It’s been a few years since Team Gizmodo has been able to wander the convention halls of Messe Berlin in Germany for IFA. This year, the world’s biggest electronics show had huge announcements and reveals from giants like Intel, Lenovo, and Samsung and we were some of the first to see them.
Much like CES 2024, the best part of going to IFA 2024 is tracking down all the coolest and weirdest tech we can find. And boy, was there some good stuff, like this Acer gaming laptop with a built-in controller pad or this dancing laptop from Lenovo.
With so much to see, we made a list of our favorite gear and technology that was showcased on the show floor. Check back throughout the weekend as we add more awesome and slightly unhinged gadgets from IFA 2024.
Acer’s Orion 7000 Desktop Includes a Hot Swappable SSD Slot
Acer’s latest desktop design was overshadowed by its Nitro Blaze 7 handheld and DualPlay concept. We shouldn’t overlook the small notable feature housed on top of the chassis. There’s a slot for a Predator-brand SSD; all you need to do is pull the tab and yank to remove the storage drive from its USB-C port. This idea isn’t exactly new, but I appreciate how Acer made a seamless and easy design built straight into the tower. You may think this is just an easy way to upgrade storage space, but I’m thinking about it in the same way you would plug a game cartridge into your old console. Imagine loading up half your games on one 1TB SSD and the rest on another. — Kyle Barr
The Lenovo Auto Twist AI PC Is a Laptop That Can Dance
Lenovo’s Auto Twist device features what the company calls “Dual Degree of Freedom” automatic rotation. The PC can use AI to help track eye movements, ensuring the screen is always at optimal visibility. It works with voice commands, so you can ask it to switch between the modes, including closed, open, and, if it’s a two-in-one, tablet mode. The lid will shutter when it realizes you’ve stepped away and left it unattended to reduce busy bodying in the office. Lenovo claims the technology can also help with “ergonomic use” by reducing eye strain. — Florence Ion
TCL’s NXTPaper Phone Finally Might Bring Us the E-Reader That We Never Leave Behind
If a fairy promised me one wish, and I had the chance to bring one overseas phone to the U.S., it would probably be the TCL 50 Pro NXTPaper 5G. Most people in the U.S. would lambaste me for wanting this instead of some hot-off-the-line Oppo or Honor phone, but I can’t help but enjoy the idea of a phone that turns into a simple E-Reader with the flick of a switch. It’s not perfect and certainly not as powerful as people would hope, but the idea is solid. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait forever before TCL brings its devices to North America. — Kyle Barr
Qualcomm Reveals Snapdragon X Plus for Cheaper Co-Pilot+ PCs
Qualcomm is still going strong with its bet on its AI-first processors powering up Windows PCs. At IFA in Berlin, the company unveiled a new, more cost-efficient version of the Snapdragon X Plus. Soon, you’ll find plenty of AI-first Copilot+ laptops for less than $1,000. — Florence Ion
Acer’s Nitro Blaze 7 Looks Like a Racecar, but It’s More Like the Four-Door Sedan Everybody Drives
As much as I want more gaming handhelds on the scene, there has to be a standard for this still-nascent gaming device. Acer’s Nitro Blaze 7 leaves a lot of questions on the table, including the price point and release date. What’s been shown so far isn’t all too compelling other than the promise of a 2TB SSD (which, depending on you ask at Acer, might be swappable) and a 144Hz display. The lack of back buttons is odd, and the software needs much work. And yes, it’s a weird device. The thing has decals that look like a car’s dashboard, but it’s not like its CPU will be any faster than the ROG Ally X or Legion Go. — Kyle Barr
Amazon Put a Guy in a Fridge
I was so close to not caring about whatever Amazon was promoting at IFA, but the digital retail and streaming giant put a guy in a fridge and had him serve drinks. Nope, I’m not telling you what he was there to promote (the tablecloth should give you a clue). But there’s a guy sitting in a fridge serving drinks at IFA. That’s all you need to know. — Kyle Barr
Wireless Power Consortium Says it Has the “Ki” For a Better Way to Use Home Appliances
