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IFA 2013 has kicked-off, bringing with it a swathe of new gadgets to get excited about. We're seeing updates and new launches left, right and centre. Here we're pulling together the best of the best, the devices you should be getting excited about, the sort of thing you might add to your Christmas list.

We're battling through the press conferences and announcements, bringing you plenty of action from the show floor before the show opens to the public. But the things that really catch our eye you can read about here. We'll be adding to this feature as we get to grips with more exciting tech.

You can follow all our IFA 2013 news via our IFA 2013 homepage, but if you're after the best devices all in one place, you've landed on the right page. 

Sony Xperia Z1

Undoubtedly one of the highlights of the show, the Sony Xperia Z1 takes a great phone and makes it better. The design has been tweaked slightly so its better in the hand and now has a waterproof 3.5mm headphone socket. But it's under the skin where the biggest changes have been made.

The Lexar Professional Workflow HR1 is a four-bay USB 3.0 card reader hub designed for professional photographers who need to import images and video from multiple cards quickly. The modular device enables users can mix-and-match depending on whether they shoot on SD, CompactFlash or XQD memory cards.

Stacking card readers in the vertical hub, the Workflow HR1 will save desk space for anyone who needs to use multiple card readers. Given that up to four readers can be used and connected to a computer by a single USB, it could also be useful for photographers short on USB 3.0 slots who don't want to be constantly switching between readers.

As the device uses USB 3.0, it's capable of shifting data at speed, which is important if you are shooting large image files, HD or even 4K video. The Workflow HR1 can also transfer data from all four card readers at the same time, meaning users don't have to wait to import one card then another after a large shoot.

The modular design means that after buying the Workflow HR1 reader hub, users can then add their selection of compatible card readers, which are sold separately. If you need to transfer while out and about, the card readers can be used individually by simply by removing them from the hub and connecting a USB cable into the rear.

The Lexar Professional Workflow HR1 and respective card readers are available now. The four-bay hub costs US$80, the SD and CompactFlash card readers will set you back $30 and if you shoot on XQD, that reader comes in at $45.

Sony unveiled a mountain of new gear at IFA press conference, but for whatever reason it decided to quietly slip this beauty out under all the noise. Comparable to the 55-inch OLED set that Samsung unveiled at CES, Sony's new 65-inch, 1080P, S990A is the first set to put a gentle curve on LED flatscreen technology. And since LED sets are pretty common these days, it means the S990A is available for pre-order right now for just $4,000, compared to the $9,000 that Samsung wants for its curvy offering. 

The 16:9 aspect ratio introduced with HDTV was designed to better fill a user's field of vision, and the gentle curve on the S990A takes that idea one step further with a slightly more immersive feel when you're sitting front and center. The effect is even more noticeable when you're playing games with a first-person perspective, but it works just as well for the home theater experience too. 

The S990A uses Sony's TRILUMIOS display technology, which has the ability to precisely control the set's LED backlighting in order to make colors seem particularly vibrant. And as much as it sounds like just a marketing buzzword, the results are colors and saturation that are very intense. As long as your source material hasn't been compressed to a muddy mess, you'll certainly see the difference on the S990A if you're upgrading from a flatscreen that's even just a few years old. 

To allow the 65-inch set to still be mounted to walls, the back of S990A doesn't match the curve of its display up front. It remains flat, which means that while the TV is thin in the center, it gets a few inches thick at the sides. But Sony has found a way to even promote that as a good thing, by using that extra space as resonance chambers for a set of four speakers on either side. 

Home theater enthusiasts will probably still want to stick with their own speaker setups, but those happy to rely on the S990A's will appreciate that the top speaker on either side is actually pointed slightly outwards to bounce the sound around a room, creating a faux-surround experience. You won't be fooled into thinking you're sitting in a movie theater, but it's adequate enough if the S990A topped out your budget. 

The downside, of course, to this recent trend of curved TVs is that you run into the same issues with viewing angles as we did with 3D sets. It's not quite as bad here, you can certainly sit pretty much anywhere in front of the S990A without any loss of image or color quality. But the sweet spot for the full immersive experience is still dead center, which limits how many people crowded in front are getting the best experience. 

However, the curve is so gentle that sweet spot issues aren't a complete deal breaker. And if you live alone and are looking for the ideal way to escape into a movie or a video game, the immersive feel of the S990A is most definitely noticeable. Particularly when you then go back to a perfectly flat set and wonder why the screen is curving away from you. And Sony has managed to price the S990A at a reasonable level so that this first generation of its curved sets isn't completely out of reach for most consumers.

