It's time for the 'other' smartphone makers to shine

Squeezed between Samsung's and Apple's big phone announcements is this year's IFA trade show in Berlin. The colorful event officially kicks off on Sept. 1, but news will start arriving two days earlier. 

IFA is typically a mix of smartphone news with audio and video announcements, sprinkled generously with some interesting gadgets and perhaps a wearable or two. This year's schedule is no different: LG and Sony will likely be launching major phones, and several other tech companies — including Samsung, Acer, Asus, Lenovo, and Toshiba — have events as well.