Google has released a beta version its highly acclaimed Chrome desktop browser for the Android platform and V3 has been putting it through its paces.

The browser is available to download for devices running the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich platform and aims to provide improved browsing speeds and synchronisation between devices.

V3 has been using the Chrome for Android Beta on the Asus Transformer Prime and the app is impressive in terms of speed and design, but does have some flaws.

The interface closely resembles the desktop version of Chrome, which has always been excellent in terms of speed and a clear and simple look. Tabbed browsing has already been introduced in the standard Android Webkit browser, so it is no surprise to see it included in Chrome.

The mobile browser allows users to open an unlimited number of tabs and they stack up nicely so that you can see exactly how many you have open.

There are some nice touches including the ability to zoom in on links, making them easier to hit on smartphones. When you sync your Google account, the browser will also open up pages that you have been viewing on another machine.

However, users expecting all desktop features on mobile devices will be disappointed. There is no Adobe Flash support available in this version and it will not make it to final release.

Adobe has confirmed that Chrome for Android will not support Flash as the firm has stopped developing the technology for mobile operating systems and is focussing on the HTML5 standard.

As mentioned, the Chrome app only supports the latest devices running Android Ice Cream Sandwich. This means it is limited to people with the latest kit, such as the Asus Transformer Prime tablet and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone. However, devices that have been rooted and have ICS installed onto them may also be able to get the app.

Considering that lack of Flash support, users are still going to be relying on Firefox and the stock Webkit browser to view video content.

Being a beta version, there are still bugs on Chrome for Android and we did experience crashes and needed to reload tab that were already open. These bugs will no doubt be corrected in further releases.

From what we've seen so far, it looks like Google has built Chrome for Android for the future. As the HTML5 standard comes into more frequent use, it is likely to be one of most used browsers on mobile devices.

We would recommend that Ice Cream Sandwich users download the app, but users with other Android handsets shouldn't feel too hard done by at present.

A student from Middlesex University has made a prototype Android 4.0 smartphone using bamboo and is set to bring it to market in the UK later this year.

Kieron-Scott Woodhouse designed the 'ADzero' handset in his spare time and used specially treated four-year-old organic bamboo for the casing.

The 23-year-old got financial backing from a technology entrepreneur after posting his concepts online. The handset was originally designed for the Chinese market, but will now be released in the UK after being shown off at design show in London last year.

"Bamboo may seem like a strange material to use for a phone, but it's actually extremely strong and very durable, perfect qualities for this kind of application," Woodhouse noted.

"The whole experience so far has been incredible and completely unexpected. I can't wait to see my mobile phone in shops this year."

Full specifications have yet to be released, but the prototype is running Ice Cream Sandwich and has an innovative flash system that runs along the outside of the camera.

Woodhouse confirmed that the final device will have a larger screen than the iPhone 4S and is expected to weigh around half the weight of the Apple device, which is 140g.

Pricing is yet to be confirmed, but the handset is set to be made available at independent retailers and boutiques later this year.

V3 will post a full review when it is released.

LAS VEGAS: Sony aims to get back on track in the mobile market with the launch of the Xperia S handset, a high-end device running the Android Gingerbread OS.

Sony has chosen a simple design, with the only distinguishing feature being a transparent stripe that runs along the bottom of the device. Three touch-sensitive buttons sit directly above this LED illuminated strip and, although it looks nice, we had to resist the urge to keep prodding it.

The standout feature on the handset is the 4.3in HD screen that boasts a 1280x720 resolution. It looks impressive and when we flicked through pictures and watched a HD video, the colour reproduction and playback were excellent.

The device is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8260 processor, with 1GB of RAM. We found responsiveness to be smooth, but the overlay that Sony has used could bring some lag with it during everyday use.

Other key features include a 12-megapixel, auto-focus camera with an Exmor sensor and 1080p video recording capabilities. Users are also able to take pictures directly from standby mode with a long press of the camera button.

