Celebrating its golden jubilee year, IFA 2010, not only attracted more exhibitors and visitors but also touched a new high with the volume of orders placed by the retail trade touching an amazing 3.5 billion Euro. Chandragupta Amritkar reports from Berlin.

IFA (Internationale Funk-Austellung - The International Radio Show) show used to take place every two years, but since 2006 the IFA show became an annual event. The household appliances section was introduced in 2008 and IT and mobile products have started to become an important part of the show.

The 50th IFA saw a double-digit growth as rented display space grow to 134,400 sq.mtrs (+11%) and saw a record 1,423 exhibitors and as many as 235,000 visitors (including 125,000 trade visitors) making it the world's biggest and most important trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances. At 3.5 billion Euro (+9%), the volume of orders placed by the retail trade exceeded last year's figures.

Federal Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel who officially opened the show said, "The 50th edition is an occasion to be proud of. This year's IFA is the biggest in the history of the event and is proof that the right decisions were made, and over and over continue to be made throughout. 50 editions of IFA spanning 86 years, and still the show remains as youthful as ever." Dr Christian G?ke, Chief Operating Officer of Messe Berlin,: "With its high level of growth, the 50th edition of IFA once again set the tone.

The trade, the industry and trade visitors were fascinated by the size of the event and the wide range of products on offer."

New Products and Technologies

Well-known brands like Sony, Samsung, Toshiba, V-MODA, Gramin, Haier, LG and Philips showcased their new gadgets and some of them had almost a whole hall to themselves. At this year's IFA, the craze was more on PC tablets as many manufacturers presented their gadgets. Samsung presented their slick 7-inch Galaxy tablet. The Samsung Galaxy Tab runs Android 2.2, offers Adobe flash support and unrestricted access to applications. It also sports a rear-facing 3.2 megapixel camera and a front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera for video chatting. It has a battery that will last for up to 10 hours of video playback and supports expandable memory up to 32 GB. A release date and price have not been set yet.

Toshiba Folio 100 is based on a Tegra 2 platform and runs on Android 2.2. It has a 10.1-inch capacitive touchscreen, 16 GB built-in storage, SD card expansion, HDMI port, 802.11n WiFi, a 1.3 MP webcam and support for Flash 10.1. The device is only 0.55-inch thick, weighs 1.7 lbs and the battery can last for up to 7 hours. "Our FOLIO 100 media tablet offers a seamless, easy-to-use experience across entertainment, social networking and mobile internet - anytime and anywhere," said Marco Perino, General Manager Digital Life Products and Services. It is expected to be priced at $515.

The Viewsonic ViewPad 100, which also runs on Android 2.2 and can also dual-boot with Windows 7 caught some attention. It features a 10 inch 1024 x 600 LED display, Intel Atom N455 1.66GHz CPU, 1 GB DDR3 RAM, 2 USB ports and a 16 GB SSD. The ViewPad 100 is expected to be priced at $845.

Samsung's new SF-series laptops sport Intel Core i3 or i5 dual-core processors, nVIDIA GPU for power processing and a lower- powered Intel option for word processing. Samsung claims that the SF-series have a battery life of 7.5 hours. Samsung also showcased a netbook, the Samsung N350, with 3G and 4G capabilities. Samsung N350 is the first netbook in the world to offer an HSPA+ modem for 3G and LTE for 4G. Acer also presents new series of notebooks: Acer Aspire 5745P that offers a multi-touch LED display and an option Bluetooth 3.0 and a Blu-ray drive. The Acer Aspire 5745DG sports a 15.6 inch screen with 3D capabilities. It can convert 2D images and videos in 3D, using its Acer Arcade Deluxe software. LED TVs were another craze as LG launched "the first nano LED TV" - LEX 8 that is only 8.8 mm thick and uses a new type of LCD technology to keep the picture bright and sharp. Toshiba's Regza WL768 featured a "Full HD Edge LED Backlight Panel" offering a resolution of 1920 x 1080 at a 7.000.000:1 contrast ratio. It supports 3D with active-shutter glasses and offers 4 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports and WiFi. On the other hand Philips launched their e world's first cinema-ratio 3D TV - 3D Cinema 21:9 HDTV.

