Many large tech brands are creating laptops that are thinner, slimmer and lighter than ever before, from Apple's MacBook Air to Toshiba's Portege Z830 series.

Now Acer has announced that it will be launching its own offering onto the super slim, small and lightweight laptop market at IFA this week.

Acer's new model, the Aspire S3 Ultrabook, is 13mm at its thinnest, 17mm at its thickest and weighs just 1.3kg. Interestingly, to keep the little laptop as teeny tiny as possible, the screen has actually been bonded to the Ultrabook's aluminium lid.

The Aspire S3 can be woken up and then ready for action in under two seconds, but can also go into a kind of deep hibernation. This means it doesn't need to be charged for 50 days while its getting some rest.

The Aspire S3 Ultrabook will start shipping in September time with prices ranging from around £700 to £1050.

If you're a big stylus fan then you're in luck. Not only can you get the little guys in all shapes, sizes and colours nowadays for your phone, tablet or computer, but you can also use one to control your TV too.

LG has unveiled a range of plasma HDTVs that allow you to use a special stylus to surf the interwebz and create and control all kinds of content on the screen.

The first model, the PenTouchTV, has a range of interesting features, including two-pen mode, an impressive suite of fancy, stylus-enabled software and a protective, scratch-free glass screen, which seems necessary given you're going to be scribbling all over it.

According to Engadget, the PenTouchTV may only be available in the US for the time being, and will cost around $2,199 for a 3D model and $1,699 for a regular model.

HTC has announced its two new Windows phones called Titan and Radar at IFA this week. Both handsets are pretty powerful and their names could very well have been taken from the hit 90s TV show, Gladiators.

The smart phones will be HTC's first to run on Mango OS and both have very very big screens and moulded aluminium bodies that are similar to the HTC Desire.

As you'd expect, the Titan is the more powerful of the two, with a 1.5GHz processor, 16GB of onboard memory and 512MB of RAM. It also has a 4.7 inch "super LCD" touchscreen and an 8 megapixel camera with a 28mm wide-angle lens.

The Radar features the same super lens as the Titan, but with a 5 megapixel camera and a 1GHz processor with 8GB of internal memory and 512MB of RAM.

Both Titan and Radar will be available from October and it'll be interesting to see how the Radar will fare in comparison to the high-end and super powerful Titan.

Car manufacturer Ford will be revealing a new kind of technology for its European vehicles called MyKey at IFA in Berlin today.

MyKey will allow car owners to program a special key for their vehicles, which then enables them to activate a number of restrictions, such as top speeds and audio volume.

The technology has been devised in response to the high numbers of accidents among young drivers and will be aimed at parents who are keen to control how their teens use their family vehicles.

It's a bit of a controversial topic in many ways, shouldn't we really be teaching young people how to drive responsibly and follow the rules of the road instead of banning them from doing certain things? I suppose in an ideal world, yes, but there will always be those who want to bend the rules a little and the MyKey will hopefully stop them from doing anything too reckless.

Regardless of your stance on the MyKey and the principles behind it, it's sure to give worried parents peace of mind, so maybe it's not all that bad or totalitarian.

MyKey technology is already a success in the US and will be added to certain Ford models in 2012.

Wow. Samsung really has been busy.

Today at IFA, the tech giant has launched its new robotic cleaning device, the Navibot S. The smart little robot promises to give you hands-free, automated cleaning just like the older model, the Navibot, but with more advanced technology and all kinds of new functionality.

When Anna reviewed the original Samsung Navibot in February last year, her main concerns were that it bumped into things a little too much, it was slow and it wasn't good at picking up bits and pieces near to bigger objects.

Samsung seemed to have directly responded to Anna's issues with the improvements to the latest model, which is meant to be much faster with upgraded sensors to stop it bumping into things AND improve its general performance when it comes to cleaning around the edges of rooms.

I'm still not convinced everyone would be happy with the results, but its certainly a big step forward in automated household appliances.

There's no official word about when the Navibot S is going to be available, but we'll update you when we know.

