Europe's biggest meeting place for new electronics products, the IFA 2019 ("Internationale Funk Ausstellung") organised at Berlin brings together all types of products, many of them concerning business travellers Laptops, secure data storage, headsets, smartphones, external batteries... everything to make life easier for professionals on the move.
Several notebook ranges were presented in the aisles of the Messe Berlin halls. These included Asus is adding new 10th-generation Intel Core processors to its notebook ranges, including the ASUSPRO B9 (the lightest 14-inch pro on the market, weighing in at 880g), ZenBook Duo UX481 with a second touchscreen, ZenBook and ZenBook Flip, both with the new ultra-fast Wi-Fi 6 connection. From AcerWith a 10th-generation Intel Core processor, Windows 10 and a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce MX250 graphics card, the Swift 5 weighs in at just under a kilo (990 g). Its battery life is impressive (12:30), and 30 minutes of charging is enough to gain an extra 4:30 of battery life. Perfect for a stopover in an airport lounge, between two planes. Lenovo offers a mid-range model, the IdeaPad S540 (13'', €999), ultra-thin and built in aluminium, with RapidCharge3 technology and an AMD Ryzen 7 or 10th-generation Intel Core i7 processor. An artificial intelligence system optimises cooling and battery management.
Visit storagethe specialist brand Verbatim focuses on fingerprint security, whether it's an external SSD or a USB flash drive, both with full 256-bit AES encryption and allowing up to six users and one administrator, with password-protected access. Seagate is focusing on the compactness of its pocket-sized One Touch SSDs (€104.99 for 500GB and €174.99 for 1TB). They include Sync Plus continuous backup software and offer file transfer speeds of up to 400 MB/s (maximum sequential read/write speeds). Last but not least, Western Digital is offering a 5TB capacity version of its My Passport model.
The battle on the headphones is raging, while the many players in the segment are vying with each other in their creativity to appeal to every type of audience. business travellers on the front lineThis includes an offensive on theANC (Active Noise Cancelling), an indispensable companion on a quiet flight or train journey, in a bubble conducive to concentration. At SennheiserThe top-of-the-range Momentum range is topped by a magnificent model with active noise reduction, the Momentum Wireless (€399), which is on a par with the likes of Bose and Sony. It is completed by an original feature: the incorporation of a Tile chip which can be used to locate any headphones that may have been mislaid, a function also applied by Skullcandy to the new ANC version of its Crusher helmet. Philips joins the dance with a PH805 at a reasonable price, under 200 euros. Creative Audio offers a wireless version of its impressive Super X-Fi audio processing, which gives the impression that the source is further away from the ear, a very pleasant experience when listening to music or watching a film. Finally, the widespread availability of wireless in-ear headphones extends to manufacturers who have not yet ventured into this area, such as Plantronics or Audio Technica (with two models), while Jabraone of the forerunners of the genre, is refining its recipe with an even more miniaturised, autonomous and discreet model, called Elite 75t. JBL also offers a wide range of sportswear, including versions developed in partnership with Under Armour. Finally, the Aftershokz has developed a waterproof version of its original bone conduction headphone concept, with an integrated audio player (4 GB capacity) to accompany swimmers as they do their laps. Ideal for accompanying a visit to a hotel swimming pool. For sports users, there's also the arrival of Adidas in headphones, with two models made from the same type of technical fabric used on the German brand's sports shoes.
The connected watches are also continuing to be the subject of numerous announcements at this year's IFA 2019whose group Fossil which offers its 5th generation of products under the Michael Kors, Emporio Armani, Fossil, Diesel and - this is new - Puma sports brands. Fitbit Versa 2 (€199.95) now includes a microphone, giving it access to voice assistants (Amazon Alexa in this case). It provides a sleep score and, above all, an alarm clock in a flexible time slot, in which the watch will choose the most appropriate sleep phase for an individual. less rude awakening. It now also includes Spotify. The French language Withings offers an elegant hybrid connected watch (with classic hands), the Move, which includes a electrocardiogram with CE medical certification (€129). It also tracks physical activity and sleep. The specialist in sports activity watches Garmin is presenting a number of new products, including the Venu range with an Amoled screen, as well as the Fitbit Versa 2.
The smartphones are not forgotten at IFA 2019, with new products from Nokia which is presenting a mid-range model called 7.2 (€349.90) featuring a 40MP camera from Zeiss. Sony is offering its Xperia 5 in the original extended 21/9 format, while Motorola takes care of the photo part of its One Zoom, with a quadruple camera module featuring a 48 MP main sensor, a very wide angle and a night mode, according to the current standards thatApple has just joined the party with generation 11 of its iPhone, presented at the German trade fair at its Cupertino headquarters. The Chinese giant TCLwhich is better known for its televisions, is launching its own smartphones in Europe, Samsung confirms the arrival of the definitive version of its famous Fold screen from 18 Septemberafter a postponement due to quality issues. Note also the original English manufacturer F(x)tec which offers a model with a sliding physical keyboard reminiscent of certain Nokia models from years ago, the Pro1. Finally, an external module like the new Skyroam Solis X will enable you to connect easily to the Internet via WiFi in all the countries you visit (more than 130 countries on the programme) thanks to its virtual SIM cardfor a one-off payment. It also acts as an external charger.
Indispensable travel companions, external chargers are also making progress, with rapid and even wireless charging capabilities. Mophie offers particularly elegant models, with all the necessary connections built into the shell, so there's no need to search for a lost or forgotten cable in the office... The brand Xtorm offers its Fuel Series 3 range, capable of recharging a smartphone to 50 % in 30 minutes thanks to its 18-watt output. So you can continue to use your mobile products whatever the circumstances.
