In-depth

IFA roundup

We take a look at all the notable launches from IFA 2013, including the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Sony Xperia Z1.

6 Sep 2013

The Transformer Pad TF701T is a Windows 8/Windows 8 Pro tablet with a 13.3-inch display.

With the keyboard, it's a laptop solution, while without it's a standalone tablet.

The tablet features a fourth generation Intel Core processor with eight hours of battery life. For connectivity, there are USB 3.0 and Micro-HDMI ports. Available with storage up to 256GB (SSD), the Transformer Pad TF701T also features a microSD card slot.

The keyboard dock features a full keyboard with backlit keys and a multitouch touchpad supporting Windows 8 gesture commands.

The Transformer Book Trio is an 11.6-inch device running on both Android and Windows 8. The tablet is powered by Android 4.2, but can be changed into a Windows 8 laptop with the press of a button and the addition of a PC station keyboard. Add a monitor and the third transformation changes the tablet into a fully functioning desktop computer.

Powered by a fourth generation Intel Core processor, the Transformer Book Trio's tablet is energy efficient and powerful across its three different guises.

The tablet features up to 64GB of solid-state storage, while the PC Station adds another terabyte of storage via hard drive.

The Asus Transformer Book Trio will be available from November, although prices haven't yet been revealed.

The Transformer Book Trio is a great solution for flexible workers. At home, it can function as a laptop, in the office as a desktop computer and on the road as an Android tablet.

Samsung

Samsung's press launch was probably the most anticipated at IFA, with the company launching the much-hyped Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Gear smartwatch and extra features for its KNOX security solution.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is Samsung's most hyped device of this year and the Korean manufacturer didn't disappoint at the announcement of the newest addition to its phablet range.

The Note 3 features a 5.7-inch full HD display, making it larger than last year's Samsung Galaxy Note 2.

The Note 3 launched alongside new S-Pen apps to complement its current suite. New additions include Action Memo, which allows you to handwrite a note, which can then be converted into formatted content or carry out actions such as start a phone call, add information to contacts or look up an address on a map.

Screen Write allows you to capture the full screen image of the current page on the Note 3 and then write comments or add information onto the captured image, while S Finder allows you to search for content on your device regardless of the type. With Pen Window, you can open a mini application window by drawing a window of any size, anywhere on the screen and then choose which app you wish to open.

S Note has also been updated with Easy Chart and notes can now be shared with an Evernote or a Samsung account.

Multitasking has also been updated, allowing you to drag and drop content from one window to another, complementing the multi-window function seen on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2.