 

A couple of months ago, Patriot released the Fuel+, a complete line of mobile rechargeable batteries. There are six models to choose from ranging from 1,500 mAh all the way up to 9,000 mAh. Although I had a chance to play with the Fuel+ 3000 and Fuel+ 6000, I am going to concentrate this review on the Fuel+ 9000. It’s the flagship of the bunch, but based on it’s price, it’s the best bang for the buck. Hit the break to get started.

Design

Patriot isn’t the kind of company to cut corners, and the Fuel+ line is no exception. All seven models are dressed in white/red or white/blue, depending on the model. They all feel very solid and light, even the 9000 isn’t all that heavy. Each model varies in dimensions, based on the size of the battery. For example, the 3000 is only 3.9” x 0.9” x 0.9” and weighs 0.16 pounds, while the 9000 is 3.7” x 4.5” x 1”  and weighs 0.42 pounds. All models feature a power button to the side along with a battery charge indicator that shows in 25% increments (25%, 50%, 75%, 100%). One end will have a microUSB port for charging the Fuel+ and the other end will have either one or two USB 2.0 ports for charging your phone or tablet. The one port models feature 1.0-amps, but the two port models feature both 1.0-amps and a 2.5-amps. I was thoroughly impressed with the build quality on all models.

Performance

When it comes to mobile rechargeable batteries, the performance is pretty standard. What really matters is how long it takes to charge your phone or tablet, but you also need to take into account the size of the battery in your device. There is also the factor on whether you charge your device with the 1.0-amp or 2.5-amp port (if available). The 2200 and 3000 offer only the 1.0-amp port, while the 5200, 6000, 7800, and 9000 offer both 1.0 and 2.5-amp ports. The 2.5-amp port is meant for tablets, but you can also use it to charge your phone faster. To give you a point of reference, the 2.5-amp port charged the Galaxy S 4 (2600 mAh), in about 1 hour and 50 minutes.  On the contrary, it took just under 3 hours to charge it via the 1.0-amp port. I also tested the Moto X, which has a 2200 mAh battery. The 2.5-amp port charged it in 1 hour and 30 minutes, and the 1.0-amp port took 2 hours 30 minutes. In all cases, the batteries on the phones were completely discharged before charging.

Now depending on the model of the Fuel+, you will be able to get more than one charge out of it. It’s a matter of looking at how many milliamps (mAh) your phone battery has vs. how many mAh the Fuel+ has. When using the 1.0-amp port, a fully charged 9000 should charge the Moto X 4 times and the Galaxy S 4 approximately 3.5 times. However, when utilizing the 2.5-amp port, you sacrifice the number of charges for speed. When I charged the Moto X using the 1.0-amp port, I had about 75% left on the Fuel+, but when I charged it on the 2.5-amp port, I only had about 50% left. So you can expect to get about 2 charges on your phone using the 2.5-amp port. Tablets are another ballgame since they sport much larger batteries and you will need to use the 2.5-amp port. If you’re looking to charge a Nexus 7 from 0% to 100%, you probably will be able to charge it 1.5 times.

You can also charge two devices at the same time (on the models that have two ports). You can utilize the 1.0-amp port for your phone and the 2.5-amp port for your tablet. Or you can charge two phones (one would charge faster than the other). The other very cool thing about all the Fuel+ models is that you can charge the Fuel+ and your devices at the same time. This makes it convenient when you’re back at your hotel room for the night. You don’t have to worry about bringing extra cords to charge everything separately. Last but no least, the Fuel+ safeguards against under-discharge, over-charge, and short-circuit, with built-in protection to ensure efficient and safe charging cycles.

The only downside is that Patriot only includes a short (10.5-inch) USB cable in the box for charging a device. You won’t find another USB cord with a wall power adapter for charging the Fuel+. I guess the theory is that you can use your phone or tablet’s wall charger since you will be able to charge the Fuel+ at the same time. Since that is the case, it would have been nice if they at least included a second short USB cable on the models that feature two ports. Of course, this is all very minor when you consider the prices Patriot is offering each model at.

Closing

There are a number of mobile rechargeable batteries available today, but I really like what Patriot is offering in terms of design and the ability to charge the Fuel+ battery and up to two devices at the same time. As I mentioned, there are six models to choose from (one extra for iPhone users), so which one? When it comes to battery life, I don’t like to fool around. I would highly recommend you grab the Fuel+ 9000. Priced at $70.67 on Amazon, it’s the best bang for the buck. You can certainly grab the Fuel+ 5200 for $49.99, but the 9000 gives you nearly double the amount of power for only $20 more. The only advantage the smaller models give you (other than price) is size and weight, but the 9000 isn’t much larger or heavier than the others.

