World’s First Holographic Object Transforms How Kids Play, Learn and Create 

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While the VR industry continues its “headset wars,” MERGE is focused on the power of AR to transform digital interaction. While MERGE offers the industry leading phone-powered AR/VR headset in its price range (under €30), the company is also leading in AR with its MERGE Cube. MERGE Cube is the world’s first holographic object that you can hold in the palm of your hand and its touch-based interaction model is redefining AR by extending the experience beyond the screen. Introduced for the 2017 holiday selling season in the United States, MERGE Cube has sold over one million units. MERGE has also built a curated discovery portal called Miniverse to provide games, apps and experiences to support MERGE Cube and its AR/VR Goggles. There have been over 7 million downloads from the Miniverse to date. 

MERGE Cube is the first/only AR product to truly transcend home, school and the workplace. Families are buying MERGE Cube as a new way for their kids to learn and play. This includes AR versions of popular games such as Rubik’s Cube and Minecraft, as well as exploring in AR with apps such as Dino Digger, featuring Jurassic Park paleontologist Jack Horner. With hundreds of kid-safe AR/VR games, apps and 360 videos (most are free), MERGE Cube provides kids with hours of experiences that they just can’t get on a traditional game platform. For hands-free use of their MERGE Cube, MERGE offers the industry’s leading durable soft-foam AR/VR Goggles that works on most modern iOS and Android devices.

In addition to consumers, educators are buying MERGE Cubes to transform how students learn in the classroom. MERGE Cube allows students to interact with objects in full AR, thereby bringing lessons to life as they can hold a solar system, explore fossils or watch a volcano erupt in the palm of their hand. These interactive AR learning experiences can contribute to increased student engagement and supports active learning initiatives. Commercial uses of MERGE Cube include viewing and manipulating AR objects for healthcare, environmental science and others. This is exciting because AR/VR has opportunities for relevance beyond niche gaming and workplace glasses. Creating new ways for consumers to interact and embrace AR technology will jumpstart the industry.

beyerdynamic gets to take a great journey across the stages of the world, through studios in large cities, and directly into the ears of music lovers

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When music history is written, beyerdynamic is there. We feel at home wherever acoustics, sound and music are created, produced and celebrated. As beyerdynamic we are proud that our products are much more than just the sum of their parts. They are reliable tools for professionals, a source of inspiration for creators and loyal companions for music lovers. The beyerdynamic manufacturing process and the dynamic sound personalization make them as unique as their users. Therefore, it goes without saying that a beyerdynamic product always becomes “your beyerdynamic.”

GN Hearing advances audiology care with new innovative technologies

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Since 1872, GN Hearing has been dedicated to innovation and solving essential problems. 2018 has been no different, and in this year GN Hearing has launched two major innovations for people living with hearing loss.

The first is designed for people who want the very best that technology has to offer: ReSound LiNX Quattro™, the world’s first Premium-Plus hearing aid. With its 6th generation of 2.4GHz wireless connectivity, ReSound LiNX QuattroTM has the highest input dynamic range available and delivers superior sound quality with Layers of Sound™, where softer sounds are clearer and louder sounds are fuller and distortion free. It is designed for people who desire a brilliant sound experience with great speech intelligibility even in noisy situations. In addition, it has the longest rechargeable battery life available with an integrated Lithium-ion battery with 24 hours of use even when streaming 50% of the time. 

This innovation in sound has also been matched by an innovation in accessibility. GN Hearing has recently entered a partnership with Google to stream sound directly from Android devices to two hearing aids for the first time without using an intermediate device. The collaboration focuses on developing new technologies and aims to drastically improve users’ experience of both their Android smartphone and their hearing aid. GN Hearing will be the first manufacturers to support this update.

No wake-up word, voice combined with gaze, and multi-passenger interaction – check out the latest Nuance Dragon Drive Automotive Assistant

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The smart automotive assistants of both today and the future are poised to become the most important elements in a consumer’s connected ecosystem. Interoperability with third-party smart assistants and advances in AI reasoning enable automotive assistants to support the needs of people in their vehicles better than any other virtual assistant possibly can. They will provide access to the most relevant and timely information — from the car, the environment and the cloud — to help users make better-informed and faster decisions, thereby enhancing their productivity, comfort and safety. In addition, the fact that the car communicates and interacts with users in a natural way will help to build trust and adoption.  

