The IFA trade show kicks off later this week in Berlin, providing Europeans with a glimpse at what some of the top tech firms have up their sleeves for the holiday season and beyond.

IFA is like the European version of the Consumer Electronics Show, except that it's open to the public. The show floor is officially open from Sept. 5-10, but most of the big press conferences and product reveals will go down on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 3-4. PCMag's Alex Colon will be on the ground, snapping photos and getting hands-on time with the newest smartphones, tablets, TVs, and more. Here's what we expect him to see.

Samsung

Samsung is usually the belle of the ball when it comes to IFA. The company hosts a huge Unpacked event in Berlin, with smaller satellite events around the globe live-streaming the show. Last year, we got the Galaxy Note 3 phablet and the Galaxy Gear smartwatch. This year, we'll probably see the next-gen Galaxy Note, and get a closer look at the curved, Tizen-based Gear S that Samsung revealed this week. There are also rumors that Samsung is getting into virtual reality, so perhaps Samsung will use IFA to show off its Oculus Rift or Project Morpheus rival.

Unpacked is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 3 at 9 a.m. ET and will be live-streamed on Samsung Mobile's YouTube channel. Check out the trailer below. Samsung also has a Thursday press conference, which will probably focus on home entertainment products like connected fridges and massive TVs.

Sony

Sony is also hosting an IFA press conference on Wednesday, Sept. 3. In a teaser video (below), it's clear we're getting a new Xperia device(s), but the 1-minute spot doesn't provide much in the way of actual product news, save for a brief flash at the 40-second mark that shows the shadowed outline of three products. That probably includes the Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact smartphones and the 8-inch Z3 Tablet Compact. Tune in at 9:15 a.m. ET on Sony's website.

Microsoft

Microsoft is hosting a press event on Thursday, Sept. 4 and the invite asks attendees if they are "ready for more" and requests that they "join us for more face time." That would suggest a new Lumia phone, perhaps one with a focus on selfies, a popular trend lately. According to Nokia Power User, the "o" in the word "more" on the Microsoft invite is replaced with camera module from the unreleased Nokia Lumia 830, images of which have been leaked online. The selfie part probably refers to the Lumia 730.

LG

Just like in years past, LG has let the cat out of the bag about its IFA 2014 lineup prior to the start of the show. Attendees will get to test out the new rounded LG G Watch R, as well as the 5.5-inch LG G3 Stylus (right), which - as its name suggests - is the LG G3 with a pen. The low-cost L Fino and L Bello will also probably be on the show floor. And look out for some crazy displays.

HTC

HTC is hosting a breakfast on Sept. 4 to "show off what's next for smartphones." Rumors suggest that the phone maker will be showing off its first 64-bit Qualcomm Android device, but we probably won't see the launch of a new major flagship device.

Of course, those companies are just the tip of the iceberg for what will fill the halls of the Messe Berlin. PC makers like Lenovo, Asus, Toshiba, and Acer will all be there showing off their latest devices, so stay tuned for all the details.

For more, stay tuned to PCMag's IFA page. We will also be tweeting some press conference highlights from @PCMagLive and posting videos on Vine and Instagram.

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