I don’t know if I will ever own a home, but I know how annoyingly cluttered my kitchen space is with spare power chords. The Wireless Power Consortium, whose members include major tech giants and appliance makers, came out at IFA with what may be the future of at-home appliances. The consortium’s “Ki” standard uses induction to power your blenders, air fryers, or food processors. It works on a range or underneath any countertop an inch or less thick and is not made of metal. It’s an interesting idea, but unlike the Consortium’s Qi2 wireless charging standard, it will take far longer to implement, as both appliances and ranges now require contractors to get on board. Expect future smart homes with high-end appliances to use in the near future. — Kyle Barr
The BeBird is an Ear Cleaner with a Built-in Camera
The people who watch pimple-popping videos on YouTube may now have their most sought-after device around. The BeBird is a simple concept. It’s an ear cleaner with a tiny camera attached to it. You can track your progress with an app as you shove the nozzle into your ear. There are two versions available. The solo version comes with a small pod full of attachments, including a rubberized tip if you’re concerned about going too deep and impacting your eardrum. The family version comes with four pods on a cylinder, like some spaceship aimed directly at your ear canal. It’s OTC (over-the-counter) and is considered a cleaning device rather than any medical tech. — Kyle Barr
BodyFriend’s Latest Ultra-Expensive Massage Chair Gives You Optimus Prime Feet
We have an interesting relationship with Bodyfriend at Gizmodo. I’m not too fond of these massive chairs that literally rubbed me the wrong way. I’ve gravitated toward their latest chair for one very specific reason. It has giant robot feet that you slip your little piggies into once you get into the chair. The feet can move your legs independently, and it’s obviously meant for people with motor challenges as an extra form of physical therapy. I could not even begin to describe whether that would be effective. All I can say is it’s the best way to reenact your Fallout Power Armor suit-up fantasies. — Kyle Barr
The MSI Claw 8 AI Could Be the Redemption The Claw Needs, But We Won’t Get it Until 2025
The MSI Claw was easily the worst handheld PC released in 2024 by any major PC OEM. It was mostly due to its $800 price tag compared to lackluster performance. It improved over time after updates, but it wasn’t up to snuff. MSI’s redemption ark is titled the Claw 8 AI. While you can just ignore the “AI” part of the name, the device is getting the Lunar Lake upgrade from the first claw’s Meteor Lake chip. We want to see how well the Core Ultra Series 2 performs on such a small device. Plus, there’s now an 8-inch display and an 80 Wh battery. We could also see a version with 32 GB of RAM. The look reminds me first of a PlayStation 5 DualSense controller, which I should add isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The thing is, we still don’t know how much it might cost. Worse, MSI has told reporters at IFA 2024 that it won’t ship until early 2025. — Kyle Barr
The Core Ultra Series 2 Helped Intel Bend IFA 2024 to Its Will
We have yet to get an Intel Core Ultra 200V chip in hand, but the next generation of light laptops (which we’re still expected to call “AI PCs” for some reason) might offer some impressive battery life and power from x86 architecture. Acer, MSI, Dell, Asus, and more all showed off their first laptops with the new chip. Sorry if you decided to buy a first-gen Intel Core Ultra device because if Intel’s promises ring true, it would just help shovel dirt on Meteor Lake’s grave. — Kyle Barr
Asus Zenbook S 14 Somehow Made “Ceraluminum” Cool
White looks good on a 14-inch laptop, and Asus’ reconfigured Zenbook S 14 has an incredibly slick finish for this scale. The S 16 came with an AMD Strix Point CPU, but the 14 starts its life out with an Intel Core Ultra 7 chip. It’s promising some excessive battery life that we’ll need to test. We will also need to run our own benchmarks, but just by looks, the Zenbook S 14 has something going for it. “Ceraluminum” is still a silly marketing term, but it makes the laptops feel unique. Sometimes, if all you want is a productivity machine, it’s nice to go with one that’s doing something different. — Kyle Barr
Eureka’s Top-End Robovac Cleans Your Base Station. Why Did Nobody Think To Do This Before?
