Five top pieces of business tech from the IFA show

The falling cost in technology has been widely credited for lowering the barriers to entry for new start-ups.

But to stay at the forefront of innovation, start-ups have to weigh up whether to invest significant sums of money in the latest tech devices that claim to boost productivity, save time and improve communication.

The annual IFA show in Berlin, which finished up yesterday, calls itself the largest consumer electronics showcase in the world.

A raft of tech businesses showed up to unveil their latest gadgets, ranging from internet-enabled cameras to gargantuan TV screens, many of which are yet to be released.

But which of the devices on show would be handy for busy Australian entrepreneurs?

We’ve picked out five pieces of tech that are likely to catch the eye of start-ups in the future:

1. Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Samsung may have been hit with a whopping $1 billion fine for infringing Apple’s smartphone and tablet patents, but it hasn’t stopped the company from rolling out new products.

It is pinning some of its hopes on a bigger, better version of its Galaxy Note smartphone, which was unveiled to an expectant crowd at IFA.

The second iteration will be of interest to on-the-move entrepreneurs – it has a longer 5.5 inch display, has twice as much RAM as its predecessor at 2GB, has longer battery life and uses Google’s new Jelly Bean software platform.

It has a new stylus hidden within its body to tap away at spread sheets or diary appointments. The stylus even allows you to preview items by tapping on them and save them by drawing around them.

The screen is sharp and the processor is speedy. The large size of the phone will draw odd looks if you hold it to your face for calls, but reviewers confirm that it can still fit within your pocket (unless you’re a skinny jeans kind of person).

Click here for the official website.