V3 got some hands-on time with Sony's T13 Vaio and we're pleased to say our initial impressions of the Japanese giant's first ever ultrabook are positive.

Sony announced the T13 earlier this month, promising it would offer the same sturdy design and long-life battery of any device carrying the ultrabook title.

The most noticeable aspect of the device when compared to other ultrabooks is its square edges. The hard lines are a nice change from the usual MacBook Air-like visual design seen on many ultrabooks.

Another element that separates the T13's design from its competitors is its size, with it measuring in at 17.8mm thick - making it noticeably bigger in hand than its Asus and Dell competitors. It weighs in at 1.6kg, so more in the realms of a standard laptop.

The ultrabook's chassis is made of a magnesium alloy which, in general, gives the T13 a solid, sturdy feel. The one potential weak point we noticed when testing it was the screen, which as well as being fairly bendy, is locked to a fairly flimsy looking hinge.

The T13 is powered by a Sandy Bridge Intel Core i3 processor and backed up with 4GB of DDR3 RAM. In our tests the unit felt responsive and snappy, though we didn't have a chance to really put it through its paces, with Sony not letting us clock the processor's actual speed.

The device also packs a hybrid storage system made up of a 320GB HDD and a 32GB SSD. This means it boots from sleep mode incredibly incredibly quickly - a useful touch if you plan to use the ultrabook on the go.

The T13 features a 1,366x768 13in LED display, which remained incredibly clear with impressive viewing angles, even when viewed in low lighting conditions.

The device has xLOUD and Clear Phase audio technology features built in, meaning that it should also have some pretty decent sound quality, though during our time we didn't have a chance to really try out the T13's speakers.

The T13's keyboard was fairly decent, being reasonably comfortable to type on. The one criticism we had was that the keys at times didn't feel very springy when pressed. The trackpad was also responsive, recognising multi-touch gestures with ease.

Sony claims that the T13 has a standby battery life of 90 days, which due to our time constraints we didn't get to test.

The T13 features two USB ports along its left side, one of which is actually USB 3.0. On its right these are complemented by a VGA port, an HDMI one, an Ethernet one and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Sony has remained tight-lipped about pricing, though representatives did confirm it would be released in the UK sometime in June. Check back at V3 closer to the time for a full review.

LAS VEGAS: Samsung launched the second generation Series 9 laptop at CES in an effort to take on the MacBook Air and a raft of ultrabooks on the horizon.

The 13in Series 9 weighs 1.16kg, making it very lightweight. The 12.9mm chassis houses a 13in IPS display with a 1600x900 resolution. The screen also packs a very impressive brightness of 400nits. Despite being extremely thin and light, we found the device to be quite sturdy.

Samsung offers a choice of Core i5 and Core i7 processors and up to 8GB of memory. The inclusion of a 256GB SSD allows for very fast resume times. The laptop will boot from deep hibernation in 9.8 seconds and wake up in 1.4 seconds.

A Samsung spokesperson also told V3 that the device has been built to ensure users don't lose any work. Even if users find they have run out of battery, the laptop will retain some charge to power the RAM and allow users to restart the device from where they left off when it is plugged in. However, it is unclear exactly how long the RAM will remain charged for.

We weren't too impressed by the keyboard during our hands on test. The keys felt far too shallow, a problem that has plagued many a device – even the MacBook Air.

Connectivity was always going to be limited with the dimensions available. The 13in Series 9 features a USB 3.0 port, a USB 2.0 port, a headphone/microphone jack and an SD card slot. Samsung has also squeezed in an Ethernet port, as well as HDMI and VGA connectors.

Samsung claims the battery will last around six hours on the 13in, which is not quite all day usage, but will be long enough for most people.

Exact release date and pricing is expected to be announced soon.

Acer is gearing up for an October launch of the very first ultrabook, and V3 got some hands-on time with a system that may tempt many early adopters and business users.

The S3 is 13mm thick and comes with a 13.3in HD screen and a chiclet keyboard, so comparisons are inevitably going to the drawn with the MacBook Air. The aluminium/magnesium alloy chassis feels strong but looks rather plain when compared to the Air. We also think that the trackpad is rather on the small side.

The S3 weighs 1.4kg, so it's reasonably lightweight and just a few grams heavier than the 13in MacBook Air (1.35kg).