The handset packs a 1,750mAh battery, but it remains to be seen if this is enough to provide reasonable uptime. Connectivity comes in the form of aGPS, Bluetooth and WiFi. The device is also NFC-enabled, which will come into its own when the infrastructure is in place.

We were disappointed that the device will ship with Android Gingerbread, but Sony confirmed that an update to Ice Cream Sandwich is expected in the first quarter.

It remains to be seen whether the device will carry the Sony branding or will be shipped with the Sony Ericsson moniker. The name change is subject to legal paperwork and it is likely that it will carry the current branding. There is no word yet on pricing either, but it is expected to be the same price as other high-end Android handsets.

LAS VEGAS: The next-gen 10.1in quad-core tablet from Acer looks to be a considerable step up from previous models released by the firm.

Not only does the tablet boast some impressive specifications, but the design looks much better than the existing Acer A500 Iconia Tab and the build quality feels sturdy too.

The Acer will follow in the footsteps of the Asus Transformer Prime, and ship with the Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor and 1GB of RAM.

We were impressed with the speed of the Acer during our hands on, and when pinching-to-zoom there was no redrawing and the device handled HD video playback comfortably.

The tablet comes with a 10.1in display with a 1920x1200 resolution and on the brightest setting it was reasonably bright in low lighting.

Acer claims the screen quality is better than most IPS displays on the market and the viewing angle on the tablet was impressive as we were able to view text and video when the device was flat on the tablet and we looked at it side on.

Acer will pre-load Android Ice Cream Sandwich on the device and has added some of its own customisations. Top of the list includes the Acer Ring - which allows users to access applications quickly from the lock screen by pressing and holding on the screen and choosing the app they want to open.

With a weight of around 650g, the device is comfortable to hold. However, we feel that Acer could have done more to trim a few grams off the device especially as Apple and Samsung are expected to release ultra-portable next generation tablets soon.

An area where Acer usually impresses is connectivity. The latest tablet continues this trend and will include HDMI, micro USB and micro SD ports, catering to almost everyone's connectivity needs. The Iconia tablet will also be compatible with the firm's newly announced AcerCloud service, although we did not get to see this in action.

Acer has made what looks to be a competent Android tablet and all it is missing now is a name, release date and price. If the latter can be competitive, and the device has a good battery life, this could gives the big boys a run for their money.

Google has started rolling out the revamped version of Gmail, and we've switched over to the latest version in the V3 office.

Opinions are split, the style in which messages are displayed being the main sticking point. It reminds us of the changes made to Google News, which were also radical.

The new Gmail does have a much simpler look, and there is generally more space between categories and messages. We like the big red Compose button as it is easily identifiable and the ability to adjust the size of the chat bar adds convenience.

We found that adding a theme made it easier to read the text. Below, we chose the 'Terminal' theme as the black and white contrast works really well. There are a number of additional HD themes and there is bound to be one to suit individual tastes.

The settings menu has also been revamped. For a short time, Google allows users to revert to the retro Gmail and themes can be picked from this menu. As you can see the 'display density' now be adjusted - this basically closes the gaps between categories and message - so choosing the 'compact setting' will make the layout look very much like the old Gmail.

Comprehensive searches can be carried out easily simply by clicking in the corner of the search bar, and then filling out the necessary boxes. It really has been simplified to the extreme and helps to find things faster.

We found the conversation thread to be a big improvement over the previous version of Gmail and this is probably our favourite feature. Emails now read more like an instant message and aren't hidden away. Pictures of friends are also displayed on the left, adding a more personalised feel.

Overall, the revamp is a really great effort from Google and helps keep Gmail up at the top of the email clients. The conversation threads are a major improvement and advanced searching has been made much easier. The ability of Gmail to resize itself to fit small windows will also be invaluable to business users who regularly have multiple panes open when using large displays.

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus will be the first handset to run the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, which will see it take over from the Nexus S as the king of the Android handsets.

Our first experience with the revamped Ice Cream Sandwich platform was positive, and Google has made several significant changes to the system by incorporating the best of Gingerbread and Honeycomb.

