| Gary Marshall: Spying smartphones could save your life Mar 6th 2014, 12:50, by Gary Marshall 
There's a big problem with wearable health tech: the people who need it won't buy it. With the obvious exceptions - people who have conditions that mean they need to keep a close eye on what their bodies are up to - the kind of people who'll embrace wearable health gadgets are the kind of people who don't really need them. If you care enough about your health to drop hundreds on health kit, you're probably not the kind of person who runs screaming from salad bars. We don't need health sensors for healthy people, we need them for everybody else. We need smartphones that will spy on us. Pizza powerI'm not being judgemental here. In a former life I was Scotland's most enthusiastic smoker, and while I don't do that any more I still enjoy a deep-fried pizza - don't knock if you haven't tried it - and come out in a rash if I think about exercising. I'm as interested in health apps as I am in morris dancing, cricket or One Direction. That's why a smartphone could save my life. Everybody's going to die but many people die far too early. For example, it's estimated that a quarter of deaths from heart disease are preventable and the risk factors are both well-established and easy to monitor; they're things such as blood pressure, high cholesterol, lack of physical activity and so on. The problem, of course, is that you have to monitor those things and many of us don't. We're pretty good at pretending that unhealthy behaviours aren't affecting us - and the unhealthier the behaviour, the more in denial you can become. When I was torching entire tobacco plantations before breakfast the last person I wanted to see was my doctor. What's the point of going to see someone who'll only tell you to stop smoking? Wearables might do a better job. If our devices come stuffed with sensors in the way they currently do with accelerometers and compasses, they could keep a close eye on how we're doing. For example, the Wello smartphone case includes a handful of sensors that monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels, temperature and so on; Apple is reportedly working on audio sensors that can detect irregularities in arteries. The trick is to make health monitoring the rule, not the exception. Given the choice between spending a couple of hundred on a health gadget or dropping the same sum on Haribo, the sweets will win every time - but if the sensors are in the gadgets we'll want to buy anyway, they can sneak in under our radar. There are lots of issues to address - privacy is the biggie - but if wearables can get it right, they might warn us of imminent problems without just nipping our heads about eating more salad. Sensors could be the canaries in our personal coalmines, spotting great danger when there's still time to do something about it. Saving us from ourselves? Maybe we need an app for that.        |  | Wello just turned your iPhone into your personal doctor Mar 6th 2014, 12:42, by James Rogerson 
Wello (by Azoi Inc) is a health tracker with a difference, or at least it has far more features than we've come to expect from the humble smartphone case. It can track your heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, ECG, blood oxygen level, respiration, heart rate variability and lung functions with supposedly medical grade accuracy. You might be imagining it as some sort of expensive and unwieldy contraption, but in fact it's built into a mobile phone case, so it can be with you whenever your phone is and you simply place your fingers on the sensor areas to get a reading. Diagnose on the moveIt connects to a handset using Bluetooth, allowing it to sync data to an app, so you can see your stats wherever you are. It can also be linked up to Fitbit devices (with support for other brands apparently in the works), so you can see all your data in one place and it has a two month battery life. 
