BERLIN, GERMANY—At summer’s end every year, hundreds of tech products see their debut at the IFA Berlin consumer electronics show. A wide range of products is unveiled here, from appliances to PCs, drones to in-dash car systems. The most exciting announcements, however, center around smartphones, personal technology, and mobile gadgets.

Some things I encountered here were not exactly surprising, such as the Samsung Gear S2 and the New Moto 360 smartwatches. Even some newcomers, like the DxO camera or the Sphero BB-8 Star Wars toy robot are things we’ve seen before. But still, there’s more than enough to understand where the industry is headed. Virtual reality isn’t mainstream yet, and both Internet of Things gadgets and drones have flooded the market. But we don’t yet know what to do with all of these products. Likewise, more and more 4K televisions are still arriving, and of course still waiting for suitable content.

Here’s a selection of what I saw at the show, and especially the products we’re all more eager to try in the upcoming weeks.