Why it's time to get excited about IFA 2013

Stand by for action from IFA 2013, where the Samsung Gear smartwatch leads the coolest kit from the titans of technology.

An artist's impression of the rumoured Samsung Galaxy Gear

(Credit: Voucher Codes Pro)

Time to get excited, tech fans: we're just days away from IFA 2013, the gadget extravaganza where the new Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch will lead a torrent of new and exciting technology. With our heady mix of live blogs, thrilling video, and expert hands-on First Takes, you'll be right at the heart of the action.

IFA is an industry trade show held every year in Germany, bringing together the world's technology titans at an event considered to be the European CES. Around 240,000 gadget fans flock to Berlin each year to join the scarlet-tressed Miss IFA alongside 1,439 companies from 57 countries, flaunting their coolest new stuff in a 142,200-square-metre smorgasbord of tip-top tech, from the smallest phone to the biggest television.

Live and direct

We'll be bringing you the very latest from press conferences and spectacular product-packed booths courtesy of Alcatel, Acer, Archos, Asus, Braun, HTC, Intel, Lenovo, LG, Loewe, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, and many more.

The show itself is open to the public on September 6, but the action kicks off midweek with a swathe of suspense-filled press conferences from all the biggest names in technology, finally unveiling the coolest gadgets you'll be getting worked up about as we hurtle toward the end of the year.

We'll serve you piping-hot live blogs bubbling with the latest news from Sony and Samsung -- and we've reserved you a front-row seat for the hotly anticipated Samsung Unpackedextravaganza.

Pictures, video, and all the coolest kit

Before the last echo of applause has faded from each press conference, we'll bring you your first look at each shiny new product in glorious hands-on pictures and video.

Samsung has traditionally chosen IFA to unveil a newGalaxy Note phablet, and we're expecting this year to be no exception. Even more exciting, alongside theSamsung Galaxy Note 3, we're readying our wrists for the hotly tipped Samsung Galaxy Gear Android smartwatch.

Other cool kit set to take a bow in just a few days include the Sony Xperia Z1 Honami, as well as assorted phones, tablets, TVs, home appliances, and wacky laptops.