Today, the 50th edition of the consumer electronics show IFA in Berlin is starting. Until coming Wednesday, September 8th, more than 1,423 exhibitors are showing consumer electronics and home appliances on the exhibition site. Key themes on display at the IFA 2010 include HDTV, 3D TV, the networked home, TV/internet convergence and mobile media. One of the highlights is the new Android tablet Samsung Galaxy Tab which the manufacturer presented on Wednesday at the SoHo house in Berlin. In the home appliances sector, the focus is on design, ease-of-use and ergonomics. Other important trends cutting across market segments and discussed in conference sessions are digital lifestyles, smart homes, and energy efficiency. Here is some more information for visitors of the IFA 2010 show.

There have been lots of rumors about the tablet PC Samsung Galaxy Tab. Now, we know: It is real. Today, Samsung has presented the Galaxy Tab at the consumer electronics show IFA 2010 in Berlin. It will be available in October at all four operators’ stores in Germany with and without plan. Without plan the purchase price for the Galaxy Tab with 16 GB storage capacity will be probably less than the recommended retail price of € 799.00. Later on, there will also be a 32 GB version of the mobile device. I had the opportunity to take a closer look at the Android 2.2 (Froyo) tablet yesterday night. Here is a short review of the Galaxy Tab.

Is that another iPhone? Nope, it just looks like one. It might have been coincidence that Samsung invited me to come Munich to a presentation of the Samsung Galaxy S I9000 smart-phone the very same day that Apple launched the iPhone 4 in Germany. But I don’t believe this – the Samsung Galaxy S seems to be too much a copy of the Apple iPhone. But, heck, I am not accusing Samsung of plagiarism. Lots of cell phone manufacturers have picked up the ideas and concepts that made the iPhone a success story. Since its launch the Apple phone has changed the smart-phone world dramatically and the users have benefited from that. The Samsung Galaxy S is just one example of how simple to use a smart-phone with such a broad range of features can be. Here is my short review of the new Samsung smart-phone and some information on how to buy it in Germany at a comparably low purchase price.

I am not sure whether you can really count on what the German tablet PC manufacturer Neofonie has announced recently. We still have in mind the Neofonie press conference in April when journalists could only watch but not touch the WeTab because the tablet PC being introduced was not working at that time. However, Neofonie has now confirmed that first WeTab devices have been handed out to developers for testing. The official launch of the WeTab in Germany should happen in the middle of September (probably on September 19th). Interested users can already pre-order the Neofonie tablet PC at the Amazon web store or at the Media Markt website. Amazon and Media Markt are both offering the WeTab for € 449.00 and the WeTab 3G for € 569.00.

Mobile phone users can now order the new Symbian 3 smart-phone Nokia N8 in Germany. At the Nokia web store it is available for € 479.00, but it will not be delivered before September. Other web stores in Germany alreday list the Nokia N8 as well. Here purchase prices start at € 440.00 without contract. This week I met Nokia in Berlin and had the opportunity to take a first look at the N8 and I want to share my first impressions of the smart-phone running on the new operating system Symbian 3. For Nokia fans going to buy a new smart-phone with good multi-media, social networking and messaging features it could be worthwhile to wait for two more months because the N8 shows that Nokia is back on the right track.

The HTC Desire is certainly one of the best Android smart-phones available right now. It offers a large number of functions and applications as well as a powerful processor, and it is easily operated. On the other hand, camera, music player and battery performance could be better. German operator Vodafone is selling the HTC Desire for € 479.90 without contract. At O2 Germany stores the HTC Desire is available for € 509.00. At Telekom (T-Mobile) stores buyers will have to pay € 449.00 for the Android smart-phone when he or she does not agree to a new cell phone plan with long term commitment. German web stores offer the HTC Desire for purchase prices beginning at around € 450.00.

The Android 2.1 (Eclair) smart-phone Vodafone 845 is now available at Vodafone stores in Germany. Due to its comparably low purchase price of € 129.90 without a Vodafone contract, the Vodafone 845 is a touch-screen smart-phone for new starters or for penny pinchers. As a contract phone with a “Superflat Internet” plan, purchase prices of the Vodafone 845 begin at € 1.00 at Vodafone stores. Except for at the Vodafone web store, it is also possible to buy the new Android smart-phone with a Vodafone prepaid SIM (“CallYa”) for € 139.80. The prepaid starter package includes the cell phone, the Vodafone SIM card and calling credit of € 10.00.

Small but nice – that’s my impression after having tested the Sony Ericsson X10 Mini of the Xperia multi-media smartphone series. Obviously, the small size of the cell phone compels comprises – the Sony Ericsson X10 Mini fits into any pocket but is not suited for all smartphone application. But don’t be fooled: The X10 Mini is a powerful device despite its small size. Read in this review what I like and what I don’t like about the Sony Ericsson X10 Mini.

German Internet service provider 1&1 has launched a new flat rate tariff for mobile phone calls within Germany and mobile Internet access via smartphone as well as two new flat rate tariffs for surfing the web via Notebook or netbook.

The Android smartphone Samsung Galaxy S I9000 is now available at stores in Germany. Web stores offer it for purchase prices beginning at € 465.00 including delivery. O2 Germany has been the only German network operator announcing the Samsung Galaxy S as being available in its shops at the end of this month. But eventually mobile phone users will find this touch-screen smartphone of manufacturer Samsung at all other network operators’ stores as well. In this article, I am summarizing my first impressions of this phone after having tested it for two days.