Under the hood, the Acer is expected to ship with Windows 7, a choice of Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, 4GB of RAM as standard and an SSD or HDD depending on preference.

USB and HDMI ports are located on the back, which also houses the air vent so that the base does not get hot.

Asus, Lenovo and Toshiba ultrabooks are also set to offer similar form factors and specifications, and Acer is looking to differentiate by including Instant On and Instant Connect technology.

Instant Connect can boot the device from sleep mode in 1.5 seconds and from hibernation in six seconds. We tested this in sleep mode and the claim was bang on. Interestingly, even ultrabooks with HDDs will come with a small SSD to enable this quick booting time, although Acer is unclear about the capacity of these SSDs.

We asked Kristof Houben, a product manager at Acer, about cold-boot times, and he told us that the S3 will have boot times consistent with standard Windows 7 laptops. But he pointed out that the platform has been designed so that it does not need to be turned off.

Meanwhile, Instant Connect automatically connects to previously used Wi-Fi networks in 2.5 seconds, much like the Mac OS X Lion operating system.

S3 buyers can expect up to seven hours of battery life if they opt for the full SSD storage option. This is under the eight hours that Lenovo claims for the U300s ultrabook and the nine hours that Samsung touts for the forthcoming Series 7 Chronos laptop.

Acer has no plans to ship different screen sizes this year, but Houben said that different models are likely to appear in 2012.

Of course, Acer is also aiming to be the first to market. The manufacturer will start shipping the S3 from October starting at £699 and going up to £1,099.

Overall, the S3 looks a promising piece of kit, but we have yet to be convinced that it's better than the MacBook Air. With Microsoft hyping Windows 8, it remains to be seen whether consumers will buy an ultrabook now or wait a little bit longer for a next-generation model with a touch-screen operating system.

Apple unleashed the latest version of OS X Lion to the masses a little over two weeks ago, introducing a number of key features in the process. V3 has had a chance to get to grips with Lion on Apple's 11in MacBook Air and we've picked out some of the key features that will help you to get the most out of your Mac.

1. Use swiping gestures with multiple desktops
The trackpad has been redefined, allowing a number of swiping gestures using two and three fingers.

Scrolling and pinch-to-zoom are welcome features, and work remarkably well on the trackpad. However, we've found the most useful gesture to be the three-fingered horizontal swipe that allows you to navigate between full screen applications. A nifty way to use this is to create multiple desktops, which you can then cycle between.

To do this, you simply bring up Mission Control, add another desktop by hovering the mouse over the top right hand corner and then populate that desktop with specific apps. You can then keep internet windows in one desktop, word documents in the second, mail in the third and handily cross-reference between them with a single swipe.

2. Use Thunderbolt to transport data
Apple has been heavily promoting this feature over the past few months and it's now usable in the latest Mac devices. Thunderbolt allows high-speed transfer between two Apple Mac devices. We were able to use the port to transfer data from a MacBook Air to a Mac Mini.

To do this we had to set up the MacBook as an external hard drive by activating Target Disk Mode.

This was done by connecting the Thunderbolt cable and holding down the letter 'T' when booting up the Air. The Thunderbolt icon displayed on the screen of the MacBook and the device appeared as an external hard drive on the host - in this case the Mac Mini.

To give you an idea of Thunderbolt's speed, we transferred a 1.27GB file between Macs in just under two minutes. The same transfer took 15 minutes to load onto a USB stick and around 50 minutes to complete via AirDrop.

3. Sync revamped Mail app with Outlook
Apple has revamped its Mail feature, and the application now mirrors the iPad two-column interface. We like the conversation-style thread, which separates messages cleanly, and the full screen view.

However, the best feature by far is the dynamic search which automatically brings up suggestions when you start typing in a person's name or subject. This makes searching painless as relevant messages are instantly displayed. Finding the right email is considerably faster than using the search in traditional Outlook and Lotus Notes clients.

V3 also managed to synchronise corporate email from an Exchange 2003 server within the native Mail app. This was done by setting up an email account and choosing 'IMAP' as the account type. We then entered the IP address of the Incoming Mail Server, along with our username and password.

Alternatively, it is possible to download apps such as Mail Access 2003 from the Mac Store to get comprehensive functionality.

