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Consumer electronics show IFA kicks off in Berlin this week, and Samsung is making a play to dominate the show with not just one, but two press conferences. This first one is called “Unpacked 2013 Episode 2” (the first episode happened in London in June). It is widely expected that the company will use it to take the covers off a smartwatch called the Galaxy Gear, and a new version of the Galaxy Note.
CNET will be in Berlin with an up-to-the-second live blog featuring a live stream, plus all the latest news, pictures, and commentary from our editors on the ground. An hour before the conference starts, we will set the scene with an interactive video show hosted by Brian Tong and Donald Bell — you’ll want to be a part of it. Just head to this link at 9 a.m. PT, noon ET, 6 p.m. German time, or 5 p.m. UK time to be part of the action.
Rumors about the Galaxy Gear point to it being a small device worn on your wrist that can make calls and surf the Internet on a small, colour screen. It will be entering an increasingly busy space, with devices focused on specific needs such as the Fitbit Flex and Jawbone Up, and smartphone companions such as the Pebble and Sony’s SmartWatch all competing for space on your wrist.
The new Galaxy Note, assumed to be called the Note 3, is expected to add a bunch of improvements to the phablet Samsung first launched in 2011, creating a whole new category of ginormo-phones in the process. The screen is tipped to become even larger than its predecessors, at either 5.68 or 5.9 inches.
It’s unthinkable that Samsung would ditch the stylus, as it’s such an integral part of what the Note is about, but it may receive some upgrades. One other possibility is that Samsung may announce more than one version of the Note, perhaps with a smaller screen, or using cheaper screen technology to lower the price.
CNET will be there to bring you the latest as it happens, so bookmark our live blog page and come back on Wednesday to follow along as we find out together.
Once you’ve done that, make sure you save this URL for our second Samsung live blog, and come back on Thursday at 2 a.m. PT time to follow that one, too. That will focus on Samsung’s non-mobile announcements: the company makes everything from Blu-ray players to fridges, so there will be plenty to see.
What are you hoping to see from Samsung at its press conferences? Let me know in the comments below.
Editors’ note: The original version of this story was published Sept. 3 at 10:00 a.m. PT.
