Five coolest tech we've seen so far at IFA 2018
The biggest consumer tech show in Europe, IFA 2018, is underway, and for the fans and tech community alike, it is proving to be one interesting ride.
With a number of exciting products on show, this year's IFA has been one of the best in history. From forward looking smartphones to gaming PCs, we saw plenty of exciting stuff at the Berlin event.
Here's the best of the lot.
8K TVs
Televisions related announcements have always been a big part of IFA, and this year too we have seen some major ones.
Industry leaders, Samsung and LG at the tech show announced plans of bringing to the market a major update in television technology by announcing their own 8K TVs. The two showed off this new display technology which has four times the resolution of 4K screens.
First out of the blocks was Samsung which on Thursday unveiled the Q900, packing in in mammoth 33 million plus pixels. 85-inch in size, the TV is poised to become the first commercially available 8K TV when it goes on sale in October.
LG too has announced its own 88-inch 8K OLED TV. However, it refrained from disclosing any commercial launch or price details.
Despite the fact that 8K TVs dramatically boost the number of pixels in the displays, which as per the TV makers should result in sharper pictures on bigger screens, they will be of little use to the general public in 2018.
Acer Swift 5: World's lightest 15-inch laptop
One of the more interesting things announced at the tech show has been the Acer Swift 5.
The laptop created using a magnesium-lithium and a magnesium-aluminum alloy is the lightest and thinnest laptop in the 15-inch size segment. However, a quick look at the spec sheet would tell you that it also excels when it comes to performance.
The laptop has been announced in two variants – Core i7-8565U or Core i5-8265U – that will bring with them 2GB of dedicated graphics using a Nvidia GTX 1050 Max-Q. Acer is also equipping the laptop with up to 16GB of DDR4 RAM and 1TB of SSD storage.
In terms of battery, the company promises up to 8 hours of battery.
Blackberry Key2 LE
IFA 2018 also saw a number of interesting phones being announced. Arguably the most interesting among them was the Blackberry Key2 LE.
The device is actually a cheaper version of the BlackBerry Key2 – a high-spec smartphone released earlier in the year.
With a touch display and a physical QWERTY keyboard, the Key2 LE is Blackberry's renewed attempt at making its phones popular again.
With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor, paired with 4GB of RAM and a 3,000mAh battery, the device appears to be packing enough to take on the crowded mid-segment that it has been placed in.
Polaroid OneStep+
Much like Blackberry, Polaroid, a brand synonymous with still photography in the 1970s and 1980's, is also trying to come back in the game, but without losing out on what made it a hit in the first place.
In its attempts to do so, the company announced a retro-styled instant camera that spits pictures out like the Polaroids of the good old days.
In terms of looks, it's pretty basic. However, it comes with a dual lens system allowing for closer shooting distances as short as 30cm. Additionally, it also brings with it support for the Bluetooth standard which allows pictures clicked on it to be instantly shared with a paired smartphone where they can be edited and shared on the fly.
Acer Predator Thronos
Last, but not the least, is this absurd gaming chair by Acer, which looks more like a throne fit for the most enthusiastic gamers.
The Predator Thronos, though categorised as a chair, brings with it a giant overhead brace that can support three 27-inch gaming monitors, along with integrated space for a Predator gaming PC. Weighing at over 485 pounds, it is made out of steel and has a motorised cockpit for adjusting your screen setup. The whole setup is also adorned with LED lights which light up while you play.
But that's not all. The Thronos also vibrates in sync with the games you’re playing, and can recline up to 140 degrees.
Can't say we're not impressed.