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By Burkhard Fraune Aug 29, 2008, 15:53 GMT

Gadget guys invade Europe's top electrical fair IFA (Feature)

Berlin - Tens of thousands of Germans swarmed into Europe's top electrical-goods fair, IFA, on its opening day Friday in Berlin. For the first time, the consumer-electronics expo included home appliances such as washing machines and vacuum cleaners. While advertising for the appliances usually shows happy housewives, the audience admiring the white goods, caressing the surfaces and trying out all the buttons at IFA on Friday was predominantly male. The 'gadget guys' were also scooping up brochures, give-away ballpoint pens, sweets and huge paper carrier bags. IFA helps build enthusiasm among new-product fans every year for home entertainment and personal electronic devices including televisions, audio players, cameras and phones. Crowds formed to see electric fryers prepare delicious meat and coffee grinders produce aromatic grounds, or to watch demonstrators cook up dinners in so-called intelligent ovens. The most common phrase heard on the first day was, 'Look, that one's even thinner,' as visitors compared the thicknesses of the newest flat-panel televisions, which are among the biggest sellers at German electronic marts these days. Players for DVD and Blu-ray discs were also big attractions. The growing focus at IFA on merchant customers was underlined by the increasing size of VIP lounges in the Philips and Samsung booths, where trade buyers are plied with coffee and compliments, and members of the public are not welcome.

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