There are no longer any capacitive buttons positioned beneath the screen. Instead there are three context sensitive buttons located on screen: 'back', 'home' and 'recent apps'.

This means the 'settings' button shortcut has now been hidden away in the notification bar (as shown below, next to the date on the screen) so it is now a swipe and a click away. It's not a big deal, but for long-term users of Gingerbread it could take a while to get used to.

Another change has been made to the main apps menu. Instead of icons now being shown on one page, they are split over multiple pages, and quick swipes allow navigation between pages. This is a useful upgrade, especially if you download lots of apps.

Setting up folders is now far easier as well, as it only requires dragging apps on top of each other to start making a folder. Resizing the widgets is also a nice touch and gives more control over how content is displayed on home screen.

We also had a play with the Data Usage app, which is no doubt going to come in handy for heavy data users.

Samsung has chosen to stick with the curved design debuted with the Nexus S, which is no bad thing as it's a nice look. It's also comfortable to hold, despite weighing 135g, which makes it a tad heavier than the Samsung Galaxy S II and Nexus S.

One of the main reasons for the additional weight is that the screen size has been bumped up. The Galaxy Nexus comes with a 4.65in screen that boasts an impressive 1,280x720 resolution. Combined with Android's revamped 'Roboto' typeface, this makes text much easier to read.

We tested the device in a low-light setting and found brightness to be very good. From our brief overview, we think this could the one of best displays we've seen on a mobile device.

Another area that has been beefed up is the processor. Samsung seemingly turns up the processing power at will, and the latest Nexus comes with a meaty 1.2GHz dual-core processor.

We certainly noticed the speed when browsing the web and opening apps, but we still experienced a slight lag when changing orientation of the device.

One of the key new features we were keen to test was the NFC-enabled Android Beam app and, after a couple of false starts, we eventually got it to work. The feature requires two NFC-capable Android smartphones to be touched together, and the user transmitting data is required to tap the screen to confirm the transfer. The movement of content was pretty much instantaneous, which was impressive.

Samsung has confirmed that it will launch the Galaxy Nexus on 17 November, the week Nokia is expected to make its Windows Phone Lumia 800 handset available.

With the Galaxy Nexus boasting superior hardware and a revamped software platform, not to mention Android being a far more popular platform than Microsoft's offering, Samsung looks to have the edge on the Lumia.

V3 was one of the first to get its hands on the new Motorola Razr smartphone unveiled on Wednesday and we had a quick play on the device to see whether it lives up to the hype.

Naming it the 'Razr', after its hugely popular Razr range first launched in 2005, suggests Motorola has high hopes for the device.

One of the main aspects of the smartphone touted by Motorola is the size and weight of the device, with the firm claiming the super slim design makes it the thinnest smartphone on the market.

Whether it is or not, it does feel very light and comfortable to hold, yet it's far from petite, boasting a high-quality 4.3inch super AMOLED screen.

It still feels sturdy and strong too, no doubt helped by the use of threaded Kevlar on the back of the phone and Gorilla Glass for the screen, making it ideally suited for busy people who don't want a device they have to be precious with as they go about their day.

The firm has also added what it calls SplashGuard technology, which makes the phone water-repellent to low level liquid impacts such as rain.

It features a top quality, razor sharp display (excuse the pun) with images and web pages rendered clearly and crisply, making it an equal to many high-end Samsung devices and the iPhone 4S.

This will help ensure photos taken with the eight megapixel camera aren't let down , while video is also of a high-quality, with 1080 HD playback. This is complemented by a sizeable 16GB storage and an SD card to ramp storage to a whopping 48GB.

Accessing and interacting with all this data will require a speedy processor and the dual-core 1.2GHz processor is certainly powerful enough, with the phone easily and seamlessly switching between camera, applications and pages.

It's odd in some ways, though, that the device has Gingerbread as its operating system, and not Ice Cream Sandwich. Perhaps Google purposefully allowed Samsung be first to market with the latest version of Android to keep it sweet.

