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.

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.

Nokia launched two high-end devices at its annual Nokia World event in London on Wednesday and we got a chance to spend some hands with the Lumia 800 Windows Phone handset.

The flagship Lumia 800 is set to take the challenge to the Apple iPhone 4S and Samsung Galaxy S II and it bears a striking resemblance to the Nokia N9, which was released in selected European countries and uses the MeeGo platform.

The Lumia 800 exudes high quality craftsmanship, with a one-piece injection moulded body that Nokia touted as scratch proof. The device is also comfortable to hold, but isn't the lightest on the market as it weighs 142g.

Nokia has integrated an 3.7in Amoled screen with a resolution of 480x800 and colours are crisp with blacks particularly deep when compared to other devices. Brightness also seemed very good as we were using the device in a low light environment.

The 1.4GHz single-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and 512MB of RAM are not the highest specifications around, but the device has been optimised to get the full benefit from the software, much like Apple has with the iOS. This makes the Lumia 800 extremely responsive, and there is no noticeable lag.

The Windows platform will also help the firm attract business users to the device, as it comes with Exchange support and Mobile Microsoft Office suite.

Some key features that set the Nokia apart from competing Windows Phone devices is the eight megapixel camera with an optimised flash for low-light conditions. The Nokia N8 had an excellent camera and the firm has clearly carried this through to the Lumia 800.

With Microsoft having already laid down specifications for the Windows Phone Mango platform before Nokia signed its deal with Microsoft, the Finnish firm has been unable to make its hardware substantially difference to other devices from HTC and Samsung.

However, Nokia has managed to sneak in a few of its own apps, the highlight of which is Nokia Drive, a free voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation system, a first for Windows Phone devices.

With a price of €420, the Lumia 800 isn't cheap, but with the services on offer and good performance it could be winner. Nokia is still behind when it comes to core specifications but as Apple has proved, raw processing power isn't everything.

Nokia is set to embark on its biggest marketing campaign with the Lumia series, so expect to see adverts for the device plastered everywhere in the next few weeks ahead of its November launch.

V3 will have a full review of the device in due course and we also have a video demo of the phone in action:

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.

Micro SD cards have become the de facto way to boost the memory in mobile devices such as e-readers, smartphones and tablets. But, while highly portable, the cards are susceptible to damage as the connectors are exposed.

Step forward Samsung, which has developed what it claims is a near-indestructible memory card. The MB-MS8GA is resistant to shock, water and magnets - more than traditional devices, and comes with a five-year warranty.

V3 tested the 8GB Class 6 card, which comes with an SD adapter allowing it to fit into most all-in-one card readers. We found the card reasonably quick, a 1GB transfer taking just over 45 seconds. After loading it to the brim, we set out to test the card to destruction.

Water test
Samsung claims that the card is waterproof, and will work even after 24 hours immersed in sea water. Protection is provided by Epoxy Moulding Compound technology, and we concocted our own brand of saline to see whether the claims are true. We left the card in the solution overnight and, after a quick rub down, popped it into our PC. The device appeared in My Computer as if nothing had happened and was good to go.

Spillages are all too common in the home and office, so we decided to drop the card into a cup of hot tea. Impressively, the card showed no ill effects even when the tea was mixed with milk. Those who do a lot of water sports, or who are accident prone, can be assured that their data will remain protected.

Verdict- Passed

Magnet test
Magnets are well known as being able to wipe data on digital devices, and Samsung has built in protection to stop this happening. The MB-MS8GA card can withstand a magnetic field of 10,000 gauss, according to the firm, and had no problems when coming into close contact with small magnets around the office.

This high level of protection means that the card is safe to use around large home theatre systems and even an MRI scanner.
Verdict - Passed

Shock testing
The MB-MS8GA is designed to withstand the weight of a 1.6-tonne truck, according to Samsung. Of course, dropping the device in front of such a vehicle and living to tell the tale is unlikely, so we tested the card in less dangerous ways.

The card survived a drop from shoulder height onto the concrete floor, a trip down a flight of stairs and being stepped on multiple times with a size 10 boot.

The only way we were able to inflict any damage was with a good old-fashioned hammer. Even then, the card managed to fend off a couple of blows before bits started to fly off. It finally succumbed after the third and fourth blows.

Considering that we used excessive force, and that the card is unlikely ever to be accidentally subjected to hammer blows, we think Samsung's claims are valid.
Verdict - Passed

Overall
The Samsung MB-MS8GA is not quite indestructible, but it's a good choice for the adventurous and accident prone. The card is rugged enough to survive rough treatment and spillages, and the water proofing and magnet proofing live up to the billing. The card would be the perfect little companion to the ruggedised Motorola Defy smartphone or a waterproof camera.

The only thing that Samsung has left out is a tracking device, so if you lose the card it's going to be as hard to find as any other micro SD card.

MemoryCardZoo offers an 8GB peripheral for £11.40, which is no more expensive than competing cards and is well worth the investment.

ANAHEIM: Microsoft has handed out a Samsung tablet running Windows 8 to all developers at the Build conference in Anaheim to help kick-start work on new applications.