Dragon Drive, Nuance’s automotive assistant platform, offers an effortless, adaptive interface that keeps the driver focused while delivering integrated connectivity, personalized entertainment, and an unparalleled ability to get things done in the car. It powers more than 200 million cars on the road today across more than 40 languages, creating highly customized, fully branded experiences for Audi, BMW, Daimler, Fiat, Ford, GM, Hyundai, SAIC, Toyota, and more.

At Showstoppers @ IFA, Nuance will show the latest Dragon Drive innovations, including:

  • Just Talk. With “Just Talk” mode activated, the automotive assistant is standing-by for a command from the driver, without needing to be explicitly addressed by name or invoked by the push of a button – just like in human conversations. 
  • Multimodality. Dragon Drive combines speech, natural language understanding, contextual reasoning, machine learning and integration with vehicle sensors to deliver a humanized conversation with consumers that provide the best, personalized results while driving. New innovative features include “multi-modal” gaze detection and control capabilities combined with conversational AI that enable the driver to simply look at an object and get answers to questions such as “What is that building?” or “How much does it cost to park in there?” 
  • Conversational AI. Dragon Drive leverages artificial intelligence-based technologies, supporting drivers with all driving related tasks and anticipating their needs. Machine learning enables a personalized user experience based on past behavior and preferences, and reasoning ensures contextual, relevant results by considering all kinds of contextual information including information coming from car sensors.  
  • Multi-passenger interaction. Dragon Drive can create multiple acoustic zones in the car. With the help of voice biometrics, it identifies different users in the car, and with the help of acoustic technologies, it knows where the individual passengers are seated and offers each user a personalized experience.

eBlockerOS 2 is Here: Anonymous Web Browsing Is Now Even Easier

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The improved eBlocker makes completely anonymous surfing without digital traces and blocking data collecting online advertising easier and more powerful. This is ensured by the innovative version 2 of eBlockerOS including a completely revised user interface.

Smart Box Even Smarter

If you want to prevent private data from being tapped on the Internet and exploited by profit-oriented companies, you must actively protect yourself. The little box is simply docked to the router via a LAN cable and powered up – ready. From here on, it reliably protects all devices in the home network from any snooping services. All eBlocker models now recognize and block data collecting trackers even faster and more efficiently. The new tracker filters already use the meta information to determine whether parts of the communication packets go to data collectors. This offers advantages, especially on SSL-protected pages, which are used, for example, in online banking or protected user areas.

Safe Surfing for Smaller Internet Users

The eBlocker Family now offers even more effective protection for children under 12 years of age. This means that the eBlocker only allows educationally valuable children’s pages (whitelist procedure) on selected devices, but blocks access to all other pages.  The selection is based on the lists of the award-winning children’s search engine “FragFinn,” which contains hand-picked websites (approx. 12,000 pages) by media educators for this age group.

Launching This Fall

eBlockerOS 2 will be available Q3 2018 for all eBlocker versions “Base,” “Pro” and “Family.“ Christian Bennefeld, eBlocker CEO can hardly wait: “The feedback from our testing associates was very positive. It has never been easier than with the second generation eBlocker to effectively prevent the creation of personal user profiles on the Internet.”

At Western Digital, Three Is The Magic Number

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  1. Western Digital Corporation (WDC) comes to Showstoppers with three leading consumer technology brands; WD, SanDisk and G-Technology. Showcasing SSD and microSD storage solutions for everything from creative professionals and photographers to PC and console gamers, the WDC booth is the place to go for the latest in personal data storage. More information at www.wdc.com
  2. Reporters should note that 2018 is the first year that G-Technology (https://www.g-technology.com) has appeared at either IFA or Showstoppers. Designed for creative professionals that value performance, style and reliability, there will be live demos of the blazingly quick USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 mobile SSD products.  With the time-saving potential to transfer 1TB in 7 minutes or less, storage has never been so fast and looked so good. More information at www.wdc.com
  3. Gaming reporters can also find out more about the new WD Black NVMe SSD internal drive that has set the standard for gaming storage solutions. There will also be a major announcement by SanDisk that will once again confirm the brand’s leadership position in the memory card space. All visitors to the booth will also have the chance to win a Nintendo Switch by posting the fastest time on Mario Kart with the winner announced at the end of the evening. More information at www.wdc.com

Speck launches Presidio Pro and Presidio Stay Clear

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At Showstoppers, Speck will be launching two new protective cases: Presidio Pro and Presidio Stay Clear for iPhone X.