The Wello is compatible with the iPhone 5S, 5 and 4S, as well as all Android KitKat devices with Bluetooth LE (low-energy), though it doesn't look like the case will currently fit Android handsets, as you can only order iPhone versions for now. Speaking of orders, it's up for pre-order now for £120 / $199 (around AU$220) and will be shipping to the UK and Europe in the summer with the US following this autumn, pending FDA approval. Whether it's any good we cannot say, but on paper it certainly sounds it and makes Samsung's Galaxy S5 heart rate monitor seem somewhat underwhelming in comparison.        | | LG L90 roll-out begins but you're probably still in for a wait Mar 6th 2014, 10:17, by James Rogerson 
The LG L90 only appeared the other day at MWC but it's already on its way to stores. At least, it is if you live in Russia and the surrounding countries, as the handset will land over there starting this week. The rest of us might have to wait a little bit longer, but hopefully not too long as the press release states that the L90 will be arriving in "other markets around the world" just as soon as it's finished launching in eastern Europe. Priced to moveWhen it does arrive, the LG L90 has a 4.7-inch 960 x 540 display, a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of built in storage and an 8MP camera. It also runs Android 4.4 KitKat, so it's up to date on that front, and it includes LG's new Knock Code feature which allows users to turn the screen on and unlock the phone through a combination of taps. We gave the L90 a test drive at MWC and were impressed by the build quality and performance, but felt the screen resolution was a little on the low side - check out the full hands on here. We're waiting to hear back from networks about pricing for the L90, but it looks as though the SIM-free handset will land at around £209.99, or at least that's what Clove has it up for pre-order at - that translates to around $350 or AU$400. It's also launching into an increasingly crowded market, with the likes of the Motorola Moto G and Sony Xperia M2 sure to provide stiff competition. Can it stand out? You'll have to wait for our full LG L90 review to find out.        | | HTC Desire 310 is a mid-ranger with 'affordable' style Mar 6th 2014, 10:01, by Hugh Langley 
HTC has officially announced the Desire 310, its mid-range successor to the Desire 300. The specs won't blow your mind, but they're sure to be enough to make this affordable handset sing. The Desire 310 has a 4.5-inch 854 x 480 display, a 1.3GHz quad-core processor working away inside and 1GB of RAM. You'll only have 4GB of internal storage inside but you'll be able to add more via the microSD card slot. Meanwhile, you've got a resonable 5MP shooter on the rear capable of 1080p video recording, and a VGA camera on the front. Burning desireAnd unless you're averse to choice, the other good news is that you'll be able to pick it up in one of three colours - white, orange or navy blue. The HTC Desire 310 will be available in the UK "from the end of April" via O2, Vodafone and Carphone Warehouse, although we're not yet being told anything on pricing or when other territories will get their hands on it - HTC just promises us it will be "affordable".        | | The new 'Snowden Phone' is a locked-down Samsung Galaxy S2 Mar 6th 2014, 09:22, by Matt Swider 
Anonymous internet goers who are willing to downgrade their smartphone in order to upgrade their privacy may be interested in the newish-Android from FreedomPop. FreedomPop's Privacy Phone, appropriately nicknamed the "Snowden Phone," is actually a Samsung Galaxy S2 but one that comes with locked-down voice, text and data features. It transmits all calls and text messages through 128-bit encryption and keeps users anonymous when browsing the internet. Virus and phishing protection aren't a problem with this phone and neither is keeping all of your contacts and call history confidential, according to FreedomPop. In light of the Prism government spying program, the internet service provider claims these features help "protect your privacy from hackers, government agencies and spyware." FreedomPop Privacy Phone vs BlackphoneThe FreedomPop Privacy Phone isn't actually the first Android designed for privacy-concerned individuals. That distinction belongs to Blackphone, which we went hands on with at MWC 2014. However, while the anti-NSA Blackphone has superior specs, it's $629. The Boeing Black is another option, but a price hasn't been announced yet. FreedomPop is currently taking orders for its privacy-defending Galaxy S2 for the price of just $189, and it comes with three months of free unlimited voice and texts and 500MB of data. Best of all, it can be bought with Bitcoins. If you still have any.        | | Feast your eyes on what could be the New HTC One's dual cameras Mar 6th 2014, 00:25, by Michelle Fitzsimmons 