At IFA tonight, Improv Electronics is set to launch its new eWriter, officially named the Boogie Board Rip LCD Writing Tablet.

No, it's not some kind of crazy dance machine, but the latest device to join Improv Electronics' range of eWriters.

It's similar to all of Improv's other Boogie Board eWriters, but the Rip part (which stands for Record Image. Preserve) means that you can write things, make notes, doodle and then transfer everything to your computer for any kind of storing or editing at a later date.

Although I'm not wholly convinced everyone will soon stop using paper and turn to eWriters instead, it's good to see Improv pioneering the eco-friendly, Boogie Board range.

There's no official indication of price just yet, but other Boogie Boards retail at around £30. The Boogie Board Rip will be available from the beginning of November from the Improv Electronics website and from other retailers shortly after.

Here's a quick rundown of the specs:

• A 9.5" writing surface
• Lightweight casing
• Integrated stylus holder
• Lock button
• Rechargeable batteries (that apparently last a week)

Along with its new mobile phone and tablet offerings, Samsung has just unveiled the new MV800 Multiview camera at IFA 2011 in Berlin.

The MV800 has been designed to capture the perfect image. I know what you're thinking, EVERY camera wants you to capture the perfect image, right?

But, the MV800 is tailored to make sure you get shots from all kinds of angles with its unique 3 inch flip out display, a good quality image with 16.1 megapixels, detailed close ups with its 5x optical zoom and wide angle shots with its 26mm lens.

Its USP is the flip-out screen, which is apparently a first for a compact camera, but there are plenty of other features to shout about including advanced touchscreen in the screen and a range of panorama settings.

Samsung also seems to be ticking all of the boxes when it comes to photo editing, with a funny face setting (which doesn't really seem necessary), as well as a range of filters and a comprehensive photo editor.

There's also interestingly a Beauty Shot feature which promises to blur out imperfections on your face, which I'm pretty undecided about at the moment...

There's no official word about when the MV800 will be available, but Tech Radar has guessed it'll be around mid-September at retail at around £249.

Amidst all of the new Samsung products being announced at IFA this morning comes a bit of a quirkier device from Native Union.

The Play is an interesting mix of a high quality video camera, audio recorder and a 2.4 inch colour LCD screen. The brand suggests it would be brilliant for to-do lists and memos, but I can see it taking on a life of its own and being used by bloggers for sound bites and ideas for posts or even as a way to store cute messages for loved ones (OK, so maybe that last suggestion is a bit too sickly sweet).

The gadget is made all the more appealing as its packaged up in a bright shell and available in ALL kinds of colours, although I have my eye on the purple one.

The Play seems like a brilliant idea and as it's retailing at £49.99 it's definitely affordable, although I can't guarantee that I wouldn't end up turning back to my trusty pen and paper a few months down the line.

The Play is expected to be available from the end of September from the Native Union website and Amazon.

Here's a quick rundown of some of the specs:

• Three minutes total record time on 256Mb of memory
• Built in microphone, speaker, camera, LCD monitor
• Magnetised backing, included magnetic wall tape pad, and hand strap
• Bright LED message indicator
• Operates on 3 AAA batteries with 40 day standby time and 3 hours play/record time

IFA in Berlin is a huge trade show that's kicking off for the press today and continuing until the 7th of September.

It's an opportunity for lots of different brands from all over the globe to showcase their gadgets and there'll be a huge mix of consumer tech on display, from home appliances through to sleek little tablets.

We'll be picking out some interesting bits and pieces for you all over the next few days, but in the meantime let's speculate about what might be unveiled at the show, as well as a few dream products we wish would be unveiled...

TVs screens more like cinema screens
What? HUGE, 3D, super sleek TV screens aren't new. But, we're expecting more and more brands to offer products that boast better quality picture and sound than ever before.
Who? Philips, LG. Check out Tech Digest's write up of LG's LW980T Cinema 3D TV already.

A range of new tablets
What? It seems more and more big tech brands want a slice of the ever-growing tablet pie, so we can expect a LOT of different models from the usual suspects if recent rumours are anything to go by.
Who? Samsung, Toshiba, Sony, HTC.

