 960 x 540 pixels
• EDGE, 3G, HSDPA, HSPA+, NFC, Wi-Fi 802.11 /b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct
• GPS Enabled
• Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP
• 8 megapixel AF camera with full HD video recording, 0.3MP front facing camera
• 16GB internal memory expandable up to 32GB via microSD

After a high dose of technology at IFA 2012, a slew of devices will soon be making their way into markets across the globe. Which device are you looking forward to most?

Main Image Credit: Jagdish Limbachiya