IFA Consumer Electronics Show, Berlin: Day 1

The world's consumer electronics manufacturers have descended en masse on Berlin this week as Europe's biggest consumer electronics fair gets underway.

All the big names are here – LG, Sony, Samsung, Philips and Toshiba among them – all vying for attention with their latest gizmos and gadgets.

Held at the massive Messe Berlin complex, which looks like something out of Bladerunner (see above), the scale of this show is staggering. We got lost just trying to find the LG press conference this afternoon.

The big talking point here is 3D TV. As I write this, Sony's chief executive Sir Howard Stringer is announcing that Sony plans to launch 3D TVs and compatible Blu-ray players and games consoles next year.

You can read the initial details in our news story, and What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision Editor Richard Melville is at the Sony press conference right now, so we'll have more info shortly.

In fact, we've just heard there are three Sony 3D TVs on display here at IFA, so we'll bring you pictures and more details as soon as we can.

But with Panasonic expected to announce big plans for its 3D TV and Blu-ray technology at its press conference tomorrow morning, and Sky TV going its own way with 3D TV, another format war seems to be looming. Will these guys never learn?

We're also hoping to see some new projectors from Panasonic tomorrow, and we have extensive briefings from LG, Philips and Toshiba on all their forthcoming products over the next few days.

LG is expected to confirm its commitment to OLED screen technology, with plans to unveil a 15in display here at IFA and much larger ones are due in 2012. We're also hoping we may see some of the company's new 'frameless' TVs.

Don't forget you can follow our up-to-the-minute coverage on Twitter, and keep checking back here on whathifi.com for all the latest TV, Blu-ray, hi-fi and home cinema news throughout the show.

Andy Clough

Andy is Global Brand Director of What Hi-Fi? and has been a technology journalist for 30 years. During that time he has covered everything from VHS and Betamax, MiniDisc and DCC to CDi, Laserdisc and 3D TV, and any number of other formats that have come and gone. He loves nothing better than a good old format war. Andy edited several hi-fi and home cinema magazines before relaunching whathifi.com in 2008 and helping turn it into the global success it is today. When not listening to music or watching TV, he spends far too much of his time reading about cars he can't afford to buy.