Hoverboards
What? I want to be able to hover. On a board. Like the Thundercats.
Who? I'm thinking some kind of weird and wonderful collaboration between Virgin Galactic and Porsche.

Smaller, sleeker e-readers
What? This is much the same story as tablets, everyone wants in on the action and this competition means we're seeing some brilliant new products being launched onto the market.
Who? Acer, Sony.

A whole new level of entertainment
What? There have been a lot of rumours about new services which aim to bring together music, film, TV and gaming all in one place with plenty of social integration to boot.
Who? Sony, Panasonic,

Touchscreen EVERYTHING
What? A lot of our favourite gadgets and devices now have smooth little touch screens, but what about the ones that don't? Far too often I've tried to swipe the display on a cash machine, or scroll down a web page on my laptop by mashing my hand against the screen. So, I'd like magical screens to be unveiled that could easily and quickly replace EVERY boring, non-touchable screen out there.
Who? Apple, maybe?

Set in Birmingham - just like Crufts - but with more gadgets and fewer dogs - The Gadget Show Live is a hot ticket in the gadget-loving world.

It's like a mini CES for the Brits and features the show's presenters along with all the hot gadgets months before they are slated to come out. Tickets have sold out for this year's edition of the show, but we have two to give away thanks to Square Home Technology.

They say:

Square Home Technology will house 12 exciting brands on the largest stand (C11) in the 'home gadgets' area at the Gadget Show Live 2011.

Displaying the latest home consumer tech, the stand is arranged into a bedroom, a dining area, kitchen and lounge. Attractions include live music recording demonstrations, 12 state of the art consumer tech vendors, and a competition to win everything on the stand!

Brands confirmed to be on the stand:

Avid - http://www.avid.com/US/
Blue Microphones - http://www.bluemic.com/
Cygnett - http://www.cygnett.com.au/
Easiskins - http://www.easiskins.com/easiskins/holdingpage.html
Eye-Fi - http://uk.eye.fi/
Henge Docks - www.hengedocks.com
Intelligent Touch - http://www.intelligenttouch.co.uk/IntelligentTouch.html
Just Mobile - http://www.xtand.net/
Libratone - http://www.libratone.com/
Mophie - http://www.mophie.com/
Scosche - www.scosche.com
STM - www.stmbags.com.au /
Western Digital - http://www.wdc.com/en/

To enter: email comps[@]shinymedia.com with Gadget Show Live Tickets in the subject line
and answer this question: What type of product do Avid make?
Entries close on Monday 11th April
Terms and Conditions for Shiny competitions here under 'Competition Terms and Conditions'

Fans of the tablet computer have a lot to enjoy in this year's IFA offerings. The strongest contender in the field is the Samsung Galaxy Tab, but Toshiba's Folio 100 mobile device is pretty interesting too.

Folio's trump card here is the Android OS - Android 2.2 aka Freyo. That means a lot of apps and features and speedy operation. Flash, multitasking and a full suite of

With a 10.1 inch screen it's just a shade bigger than the iPad's 9.7 inch one though the battery life (7hrs) is shorter than that of Apple's Fondle Slab (10hrs).

Where the Samsung Galaxy Tab is almost more personal organiser, the Folio is plonk in the middle of Apple's territory - marketed as a multimedia device. And it has a lot of the hardware that Apple didn't put in iPad: an SD card slot, HDMI connector and a USB 2.0 slot, and an integrated 1.3MP front-facing webcam making video-chat simple.

A Mobile Broadband model with 3G support will also be launched later in the year. It comes with 16gb of storage but that's expandable up to 32gb with the SD card. Video calls (over wifi or 3G) will be provided by Skype rival Fring).

It's still expensive but is a good £100 cheaper than the iPad (£429).

The Toshiba FOLIO 100 will be available in the UK from October 2010 for £329 inc VAT (non-3G).