In the case of the New HTC One the phone is as good as revealed, despite lacking official confirmation on just about every spec. What seems a done deal is that the One 2 will sport a unique dual-camera sensor design, a feature HTC itself has teased in recent days. While HTC would have us believe life will become "twice as beautiful" on March 25, a new leak from @evleaks lets us go up close and personal with the new snappers. The perpetual leaker referred to the subject matter as the "HTC M8 cameras." There's not much else to take away, but smartphone camera fanatics can drool over the sensors' crisp lines and accompanying dual flash. As Engadget postulated, the double camera set-up may help magnify distant objects without having to zoom, boost low-light performance, enhance auto focus and/or allow users to fiddle with a photo's depth of field. We'll find out the real reasons for it soon enough.   | | Sony Xperia Z2 hits post-pay pre-orders, better start saving those pennies Mar 5th 2014, 20:59, by Chris Smith -470-75.JPG)
After its arrival on SIM-free pre-orders last week, those seeking to snap up a subsidised Sony Xperia Z2 can now officially sign-up, but the company's new flagship won't be coming cheap. Carphone Warehouse is promising delivery of the handset on April 7, with contracts on all networks, starting at a rather steep (tantamount to vertical, in all honesty) £47 a month if you want a free phone. Vodafone is offering the least expensive option with unlimited minutes/texts and only 3GB of 4G data. 5GB of data on O2 is a quid more. If you're prepared to hand over £100 upfront, EE will give you 20GB of 4G data for £52.99 a month. Flagship (yes, another one)The Xperia Z2, which is seemingly Sony's umpteenth flagship handset in the last couple of years, arrived at MWC 2014 last month. It brings worthy improvements, including an excellent 5.2-inch full HD screen, with Live Colour LED technology. It also packs Android 4.4 KitKat out of the box. It's also one of the first handsets to deploy the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 CPU, which, when combined with 3GB of RAM, makes the device one of the speediest on the market. Can the Xperia Z2 match the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the forthcoming 'all new' HTC One? Or is this another flagship device that'll keep Sony among the chasing pack? Let us know your thoughts below.        | | Gmail iOS app now more relevant thanks to background refresh update Mar 5th 2014, 20:20, by Matt Swider 
Google just made Gmail more relevant on its chief competitor's devices, as its official iOS app now includes a handy background refresh feature. This means the Gmail app can fetch mail even when it's not open. The new messages will be waiting for you as soon as you open the app, according to the release notes. The feature comes with some requirements. At least one type of notification needs to be enabled for background refresh to work properly, whether it's a badge, alert or banner notification. Apple hardware owners are also required to update to iOS 7 if they haven't already. This means the update is compatible with the iPhone 4 or later and iPad 2 or later. Mail vs Gmail apps on iOSToday's update really levels the playing field between Google's app and Apple's native Mail app, which has always been able to fetch messages when closed. Gmail version 3 for iOS also simplifies the sign-in process. Signing into Google Maps, Drive or the Chrome browser enables a convenient single sign-in feature. Now that checking Gmail messages and signing in is faster, iOS users may be tempted to take advantage of Google's app, even though it's from a third party. On top of everything else, it includes Gmail's exclusive colorful labels feature that the default Mail app doesn't incorporate. - See how Apple may step it up with iPhone 6
       | | Benchmark leak has New HTC One squashing Samsung Galaxy S5 Mar 5th 2014, 19:45, by klee 
We might have already seen the All New HTC One in all its glory, from the dual-camera sensors to every inch of its all-metal unibody. But now we're getting our first potential look at what it can actually do on the processing front. Newly posted photos on Weibo have revealed some scintillating new angles of the phone. But most intriguing, the new images give us some AnTuTu benchmarks that show what the new HTC flagship can do with its rumored 2.26GHz quad-core chip. According to the results, the New HTC One clocks in at 38,000 points. This score beats out most of its rivals already on the market as well as the newly revealed Samsung Galaxy S5, which racked up a score of 35,666. Anonymous parties performed both benchmarks before the smartphones respective reveals, so we'll have to take the numbers with a grain of salt. Feeling the need for speed It's still early in the smartphone season and with each new phone the standard that this year's crop of smartphones will have to meet is moving up.