There are occasions when you look at a tech product, amazed that nobody thought of this before. Then there’s a related phenomenon where you’ve been asking for something for years, and nobody’s ever done it despite the obvious demand. Eureka’s big flagship robovac, the Eureka J15 Pro Ultra, is in the latter category. It’s another high-powered vacuum with built-in mopping capabilities that can hit the touch-to-reach corners of your furniture. Most importantly, the model has a “self-cleaning base station.” So all that gunk you have to clean after enough passes with your robovac now gets cleaned automatically. Your only job now is to take out the trash, keep it topped up with water, and maintain your little bot. — Kyle Barr
The DJI Neo Will be the Cheapest, Smallest Drone Set to Terrorize Our Neighborhoods
The palm-sized DJI Neo is a 4K drone that’s small and light enough to fit in a purse. Its base model is also incredibly cheap at just $200. In the box, you only get a single battery plus the drone. You’ll have to spend closer to $280 for a bundle with two extra batteries. The Neo will be compatible with some of DJI’s recent controllers or headsets. At IFA, DJI allowed attendees to fly it with the full, expensive suite, though most users will use the DJI Fly app to control it. It’s ostensibly a vlogging drone, but it’s bound to become a favorite spy cam for nosy neighbors. — Kyle Barr
Kanto Audio’s REN Is a Lovely Speaker That Is Very Orange
The Canadian speaker brand Kanto came to IFA to show off the REN Active Speaker. I first gravitated to it simply because of its bright orange color, and I stayed… because of the bright orange color. Yes, the $600 100W speakers seemed to sport good, clean audio quality from what I heard in IFA’s halls, but I would need to hear it in a setting not filled with the din of conference life. It supports an HDMI ARC connection with CEC, so it’s a fair pick for a TV setup. It also supports Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C, and optical inputs. It comes in five colors, but honestly, why go with anything else but blazing, overt orange? — Kyle Barr
XGIMI’s MoGo 3 Pro Portable Projector Clams Up as Small as a Thermos
The latest offering from Chinese projector makers, XGIMI’s MoGo line, is one of the most compact projector packages. The $500 MoGo 3 is an all-in-one device with an integrated Google TV, and it folds back and slips into its rounded base to make it easy to carry around. With a max 1080p resolution, you can set this up in your room to watch Netflix on the wall or ceiling. It can pull back past 120 degrees, so there shouldn’t be a spot you can’t hit. — Kyle Barr
Keychron’s Next Big Keyboard has Wood Sides Like Your Dad’s Old Chevy
Keychron’s K2 HE is the next big thing in budget keyboards, but I’m trying to understand why. A part of me gets the appeal, but it doesn’t look good, at least not in these colors. It’s a reconfiguration of the popular and relatively cheap K2, but the $130 K2 HE comes with Gatreon magnetic switches and wood paneling. I held it, typed on it a bit, and was rather concerned by the feel of the keys. There was an inconsistency of travel and feel between different keys, though that may be due to being manhandled all day by hundreds of grubby fingertips. I was repeatedly told the side panels were real wood, though I don’t know what kind. I was more fond of other Keychron keyboards. — Kyle Barr
Kodak’s Barbie Camera Is VERY Pink
I know The Barbie Movie was a good time for all, but I really hope we don’t have to bear the resurgence of Barbie-branded products for much longer. Kodak’s booth at IFA 2024 was covered head to floor in pink. Kodak’s Printomatic instant print cameras have been around for a few months, but they’re no better or cheaper with all those Barbie logos stapled on them. I took the demo unit for a spin, and my first attempt resulted in a whole lot of waiting and an unforeseen error. The second attempt took several minutes and offered me an oversaturated and ugly image. These cameras are usually on sale, though their MSRP is a ludicrous $107. You’re better off looking for a Fujifilm Instax printer instead. — Kyle Barr
Harness the Power of the Sun During Your Hike With This Solar Powered Hat
If I need anything more than the pink Barbie phone, it’s the EcoFlow Power Hat. I know it sounds odd and slightly concerning. I’ve never worn a hat with eight solar panels and dual charging ports on my head, so I’m not sure how it’s going to feel. But picturing my hat simultaneously charging up to two devices while hiking is exciting, too. You’ll have to shell out $80 for it, though, which sounds like a lot for a casual beach hat, but not when I think of a power bank with dual output. So, it’s a fair deal. — Dua Rashid
