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IFA fair offers eye-catching array of high-tech gizmos
IFA fair offers eye-catching array of high-tech gizmos
September 04, 2016 | 08:46 PM
From curved televisions and futuristic virtual reality headsets to intelligent kitchens, Berlin’s mega consumer electronics show offers a mind-boggling array of the latest in high-tech gizmos.Here are a few of the most eye-catching gadgets at IFA: IT NOT ONLY WASHES AND DRIES: This Panasonic washing machine also folds your laundry.The Japanese white goods maker said the three-in-one machine would be ready to hit stores in 2019.In the run up, the company is developing a robot called “Laundroid”, which would be trained to fold laundry.ODOUR REMOVAL: Last night’s meal at the restaurant may have been delicious but it is far less alluring to have to put on the jacket that still smells like it a day later.German appliance giant Siemens has a solution for that: simply toss it into a washing machine, which without running a wash cycle eliminates the odour through a so-called sensoFresh function.PA IN YOUR EAR: Want to send an SMS without taking out your phone, or have someone whisper the weather forecast in your ear? Sony has developed “Xperia Ear” — a small Bluetooth earphone that can tell your smartphone to send texts or recite information into your ear.“It’s not just a Bluetooth earphone, but a personal assistant who works with the smartphone without having to touch it,” said Jean-Raoul de Gelis, director-general of Sony Mobile France.VROOM VROOM GPS: After helping to popularise the use of GPS in cars, TomTom has finally decided to take a crack at the scooter market, with a colourful round satellite navigator that looks like a rear-view mirror.Fitted on the handlebar, the gadget is controlled through an app on the smartphone. To plot a route, simply enter the destination.The link to the smartphone also allows the GPS device to alert the rider when a call is coming in.WATCH THE KIDS: Smartwatches are not only for adult geeks. Elari has one called Fixitime that is designed for children, with a GPS system linked to a smartphone app that tells parents exactly where their child is.It also comes with an SOS button and another that allows the child to make calls to up to 60 pre-set numbers.Pet-owners who want to make sure that their furry darlings do not run astray, meanwhile, have the option of attaching a “Smartrack” into their collars.The Elari device is controlled through a smartphone app, and locates the wearer on a map.
September 04, 2016 | 08:46 PM