In order for the Internet of Things to become a reality, devices will need to be able to communicate with the internet and with one another. If they have to be powered up in order to so, however, a lot of electricity is going to be wasted. That’s where a new technology known as “ambient backscatter” comes into the picture. Developed by engineers at the University of Washington, it uses ever-present existing TV and cellular signals to provide the power and medium for battery-less communications.

Each device utilizing the ambient backscatter system is equipped with an antenna that picks up TV or cellular signals and converts them into electricity, which it then uses to reflect a Morse code-like version of that signal. Similar antennas on other devices in turn detect that coded, reflected signal, and can respond accordingly. No human intervention is required.

Not only would the technology let devices communicate without being turned on, but it would also allow for things such as structural sensors to be embedded in concrete or other materials, where they would be impossible to access for battery-changes – as long as the signals could reach through the material to their antennas, they could communicate.

Led by Prof. Shyam Gollakota, U Washington researchers added the antennas to credit card-sized circuit boards. Each device had an integrated LED that illuminated when it received a signal, but no battery. It was found that pairs of the cards placed several feet apart could communicate with one another, even when up to 6.5 miles (10.5 km) away from the nearest TV transmission tower. The rate at which they could exchange information was reportedly sufficient to relay data such as sensor readings or text messages.

This, in turn, leads to another possible use for the technology. In the future, smartphones might be able to use ambient TV and cellular signals to transmit text messages, even once their battery has died. Additionally, ambient backscatter tags on those phones (or on anything else) could be used to transmit their location if they were misplaced.

A new Kickstarter project is set to launch the world's first all-in-one 3D copy machine that can scan, copy, print and even fax 3D objects. Sporting a 7-inch touchscreen and four easy to operate buttons, the Zeus is a stand alone machine that can work independent of both an internet connection and a desktop computer. So instead of running out to buy a hammer the next time you need one, you could simply scan your neighbors or have a friend fax across their hammer scan and print it out on your end.

3D printers are becoming more affordable especially with MakerBot's recent announcement about the Replicator 2 3D printer being made available through select Microsoft retail outlets in the US for a price of $2,549. However these machines only print 3D objects. The field is wide open for a machine that integrates 3D scanning, copying and faxing abilities in addition to printing and that's where AIO robotics plans to step in with Zeus.

Set to launch on September 4 at Kickstarter, the Zeus features an on-board computer and a 12-inch turntable. While there's little information available on the official site, posts made by the company on the RepRap forum, state how initial tests demonstrate the machine's ability to print at a 100 micron resolution or lower.

Created by Computer Science PhD students, Kai Chang and Jens Windau at the University of Southern California, who founded AIO robotics, the Zeus is touted to be easy for non-techies to use – even simpler than operating a household printer. Objects can be scanned on the Zeus thanks to the on-board computer and the data can be faxed over the internet if needed.

Though there isn't any firm word on the price, it's expected to be cheaper than getting a MakerBot Replicator and Digitizer scanner. More details are expected to be made available once it makes its debut at Kickstarter.

This March, MakerBot gave us a sneak preview of its Digitizer – a 3D scanner designed to create three-dimensional design files based on scans of physical objects. At the time, it was still in prototype form, and not many details were available. Now, however, it’s a done deal, with shipping expected to begin in mid-October.

The Digitizer features a turntable-style platform, which accommodates objects measuring up to 8 x 8 inches (20.3 cm), and weighing no more than 3 kg (6.6 lb). As the object is rotated on that platform, a camera and two lasers jointly scan all of its exterior surfaces.

After a few minutes and “just two clicks,” a smooth and complete 3D design file of the object (in a format of your choice) is automatically created. This can be used with one of MakerBot’s Replicators, or on any other type of 3D printer, to produce a physical model.

While the company states that no design skills or knowledge of modeling software is required to use the device, that would only apply to situations in which a direct copy of the scanned item were desired. If you wished to modify the file in any way (such as to add a handle to the printed version of the object, for instance), you would need to be at least a little proficient with some sort of CAD program.

The Digitizer is available now for pre-order, at a price of US$1,400 (an optional $150 support package can also be purchased). It can be seen in use in the video below.

You think that the regular HD video aspect ratio of 16:9 is good enough? Ha! Panasonic will go you one better – in fact, it’ll go four times better. The electronics manufacturer has developed a 64:9 Ultra-Wide Camera System. With its 160-degree horizontal field of view, it can capture an entire sports field in one 720p image, in which all of players are still clearly visible.

Instead of one camera with a crazy-wide lens, the system incorporates four of Panasonic’s AW-HE120 16:9 cameras. These are mounted together in a single 40-kg (88-lb) rig, and use visual cues to automatically pan, tilt and zoom, in order to follow the action.

