Highlights from the Gadget Show Live 2012

From smartphones and tablets to the latest accessories and cutting-edge gizmos, Birmingham is home to some of the world's most exciting technology this week, as the city's NEC hosts this year's Gadget Show Live event. These are just some of the highlights...

Mobile technology at the Gadget Show Live 2012

Acer - The stunning Acer Iconia A700 will not be released in the UK until June, but that hasn't stopped it making an appearance at the Gadget Show Live 2012. Powered by Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich - and sporting a rapid Tegra 3 quad-core processor, it will be a major force to be reckoned with and another strong Android challenger to the current king of tablets, the Apple iPad 2. The Iconia A700 comes with 32GB of internal storage and a versatile five megapixel camera, as well as a 10.1in LCD display with a resolution of 800x1200 pixels for crisp, high-quality graphics.

Samsung - Among the many outstanding devices on display at the Gadget Show Live this year was the Samsung Galaxy Note, an impressive smartphone/tablet hybrid. Its huge 5.3in Super AMOLED touchscreen makes it ideal for watching high-definition (HD) movies on the move. There's no need to worry about greasy finger marks on the screen, as the Galaxy Note comes with its own handy stylus. It also offers PC-like performance courtesy of a 1.4GHz dual-core processor.

Sony - Without a doubt, the star of the Sony stand this year is the new Sony Xperia S smartphone. Like its sibling handsets, the Sony Xperia P and the Sony Xperia U, it's a strikingly stylish device that's physically lightweight but heavy on features and built around user experience. It was the first smartphone unveiled by electronics giant Sony since it acquired telecom company Ericsson’s share of the Sony Ericsson venture and is a promising start to Sony's Xperia NXT series. This trio of new smartphones is dubbed the "next generation" of Sony devices, building on earlier successes like the Sony Ericsson Xperia play and Sony Ericsson Xperia ray.

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Mobile accessories at the Gadget Show Live 2012

iFoldAway - With portable, super-stable stands for smartphones, the iFoldAway exhibit at the Gadget Show Live is a must-see for anyone who's struggled to watch films or TV on their mobile device. iFoldAway products are said to be compatible with 99% of mobiles and tablets currently on the market and can fold away "as flat as a credit card" for ultimate convenience and portability.

White Diamonds - They're supposedly a girl's best friend, but regardless of whether you're male or female you'll definitely stand out with a White Diamonds case for your Apple device. Available in every shade of gorgeous, from luxurious pink to pristine black or white, they're perfect for adding a touch of bling to your iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S, made with Swarovski elements.

WOWee ONE - The new WOWee ONE Pro is a wireless Bluetooth version of the older, less expensive but award-winning WOWee ONE Slim portable speaker, which delivers an enhanced sound experience via standard audio cable. While the speaker on top carries crisp and clear treble notes, the real power comes from beneath, with gel technology used to turn any flat surface into a portable subwoofer.

Other mobile stuff at the Gadget Show Live 2012

Anovo UK - Although not strictly a purveyor of gadgets itself, Anovo UK was chosen as the official tech recycling partner for the Gadget Show Live 2012. Visitors to the Anovo stand were invited to trade their unwanted mobiles for an on-the-spot injection of cash.

MMD - Also worth paying a visit is the MMD stand, where Apple users can get their hands on a LifeProof case to protect their iPhone from water, dirt, snow and shocks. Just imagine being able to send emails in the shower or "safely" play Angry Birds while schussing down a mountain.

Stickems - If you're one of those people obsessed with keeping your mobile's touch display free from greasy fingerprints, then a Stickems screen wipe may be a good investment. After a quick clean, return your stylish Stickems to the reverse of your device and its convenient self-cling backing keeps it snugly in place until the next time you need it.

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