Special report: IFA 2011
Our smarter future T
Connected technology and innovation were the buzzwords at this year’s IFA extravaganza, reports Steve May
he consumer electronics
business regained its momentum at IFA 2011. While key themes, such as 3D and network connectivity, remain unchanged from last year’s show, genuine product innovation was most definitely back in fashion.
One company that appeared completely refocused was Sony. Its chairman and chief executive, Sir Howard Stringer, was in fine fettle, delivering an opening address that was both self depreciating and deliciously confrontational. “This year, we’ve been flooded, flattened, hacked and singed, but that was yesterday,” he proclaimed.
Introducing the brand’s first tablets, he couldn’t resist taking a pop at rival Apple: "It's not who makes it first that counts,” he sniped “but who makes it better… and remember Apple doesn’t make movies.”
Certainly on the product
front, Sony reclaimed its old mojo. An IFA highlight was its remarkable HMZ-T1 Personal 3D Viewer. This futuristic looking headset incorporates two OLED panels and a surround sound system to create a virtual movie-going experience. Sony says wearing the headset is the equivalent to watching a movie on a 700-
Numbers up for IFA 2011
Despite ongoing gloomy trading conditions, the IFA organizers declared this year’s expo a resounding success. 238,000 visitors attended the show (up 3% YOY), with 1,441 exhibitors reporting trade orders in excess of 3.7 billion Euros as a result of the show.
12 The Independent Electrical Retailer October 2011
inch screen. It’s not, of course, but it is a novel twist to the ongoing 3D story.
Another innovative 3D gizmo that few saw coming was Sony’s digital binoculars. Aimed at twitchers, spys and voyeurs alike, the DEV-5 not only offers massive magnification but can record video in 2D and 3D. Footage can even be geotagged by an inbuilt GPS receiver.
Dual Play rising 3D was a key ingredient at LG’s IFA booth as well, but adding a zesty twist was a new feature called Dual Play. This uses the brand’s Cinema
3D technology to deliver two completely separate 2D images to wearers of Dual Play polarized glasses. It’s aimed at video gamers who would normally have to play each other using a split screen display. Dual Play eyeware is either left/left polarized or right/right polarized and allows
multiplayer video games to be played full screen.
Also generating a buzz was
LG’s PenTouch TV. With a supplied light pen users can write, draw and deface their gogglebox. The general gist seems to be educational, but many visitors appeared to be
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36