Stories from the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas from Day One and before the show:

CES 2010: Kodak launches a waterproof video cam and a cool search function

CES 2010: Lenovo releases mobile smartbook the Skylight

CES 2010: Lenovo launch the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid, a notebook with a detachable screen

CES 2010 launch: AR Drone from Parrot is a helicopter you can control with your iPhone

CES 2010: 37" bar speakers from iLive - longest iPod speakers ever?

CES 2010 announcement: Skype moves on to the TV, and goes High Definition

CES 2010 launch: Lenovo releases new Thinkpad - the design-consicious Edge

CES 2010 launch: L5 app makes iPhone into universal remote, but do we want it?

CES 2010 announcement: Gaming Notebook Battalion Touch CZ-10 will be first to have multi-touch screen

CES 2010 launch: Canon launches zingy but affordable PowerShot A490 and A495 cameras

See all stories from CES 2010 here

Lights, laptops and technoology greats at
SEE 09 - the conference hosted by Symbian the people who make the operating systems found in Nokia phones. Hosted over the next two days, the Symbian Exchange and Exposition in London is a gadget marketplace, workshop host and stage for some big speakers and big ideas.

Symbian CEO introduces the conference with what they're offering to consumers, to businesses, to developers. He wants them to have a new dialogue. More conversations. More experiences.

Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia is on at ten giving a talk titled: "Welcome to the new World". Live-blog after the jump

Summary: Samsung shows us the X360 Notebook, and explains how this is the lightest model to ever hit the market.

16:13 We're welcomed and told that topic today is Lighter than Air. I know it's a notebook, so I'm guessing it's going to be pretty portable.

16:19 We get a video to watch! Woo hoo! Smiling women pose in front of computers and go skiing. Next we see a machine tapping away at a keyboard and a close up of the bullseye in archery. Clearly this means the new laptop is a death defying machine which can do many things; I'm thinking a multitasking processor?

Good news for eco-friendly gadget addicts: Steve Ballmer is going green for CeBIT. Like the Other Steve, he's doing his bit for his company by recasting it as a greener, more environmentally friendly figure than it has been in the past.

Surface is apparently being revealed (again) at the show, and Ballmer is keen to point out that Microsoft has finally come to terms with energy saving. Not just that, but it's created a research group to use lots of energy to discover how to save energy because it's true enough that "to be more green, we need the scientific research that will power green energy". The developer-crazy CEO also dropped in a mention of the fact that Vista and Windows Server 2008 are both less power-hungry than their respective predecessors and reminders of Microsoft's partnership with a German power supplier which resulted in developing energy monitors for consumers.

[via The Register]

It can't just be me that approaches every new mobile handset with the phrase 'iPhone killer?' in the back of my mind. Out of the phones we've seen so far today, the new Nokia N96 looks like one of the most likely candidates. So, how does it stack up?

Interface
Winner: iPhone
The touchscreen and the UI make the iPhone stand out from the crowd, where using a Nokia is... fine.

Storage
Winner: N96
If you're going to use the MP3 functionality, you need a decent memory size, and despite the recent iPhone upgrade to 16GB, it's no match for extra 16GB you can expand the internal 16GB N96 memory making a massive 32GB of media goodness.

Camera
Winner: N96
The iPhone camera is a paltry 2 megapixels, with no flash. The N96 is 5, with flash, with 30fps video recording. It will even geotag your photos. Apple who?

Sony Ericsson have updated their Walkman range with the W980, which boasts 8GB of internal storage, super-clear sound and HSDPA.

Check out more MWC news here.

Well, Sony Ericsson may have stolen the crown for best announcement - a few seconds with the Xperia smartphone and I've picked it as my new boyfriend. It runs Windows Mobile, has a full QWERTY keyboard, and a swanky new user interface.

More news on MWC can be found here.

Samsung haven't just got Soul. They've also got F400. Nah, it doesn't really work, does it? The F400 is their music phone offering, and it's been produced with Bang and Olufsen technology, for superior sound quality.

Check out more MWC news here.

The F600 is the latest from LG, and features a half-touchscreen, which you can customise according to which functions you use the most. The buttons also adapt according to which mode you're in, which seems to be quite the fashion here in Barcelona this year.

Check out more MWC news here.