IFA 2016: Digital trends

Massive flatscreen TVs aren't quite as in demand as they once were. That's why manufacturers are trying to win new customers by boosting their picture quality and increasing their size. Ultra HD resolutions and HDR technology are the new status quo. Connecting TVs to other devices is also becoming more intuitive, much like the navigation between the internet, TVs and radio stations.

Hoverboards, the little brother of the oft-ridiculed Segway, have made headlines in the past due to various safety flaws, such as fire-prone batteries. Today, German companies like Beamie or Hama are trying to score points with consumers by offering electric scooters with safety guarantees. After all, a jaunt through the city on your two-wheeler is really only supposed to be one thing: Fun.

The sky may still be blue, but your smartwatch already knows the weather's not going to hold. The makers of so-called wearables, i.e. smart watches and fitness devices, are constantly developing new intelligent functions - navigation and news just aren't enough. Even a user's breathing is to be monitored and coached. Wearables are evolving from fitness trackers into fitness trainers.

Eager to abscond to virtual worlds? Virtual reality, or VR, is one of the major trends on display at IFA this year. VR goggles like the Gear VR, Oculus Rift or the HTC Vice are taking users on virtual tours of the world. Meanwhile, you can even take pictures on your virtual trip - in wrap-around format, of course.

Scoring points in the competitive market for laptops, tablets and notebooks takes superlatives. Take Acer's Swift 7 notebook, for instance. With a thickness of 9.98 millimeters, it's the thinnest laptop in the world - at least for now. And the company didn't skimp on performance either: It's got 8 gigabytes of RAM and a SSD hard drive with 256 gigs built in.

Even homes are getting smarter these days. For one, you've got intelligent thermostats that let you control the temperature of your house with an app. You can even program different heating scenarios, opting either to save energy or crank up the warmth. If a user leaves their home with their smartphone, the system realizes it and turns down the heat. Hello, Internet of Things.

Are there intelligent drones? The Chinese manufacturer DJI has introduced a camera-equipped drone called the Phantom 4. It's capable of flying through tight spaces without a GPS signal. Sensors and cameras make self-positioning possible. High-resolution aerial shots can also be taken of people who have been selected prior to takeoff. The drone then follows their every move. Is it 1984?

Can't remember if you've got enough food at home? Why not ask your fridge? Built-in cameras can now give users remote access to the contents of their iceboxes via smartphone. And that's not all: Some devices can even order replenishments when supplies are running low - all by themselves.

Lifestyle cooks and gourmets better pay attention: Why not bring your vegetable garden inside this year? That's what at least one manufacturer, Grundig, is trying to accomplish with a device that can provide light, nutrients and water to plants indoors. And of course - it can be regulated via smartphone. Only time will tell if such a digital green thumb will be a hit among urban balcony gardeners.

Here's a gadget for all those big city road trips: headphones that are also a fashion accessory. For anyone who doesn't want to miss a beat on their smartphone, MyWraps has designed headphones that can be wrapped around listeners' wrists - and unwrapped when needed in a pinch. The designer wanted to mix sound with lifestyle.