4. Multi-user screen sharing
Screen Sharing has been improved and now enables remote log-in to a separate account on another Mac.

Benefits include allowing IT admins to remotely troubleshoot problems and carry out upgrades without causing disruption. Business customers can also use the feature to work independently when using the same machine.

Screen Sharing still needs some tweaks, and browsing the web using the virtual desktop can be a bit ropey. But, for business users, it's good to know there is a tool available with which files on a Mac can be accessed in case there is an emergency.

   
5. Use the Apple Mac App Store
Although this has been out since January, the Mac App Store will prove a key feature for those using Apple's portable devices as they lack DVD drives. It's possible to get key software from the App Store, including vast numbers of productivity apps, and the importance of this store is only likely to increase as Apple puts more emphasis on cloud storage with the launch of iCloud.

 
6. Airdrop
This makes it possible to share files even when there is no Wi-Fi present.  A Mac will automatically locate any other AirDrop-capable device within 30 feet and allow an encrypted file transfer between them.

7. Resume
One thing that has always separated Macs from PCs is the impressive boot time. Apple has now added a 'Resume' feature which means that the Mac will automatically re-open all apps that were being used in the last session. This has been very useful as it allowed us to pick up right where we left off numerous times.

8. Autosave
Another invaluable feature that automatically saves files every five minutes, giving that extra piece of mind.

9. Mission Control
Among the noticeable visual tweaks are the Mission Control and Launchpad interfaces. Mission Control can be brought up by swiping three fingers upwards, and shows a bird's eye view of all applications being used on a particular desktop.

Windows from the same application are automatically grouped together, allowing you to keep track of what can otherwise become a crowded desktop. This is a great way of checking exactly what is running, particularly for those who may forget that they have left an app running in the background which they no longer need.

10. Launchpad
Apple has also brought the highly acclaimed iOS interface to the Mac for the first time. This shows applications in icon format, providing a quick way of accessing applications that are not stored in the dock.

It's possible to create folders, just like on the iPhone 4 or iPad 2, and anything downloaded from the Mac App Store will be located here.

A US-based company is offering a product that is unique, as far as we can tell: a laptop with dual 17in displays, aimed at creative professionals and other high-end users.

The Spacebook from gScreen Corp is not yet available, but the company is taking pre-orders from customers in the US and Canada.

Looking like a conventional laptop when closed, the Spacebook has a second screen that apparently slides out from behind the first when open, giving two 17in displays each capable of resolutions up to 1,920x1,080 pixels.

The rest of the specifications include Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, up to 8GB of memory, an Nvidia Geforce GTS 250M GPU, and a DVD Super-Multi drive, making the Spacebook effectively a dual-screen mobile workstation.

Of course, this comes at a cost and weight disadvantage. The Spacebook weighs in at an arm-stretching 4.5kg and is over 40cm wide. Prices start at $2,395, or about £1,500.

Sadly, gScreen is taking orders only from customers in the US and Canada at the moment, but this will presumably change if there is enough interest from other territories.

It's pretty contentious to say that Windows 8 will change tablet computing entirely, especially considering that the operating system isn't even due on the market until next year. But despite doing the mirror opposite of Apple, we can't help but think there's a lot of sense in Microsoft's newly announced tablet interface.

Firstly, it's inclusive and universal, so all platforms could access the tablet-oriented interface. This is going to be important with Windows 8 supporting both x86 and ARM platforms. Manufacturers can build devices with touch screens using any hardware they like, but still give consumers the same interface.

Microsoft will also provide the likes of Office for ARM devices. While Apple does this for the iPad, it's fair to say that business users are far more likely to use Windows and Office than they are a Mac.

Familiarity with the operating system and office suite will surely serve as a driver for tablet adoption in businesses. After all, IT departments will be able to support these devices more easily, and retraining will be unnecessary.

The decision to provide support for ARM is also crucial. Windows-based tablets have dreadful battery life because they are based around a processor that's designed to be put in desktops, or large laptops with big, heavy batteries. Apple has been laughing, though, because its processor uses less power and still provides a great user interface.

But it's fair to say that Windows 8's tablet interface looks even more impressive than Apple's icon-based approach in iOS. While the iPhone makes perfect sense, on the iPad you can't help but feel the space is wasted. Where are the smart tiles, where are the widgets that feed you information from stock markets or your contacts' social media feeds?