V-MODA announced Remix Remote, the latest fashion-forward in-ear headphone featuring with an integrated three-button remote. It has been created to enhance the listening experience and dynamics of today's music. Remix Remote provides an easy-to-use integrated three-button remote control that works with iPhone 3GS, the second generation iPod touch, fourth and fifth generation iPod nano, third generation iPod shuffle, the 120GB and 160GB iPod classic, MacBook (unibody) and MacBook Pro (unibody). The company also launched their Crossfade LP, a fashion-forward headphone. Developed over the span of four years in collaboration with the world's top musicians, DJs and producers, the Crossfade LP delivers epic sound with a distinct design composed of luxurious fabrics and lightweight metals. It is ideal while on the move, at the gym or on stage. Constructed of lightweight metals and luxurious fabrics, the Crossfade LP is available in White Pearl, Phantom Chrome and Gunmetal Black.

Cellular Italia displayed its new, wireless hands-free system, the Cellular Car Kit. With its built-in microphone and speaker this Bluetooth unit is attached to the side window of the car and, because it is permanently charged by the sun, it can be used for long periods without recharging. When the sun goes down a conventional charger is available as an alternative source of power.

The floor care specialist Dirt Devil presented its new robot vacuum cleaner, the EVO. Operating completely independently and avoiding all obstacles, the EVO tracks overlap, and its notes the position of furniture or plants as it travels. The Infinity Eco Silence is a low noise vacuum cleaner and, despite its power output of 1,000 watts and its high performance capability, its multi-cyclone technology gives it reduced energy consumption. Television can now be enjoyed in the bath as well. The Chinese company Foshan Wabon Electronic Technology presented its BATV range, i.e., Bathroom Television, and the waterproof sets can be used on and even in the bath. All these sets are provided with separate and equally waterproof speakers and infra-red remote control. The Magic Mirror TV, a bathroom mirror with a built-in television set, which cannot be seen when it is turned off.

Garmin and Asus joined forces to present their Android Smartphone, the n?vifone A50, a symbiosis of sat-nav device and mobile phone, with numerous applications. There is also a new series of traditional n?vi sat-nav units with PhotoReal 3D to provide a photo-realistic view of junctions.

The Chinese manufacturer of large electrical items, Haier, presented some out-standing and practical domestic appliances. For instance, the HWD80 washer-dryer has a height of only 1.20 meters. "This makes it easier for older people to use, but it also appeals to younger people on account of its touchscreen controls," said Marketing and PR Manager Matthias Moschner from Haier Deutschland GmbH.

The drawer located under the drum is provided with a container for an anionic disinfectant for shoes. The AFT631UX is an advanced fridge-freezer: its TFT screen can be used to access recipes, weather reports and even emails.

IFA Gives the Market a Strong Boost

Due to the positive market developments ahead of the event there was a favourable mood at the 50th edition of IFA, and accordingly it gave the market a strong boost. "3.5 billion euros of orders were placed, setting a new record," said Hans-Joachim Kamp, Vice President of ZVEI. "The companies exhibiting at IFA reported that their high expectations were exceeded in every way. For the trade and the industry this is an extremely positive signal for the months ahead," Kamp added.

IFA 2010 International Keynotes Set New Standards

The IFA International Keynotes were the outstanding highlight of the IFA programme, with speeches from Google, Bosch Siemens, IBM, ESPN and Constantin Medien. Senior international executives provided interesting insights as well as a look at 3D content, smart electronics, ecological issues and the technology of tomorrow.

Successful Debut of IFA iZone and IFA eLibrary

The new display sections IFA iZone and IFA eLibrary were an immediate success.

App developers, retailers, the media and software distributors exhibited their products at more than 50 stands in the new special sections at IFA. Most of the exhibitors were newcomers to IFA and were extremely satisfied, reporting successful business throughout. Thus IFA has successfully integrated the latest trends from the world of i-products and e-media.

The next IFA will take place on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds from 2 to 7 September 2011. (The writer is with Global Features and can be contacted at chandraguptaa @hotmail.com)