IFA 2017 Best gadgets: From smartphones to smart homes

It seems that the world can’t get enough of tech shows, and each convention houses bigger and better gadgets. Berlin’s massive annual IFA, Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin, is no exception, what with all the show-stopping events it touted in the week-long conference. Here are the IFA 2017 best gadgets we loved and are sure to make your jaw drop.

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LG V30

South Korean tech giant LG automatically makes the cut with its new LG V30, a smartphone that’s billed to be created for creatives—only that it’s not just for content creators anymore. The V series has seen growth and maturity both in aesthetics and functionality over the years that the V30 looks like the real flagship LG has in store for us.

LG’s best gadget in the smartphone sector touts an f/1.6 16-megapixel rear camera aided by a secondary f/1.9 13-megapixel wide angle camera, Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, up to 128GB internal storage (expandable up to 256GB via microSD), 4GB of RAM, and IP68 water and dust resistance rating. Its power, however, resides in its large 6-inch HDR+ P-OLED display in LG G6-esque 18:9 ratio, Hi-Fi Quad DAC, and sound tuning by B&O Play. It’s no wonder the LG V30 bagged the highest number of awards at the show.

Sony Xperia XZ1 and XZ1 Compact

Not to be left behind, Sony released a brood of devices as per its custom: the Sony Xperia XZ1 and XZ1 Compact. Both the XZ1 and XZ1 Compact are powered by Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box and Snapdragon 835 under the hood. They also come with 4GB of RAM, durable Gorilla Glass 5, and IP68 rating. Both also have Motion Eye camera system in the rear cam with a 19-megapixel sensor with Predictive Capture, recording super slo-mo 720p vids in 960fps and up to 4K at standard speed.

The bigger brother sports a 5.2-inch 1080p HDR display while the smaller XZ1 Compact has a 4.6-inch 720p screen. The XZ1 will also come in 64GB ROM configuration, while the Compact in 32GB storage. Most interestingly, the XZ1 will feature 3D scanning right out of the box and can connect to 3D printers. Sony is still working to get the deals, but Sculpteo is the first to jump on board.

Sony also crams in the XA1 Plus, which is a decent mid-ranger with its 5.5-inch Full HD display, MediaTek Helio P20 chipset, 32GB of storage, and 4GB RAM.

Lenovo Yoga 920

Cross a contortion-loving laptop with a home assistant and a touchscreen and you’ll get the Lenovo Yoga 920, an all-metal affair of far-field voice control and pen support. Under the hood, this 13.9-inch 4K device runs on up to Intel’s latest 8^th-generation quad-core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. It also has a fingerprint sensor for authenticating your entry. Talk about not wanting to type!

Garmin vivoactive 3

American tech company Garmin releases the vivoactive 3, a smartwatch that allows receiving and responding to messages, social media notifications, calls, and other things. The vivoactive 3 also features the Garmin Chroma display, waterproofing, week-long watch mode battery, and the Elevate heart rate monitor. More importantly, Garmin is releasing its new contactless payment platform supporting both Visa and Mastercard: the Garmin Pay.

Garmin also released two more brothers alongside the vivoactive 3: the hybrid vivomove HR, which means that there’s a screen under the ticking hands, and the vivosport with a seven-day battery on smartwatch mode.

Fitbit Ionic

Say hello to Fitbit’s debut smartwatch: the Fitbit Ionic! It’s colorfully designed, features all the fitness features workout buffs loved with the fitness-first company’s products. Then, there are a few pluses: a heart rate tracker, built-in GPS, a blood oxygen level monitor called SpO2 sensor, and tailored workouts. What’s not to like?

Audio Technica ATH ADX5000

Don’t let your eyes bleed—this costs a whopping US$2,000 (that’s over P100,000 for you), but for good reason. The ATH ADX5000 features open-back cans that deliver a full, rich, and pleasurable sound which brings the sound to life. The Alcantara that cover the pads and the band scream comfort, and this augments the heavenly lightness of the experience. Oh, it also comes in a luxurious case, if you wish to brag about that.

Aftershokz Trekz Air

Say bye to your in-ear or over-ear pieces; this one’s more cutting-edge. The Aftershokz Trekz Air uses bone conduction to deliver the sound through your cheekbones. It might not be as wonderful as in-ear headsets, but this makes you more aware of your surroundings. It’s the perfect pair for your workouts.

Samsung Frame TV

The South Korean’s wall art TVs are making a comeback in this IFA, albeit in a smaller 43-inch size. While there have been similar efforts by other companies in the past, Samsung takes one step ahead by fully embracing this 4K TV as a frame: from the ultra-flushed wall mount to the frame-like bezels. The Frame TV, when on, senses movement and displays an art work which you can purchase individually or get regularly through subscriptions. The TV also matches the ambient light of the room.

That’s a wrap! There sure are a lot more thingamajigs unveiled at this year’s IFA. If you’re keen on knowing about a particular IFA-unveiled gadget, shoot us a message and we’ll deliver it right to your screen!