Apple's iOS might be stable and brilliantly designed, but it's not keeping pace with advances led by Windows Phone 7 and Android.

What remains to be seen is how many app developers will port existing x86 apps over to the ARM platform.

Microsoft has always relied heavily on third-party developers, and Windows Phone has suffered because of a lack of them actively developing new software. Without developers co-operating and designing apps in the new tablet-style interface there's no hope for Windows 8 tablets, and an increasingly grim future for Windows as a whole.

Hopefully, Microsoft is readying good developer tools that make porting apps to the ARM version of Windows very straightforward.

It's your move, Apple. With iOS 5 being announced formally in a few days, has Apple realised that it needs to offer more to tablet users or will it continue with its existing attitude of doing everything its own way?

If you haven't already seen the early demo of Windows 8, have a look here:

Earlier this week, I wrote a story about Intel touting the security benefits of its new Sandy Bridge client systems, especially laptops based on the new Core processors.

Most people are by now familiar with the Anti-Theft technology that allows a lost or stolen laptop to be remotely locked, but the Intel Identity Protection Technology (Intel IPT) is perhaps less well known.

Intel IPT effectively embeds the capabilities of a security token, such as those issued by RSA (shown in the picture), into the laptop itself, doing away with the need for companies to issue tokens to all employees.

But if the technology becomes widespread, it will offer online services, especially banks, a way of securely authenticating customers without having to dream up elaborate security systems or issue costly chip-and-PIN terminals to customers, as has been suggested in the past.

Once a user has registered with an online service, their laptop can use Intel IPT to generate a one-time password (OTP) every time they need to access their account. The user typically does not even need to type this in, as you would with a security token.

Because the system uses a OTP to authenticate the user each time, a fraudster cannot break into their account just by tricking them into revealing their credentials, or getting hold of their user name by infecting PCs with malware.

Sadly, this scenario doesn't seem likely to happen because, while Intel IPT is built into every Core vPro system aimed at businesses, it isn't standard across the entire Core platform, which covers the processors and chipsets that find their way into consumer systems.

If Intel really wants to see Intel IPT adopted as a standard for authenticating users online, the company needs to make it standard across all its new systems.

Hybrid Android Honeycomb devices are about to flood the market, but one of the most interesting is the Motorola Atrix smartphone.

V3.co.uk got some hands-on time with the Atrix at the MotoDev App Summit in central London on Friday and we were impressed with the business-oriented device.

The specifications are impressive: a 4in qHD display with resolution of 960 x 540, and a 1GHz dual-core processor.

Motorola also includes a generous 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage which can be increased using the micro-SD card slot. Other features include a 5-megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash, and a front-facing camera.

Plugging the smartphone into the optional lapdock is shaping up to be the best feature, allowing the smartphone to become an 11.6in netbook with a full-size keyboard and a generously large trackpad.

The Atrix slots comfortably into the back of the chassis, which weighs just over 1kg and powers up in under two seconds. The netbook casing contains a separate battery and two USB ports. The Atrix acts as the processor for the netbook, so it becomes unusable when the smartphone is disconnected.

Motorola's Webtop interface is activated once the phone is connected to the lapdock. Webtop has a number of icons which can be accessed from a bar running along the bottom of the screen, similar to the 'dock' found on Mac OS X.

These can be populated with shortcuts such as phone dialer, contacts, text messaging, file manager, Firefox and Facebook apps.

Phone functionality is retained when the lapdock is in use and calls can be made and received using a loudspeaker.  The phone display is also viewable as an inlay, so customers can use the Android WebKit browser or the Webtop native Firefox browser, for example.

The ability to plug and play is also admirable. We simply pulled out when we wished to stop using the lapdock, and there was no need to initiate any form of hibernation or shutdown. When we plugged the phone back into the lapdock it resumed the same application.

Motorola claims up to eight hours of battery life when the smartphone is plugged into the chassis. This is impressive as the phone battery is also charged while in the dock.

At this stage the only disappointment is that the Atrix will run Android 2.2. Motorola has said that a Gingerbread update will be rolled out at some point in the future.

V3.co.uk will post a full review of the device soon.