Speck’s new Presidio Pro introduces a new standard in device protection. The case protects against drops up to 3m, has a raised bezel for screen protection and an antimicrobial finish on the outside of the case to help inhibit the growth of bacteria. Presidio Pro also features a soft-touch, scratch resistant finish that gives you a secure hold and looks great over time. 

Presidio Stay Clear is designed to stay clearer, longer. Speck developed a new coating that prevents against UV-yellowing as well as discoloration from oils that can happen over time from lotions, makeups and other oils that traditional discolor clear cases. Presidio Stay Clear protects against drops up to 2.4m.

Pick up sample at our table, and view the whole collection at http://www.speckproducts.eu

Marshall enters the smart speaker game with a group of new products, while one of its most popular portable speakers gets an upgrade.

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This autumn Marshall is entering the smart speaker market for the first time with the Marshall Voice range. The first two Marshall Voice speakers to be launched are Acton II Voice with Amazon Alexa and Stanmore II Voice with Amazon Alexa, followed by Google Assistant versions later this year. Each speaker is a different size that’s perfect for any space, small or large.

Marshall will also unveil the Kilburn II portable speaker, a new and upgraded version of one of their most popular products. A new feature for Kilburn II is the multi-directional Blumlein Stereo Sound, which will immerse you in your music, indoors or out, as well as Bluetooth 5.0 aptX. Free from the confines of wires and cords, Kilburn II offers 20+ hours of portable playtime on a single charge.

All five speakers will be on display at ShowStoppers and booth 117 in Hall 1.2, where the Marshall team will be happy to answer your questions and give you more information on the upcoming launches.

Libratone takes 360° FullRoom® sound to the next level with ZIPP 2 and ZIPP MINI 2.

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Introducing the new ZIPP 2 and ZIPP MINI 2. The new Libratone wireless speakers that combine big, rich sound with timeless Danish design. They’ll fill your home with music. They’ll free the sound. 

Utilising the 360 FullRoom® Sound, the ZIPP 2’s clever acoustic design has been updated to ensure the best sound in every single direction, no matter placement or position.

Connect up to 10 speakers in the same place or in multiple rooms for even bigger, bolder, sound.

ZIPP 2 and ZIPP MINI 2 also comes with Amazon Alexa voice assistant. So now you can control your music and smart home devices, check weather, and more, with just your voice. It looks like the beginning of a beautiful relationship.   

“Alexa, where can I find the world’s most complete true wireless earbuds experience?”

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At Jabra, You speak, and Alexa takes note. Say hello, quite literally, to a redefined true wireless experience. At IFA 2018 we’re showcasing our most complete line-up of award-winning Elite Series headphones. This includes the latest addition to our range of third-generation true wireless earbuds, Elite Active 65t, Amazon Edition, complete with a three-month subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited. As with our other Alexa-enabled products, this version allows users to take their in-home Alexa experience outside – with one-touch access to Amazon Digital Music, Audible, and Prime Video. Today Elite sound quality from Jabra, meets intelligent listening from Amazon Alexa.

Why is this offering so exciting and important? Jabra research shows that 61% of consumers are interested in using their voice to control their smartphone, and 89% use the same headset for calls and media. The Alexa Edition meets these needs, providing an exceptional on-the-go calls, voice, and music experience. Welcome to true audio, made mobile – no strings attached. 

While others struggle with true wireless connection issues, the Jabra Elite 65t and Active 65t are third-generation true wireless earbuds – making worries about audio dropouts a thing of the past. They’re also powerful enough to pick up your voice for calls or voice commands, using 4-microphone technology for superior sound quality. And with up to 15 hours battery life with the pocket-friendly charging case, they’re truly engineered for life on the go. IFA also sees Jabra adding exciting new colors to our Elite products; the Elite 65t in a luxurious Gold Beige, Titanium Black for customers in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and a fiery Copper Red for the Elite Active 65t. Because your look and style are as personal as the sound you experience.