They all move in unison (not unlike the cameras used in NHK’s bullet time video system), each camera’s shot picking up at the edge of where one of its neighbors’ shots leaves off. Software is used to “seamlessly” stitch the four cameras’ shots together in real time, side-by-side, to form one really wide picture. That picture is viewed on linked 16:9 screens.

Before you start looking forward to Ultra-Wide movies, however, take note that the technology is intended more for things like sports coaching analysis. It should be released commercially in November, with its price being revealed sometime before that. In the meantime, if you happen to be at Australia’s Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre this Tuesday through Thursday, you can see it for yourself at the Integrate 2013 electronics show.

If you’re in the market for a personal fabrication machine, you probably already know that your budget might allow for a 3D printer or a CNC machine, but not both, and an additional 3D scanner would just be icing. However, all three are now available together on Indiegogo in the form of the FABtotum, one of the first hybrid fabrication machines in a quickly developing market.

I'll explain the name right off: in Latin, a factotum is a human servant responsible for many different things, literally doing and making everything.

This FABtotum, however, is a shiny and neat 36-cm (14-inch) cube available in many color options. The maximum printing size is 210 x 240 x 240 mm (8.3 x 9.5 x 9.5 in), which is large proportionate to its overall footprint. Tools can be easily swapped out and the company will allow third-party tools and parts to be sold on its website – no proprietary spools of printing material to buy, or expensive upgrades.

Additive printing with FABtotum allows for both quick prints and more polished prints with a Z-axis precision of 0.47 microns. Material options with the included CNC head only allow for lightweight materials up to thin aluminum and brass alloys, but users can swap in heads with stronger motors for other materials. The range of applications include milling, including circuit boards, 4-axis engraving, 2.5-D profiling, CNC pre-drilling, and 4-axis machining. The so-called 4th axis is a rotational axis, useful for lathing items or even creating fully 3D objects.

FABtotum’s scanning feature incorporates its 4th axis for touch probe digitization, useful for high accuracy scans, but it also has a laser for quicker scans. Between these two components, the company says that the machine can acquire objects that are smaller and more complex than many other 3D scanners.

Switching from printing to milling can be done easily, but even better is the dual head option allowing for alternate milling and printing without user intervention, adjusting the project, or having to swap parts. Marco Rizzuto explained the system in more detail over email, pointing out that while the system doesn’t allow for both heads to work simultaneously, this was done as a cost-balancing feature due to the expense of the extra parts, and will still be explored later.

Because FABtotum is being released open source, the schematics will be available online. But in addition to expressing interest in a hearty open-source community, the FABtotum also comes off as a valid option for those who don’t have the skills or interest to build their own machine. Buyers are promised replacement heads and two years of repairs. The company is open about design choices, constraints, the full list of specs (available on the Indiegogo page), and expected differences between the prototype machine and the shipped version.

The FABtotum is available for backing on Indiegogo until October 7, with delivery anticipated for May – if the funding goal is met. Pledge options include a fully-finished version for $1,099, a couple of flavors of DIY kits, and discount coupons for those who are interested but can’t commit to the full price now.

A surgeon at The Ohio State University recently performed a routine knee surgery wearing Google Glass. Streaming live video footage from the operating room, the demonstration showcased some of the ways in which Glass could be useful in the operating room.

After Dr. Ismail Nabeel managed to obtain one of the few Glass test units, he decided to partner with colleague Dr. Christopher Kaeding to demonstrate how wearable computing devices such as Google's highly anticipated device could change the way operations are performed.

Kaeding performed a routine knee ligament surgery while wearing Glass, which enabled him to stream live video to colleagues, who consulted with them, and to a group of medical students at Ohio State, who watched the surgery on their laptops as it unfolded in real time.

Wearable computing devices such as Glass have aroused the interest of the medical community because they could have interesting implications in several aspects of patient care.

Aside from enhancing medical education, Google Glass could be used to spread time-critical medical expertise in areas that are hard to reach. Inside the operating room, it could even allow surgeons to call up X-rays or MRI images of their patients in real time, or consult with the relevant specialist remotely and in real time.

When Apple first introduced the Lightning connector with the launch of the iPhone 5 in September 2012, 30-pin to Lightning adapters were also announced. This gave folks who'd just spent a wad of cash on quality speaker docks from the likes of Bowers & Wilkins a way to avoid expensive upgrades, or helped prevent the forced retirement of old favorites like the Bose SoundDock 10. Music lovers could also choose to go wireless with a 30-pin Bluetooth receiver and enjoy fairly decent fidelity, so long as they didn't wander too far off the beaten track and go out of range. Now Sweden's C4 Electronics has released the Dolry Stone, a cute little device that's claimed to be the world's first 30-pin adapter compatible with Apple AirPlay, DLNA, Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct. Read on for our hands-on review.

In the box