The Samsung tablet is unmarked, and the box proclaims it as developer prototype hardware. It features an impressive 11.6in 1,366x768 touch-screen display, and weighs about 900g with a slimline design at just 12.9mm thick.

The tablet is based on a 1.6GHz Intel Core i5-2467M dual-core processor, with 4GB of DDR3 memory, a 64GB SSD, and support for 3G mobile broadband and Wi-Fi.

The unit has a microSD slot, a single USB port and micro HDMI connector. Microsoft is also providing developers with a Bluetooth keyboard, stylus and mini docking cradle that adds an extra USB and HDMI video output, plus Ethernet for a LAN connection.

The tablet feels very responsive, and is easily a match for rival devices such as Apple's iPad or the various Android-based tablets. However, battery life could be a shortcoming, as the indicator went down noticeably during our brief hands-on test.

Microsoft wasn't giving any details on when this tablet might go on sale, but it is obviously a taste of what to expect with Windows 8 hardware.

The Galaxy Note aims to bridge the gap between Android smartphones and tablets, and reminds us of those personal digital assistants that have long gone out of fashion.

The Note measures 147x83x10mm, and has the look and feel of an oversized Samsung Galaxy S II. It fills the palm of your hand, but is extremely light to hold and will comfortably fit into a trouser pocket.

Despite the large 5.3in screen, the Note weighs just 178g, making it 42g lighter than the smaller 5in Dell Streak. The Note isn't that much heavier than other smartphones on the market, and is only 16g more than the 4.3in HTC HD7, for example.

Samsung continues to outdo itself in terms of display quality. The Note has a Super Amoled HD screen with a resolution of 1,280x800, which is excellent in terms of brightness and colour.

Under the sleek chassis, Samsung has packed in a 1.4GHz dual-core processor, which will make the Note one of the fastest handsets on the market when it arrives.

Features that make the Android 2.3 Gingerbread device unique include the S Pen stylus, which can be used to navigate, jot down notes and even search the handset or internet. We were able to search for sites in Google using the stylus, as the Note recognised our handwriting.

Preloaded productivity apps include S Memo, which can record pictures, voice, text, notes and drawings, and S Planner, which manages items such as a to-do list and schedule, again suggesting that the Note is aimed at business users.

Another useful business feature is that pretty much all on-screen content can be captured and converted to a 'memo' to be edited, annotated and shared.

NFC connectivity is optional, and we were impressed with the 2,500mAH battery. It's not as big as the 4,000mAh battery in the original Galaxy Tab, but is almost twice the size of the 1,650mAh pack in the Galaxy S II.

Devices such as the Dell Streak have not been the most popular, but Samsung has shown that the company has a pedigree in the mobile market and, by combining the functionality of the Galaxy Tab and Galaxy S II, it could be onto a winner with the Note.

Samsung has yet to reveal official pricing for the Note. Clove has it listed as £600, although the online electronics retailer notes this is a speculative price. We'd imagine the actual SIM-free price to be more around the £450 mark.

BERLIN: Samsung continues to roll out Android tablets, despite being subject to a number of patent infringement lawsuits from Apple, and V3 got its hands on the latest edition to the ever-growing Galaxy Tab family.

The Galaxy Tab 7.7in looks to be another fine effort from the Korean manufacturer, boasting some tasty specifications and a beautifully crafted, lightweight design.

Despite having a screen almost one inch larger than the HTC Flyer and BlackBerry PlayBook, the Galaxy Tab 7.7 weighs just 335g, making it around 100g lighter than its competitors. The Tab is great to hold and definitely has a decent claim to being the most portable tablet on the market.

Samsung will also retain the voice calling feature in 3G models, making this a hybrid device like the original Samsung Galaxy Tab.

The company has squeezed in a Super Amoled screen with 1,280x800 resolution. The screen is extremely crisp and its brightness marks a step up from the 1,024x600 pixels on the original Tab.

Samsung has ditched the commonly used context sensitive face buttons, and the Tab has no keys on the bezel.

As always, Samsung has increased the device's horsepower, incorporating a 1.4GHz dual-core processor. We found internet browsing swift, and applications loaded quickly. We expect the Tab 7.7 to be one of the fastest on the market when it comes out.

The tablet is also wafer thin and, with a thickness of 7.89mm, looks like a size zero model next to the Flyer (13.2mm) and makes the PlayBook (10mm) look a bit chubby.

The Tab runs on Android 3.2, so the experience is going to be similar to other tablets, but we did spot some features that we haven't seen before. The System Bar on the Tab 7.7 features a screen capture button to instantly print any page. There is also an extra arrow that brings up six shortcuts to apps along the bottom for quicker access.

The back of the device has also been changed, which we were happy to see. Gone is the white plastic back, which made the original very slippery to hold, to be replaced by a gun-metal grey metal casing.

In a nod to its ongoing battle with Apple, Samsung cheekily placed a sticker on the back stating that the "design is subject to change", almost as if the manufacturer is anticipating another lawsuit.

As it stands, we were very impressed with the 7.7in, even more so that the Sony Tablet S. The Galaxy Tab 7.7 looks like it is going to offer a large display without compromising portability, and it could be the best Android tablet to date.