Motorola confirmed it would be rolling out the update to the phone in the first quarter of 2012, though, so those keen for the update won't have to wait too long if they plump for the Razr.

One notable hardware inclusion on the device is an HDMI port, a feature lacking from many high-end devices such as the iPhone 4S. This will allow users to stream photos and videos to larger screens through a single cable with no quality loss, ideal for sharing photos or business presentations.

Overall then Motorola has produced a strong piece of kit with the Razr, and one that's worthy of the Razr name. It could be just the phone the firm needs to turn heads in the UK market, where its Milestone devices have failed to excite consumers, unlike in the US.

Whether its enough to compete with Apple or Samsung will remain to be seen and its launch at the same time as a major Samsung product and as the iPhone 4S flies off the shelves could hurt the firm.

It is, however, a very strong offering and could well be the springboard to even bigger and brighter things as Google starts to provide its not inconsiderable support and assistance to the firm.

Fusion Garage will start shipping its Grid-10 tablet in October starting at £259, as the firm aims to provide a viable alternative to Android and iOS devices.

Chandra Rathakrishnan, chief executive of Fusion Garage, makers of the fabled Joo-Joo tablet, dropped by the V3 office to give us a sneak peek at the 10.1in device along with the Grid-4 smartphones due to ship later in the year.

With specifications including a 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor, 512MB RAM and 16GB of internal storage there's little to separate the Grid-10 from other high-end devices. It does come with a 1,366x768 resolution screen, which Fusion Garage claims to be the best on the market, but we didn't find it as bright as the iPad 2.

In terms of look and feel, the Grid-10 has a wedge shape but is of similar size to the iPad 2. It weighs 689g, however, so it is noticeably heavier than the Apple tablet.

The 10.1in tablet ships with the GridOS operating system, which has been built using the Android kernel. However, the interface bears little resemblance to Google's operating system.

As the name suggests, the interface consists of a grid where apps can be clustered together, and users can move between clusters to access applications. This unique design makes home pages redundant as it's possible to jump to any part of the grid using a little map in the corner.

The Grid-10 is virtually button-less, and navigation is performed with a swiping system very similar to the one on RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook.

Swiping from the top brings back the home screen, whereas a swipe from the right moves the screen back. A flick from the left brings up the notification centre, known as the 'heartbeat'.

We didn't find the gesture-based system as smooth as on the PlayBook, and we sometimes had to swipe a couple of times to trigger changes. However, transitions between applications are made interesting by the use of animations.

Web browsing also had some features not seen on Android and iOS devices. Words can be highlighted and clicked on to bring up a context-sensitive menu. The word 'inception' brought up reviews from Rotten Tomatoes and linked to Twitter, for example.

Pinch-to-zoom was also impressive, the text resizing almost instantly. Fusion Garage has also improved the stock Android keyboard to include secondary functions.

The tablet can also synchronise with other Fusion devices. We started and paused a movie on the device and were able to continue playing it on the Grid-4 smartphone from the same point.

However, Rathakrishnan explained that the Grid-10 will have access not to the Android Market but to the Amazon App Store for Android. There will be no native Google applications such as Gmail available, but Rathakrishnan tried to play this down, noting that the email client can be used.

Interestingly, Google search will also be absent as Fusion Garage has chosen to incorporate Microsoft's Bing instead.

The tablet is due for release on 24 October at £259 for the Wi-Fi-only model, rising to £359 for the 3G model, so buyers on a budget may be tempted.

Meanwhile, the Grid-4 smartphones will launch in the fourth quarter running GridOS, and it will be interesting to see how the operating system works on the smaller form factor.

Overall, it appears that Fusion Garage has learned from the mistakes of the Joo Joo which Rathakrishnan admitted was rushed to market. GridOS is unique and shows flashes of brilliance, but it remains to be seen whether Fusion has the support of retailers and the brand power to attract consumers.

HP failed to penetrate the market with the well-known webOS interface, and we think it could be very difficult for the Grid-10 to take a substantial slice of the market.