From the looks of it, new 64-bit chips and snappier quad-core chips are passing older processors in the slow lane. AnTuTu benchmarks for the original HTC One came in at 22,678 points, according to GSM Arena. The same site recorded the more recent LG G Flex with an AnTuTu score of 33,336. Of course, benchmarks aren't the only way to judge the quality of a phone, but they do give us an early look at a handset's prowess. We'll find out how much of this high benchmark score translates into blinding fast speed when we get our hands on the New HTC One March 25. - Across the mobile OS pond, here's is what we know about the iPhone 6
       | | Is Apple making Siri-ous improvements to help the iWatch? Mar 5th 2014, 19:21, by Michael Rougeau 
Apple may be hard at work getting Siri to play nicer with third party apps, in part to prepare for the iWatch launch. Tech site The Information claims in a story about apps and mobile search that Apple wants to enable Siri to do things like book reservations and send texts through third-party apps without requiring Apple to work directly with apps' developers. Currently, Siri can interface with apps like OpenTable and Wolfram Alpha, but Cupertino had to work directly with the services' devs to set up the functionality. The improvements will make integrating non-Apple apps with Siri easier and faster, potentially paving the way for the iWatch and its accompanying app ecosystem. What about Google?Further evidence that Siri development is taking a turn toward an Apple smartwatch can be found in a feature that would allow the virtual personal assistant to bring specific apps to the forefront contextually. For example, Siri could hypothetically open Nike+ or RunKeeper if you start jogging, maximizing the efficiency of a small-screened device like the iWatch while requiring minimal direct interaction from users. Google is said to be working on beefing up Google Now's interactions with third-party apps by creating an index of apps' capabilities that the service could refer back to automatically. So if you want to send a message, Google Now would know which applications can have the ability to do just that. It seems there's a bit of an arms race (or wrist race) to improve the overall user experience. While our devices may become frighteningly smart, they may also become increasingly more useful.        | | Hard Nok life: Ballmer backing Nokia buy led to his downfall Mar 5th 2014, 15:36, by Kate Solomon 
Steve Ballmer's resignation as CEO of Microsoft signalled a turbulent time for the company coming to a head - but what really caused his sudden departure? There's a whole list of swings-and-misses to consider: Windows 8 was struggling. Windows RT had flopped. Windows Phone was trailing iOS and Android as the runt of the mobile OS litter. The Xbox One was struggling to gain a PR footing against the PS4. The disparate factions of Microsoft were slamming into one another like warring companies rather than harmonious parts of a whole. Something wasn't right with the company's strategy and even a new One couldn't fix it. According to stories collated from anonymous Microsoft employees by Bloomberg, that came from a huge clash of both opinion and personality between Ballmer and the Microsoft board that came to a head when Ballmer suggested buying Nokia. Nok-nok-Nokia on heaven's doorThe fascinating piece casts Ballmer as a petulant CEO, who reportedly "shouted at a June meeting that if he didn't get his way he couldn't be CEO" when opposition to his Nokia plan was raised. Many on the board were apparently against the deal and against Microsoft moving into hardware production, including company founder Bill Gates and now-CEO Satya Nadella. The deal was too expensive and too complicated to be worth it, they said. But Nokia's Windows Phone deal was due to expire in February 2014. With that date looming, Nokia started hinting that it would start making Android devices causing Microsoft to start making serious overtures just before MWC 2013. So Ballmer finally got his way with Nokia - but at a price. In August, shortly before the deal was finalised, Ballmer announced his retirement. Of course, there's more to the story than just the Nokia deal - corporate mutinies and panicked staff shake-ups also played their part - head over to Bloomberg to read the whole twisted tale.        | | Did someone just out the prices of the Samsung Gear 2 and Gear Fit? Mar 5th 2014, 12:17, by Hugh Langley 
Samsung made its biggest wearable push yet at MWC 2014 by revealing three new devices – the prices of which may have just been outed. Sam Mobile claims to have the inside scoop and says we can expect to see the Samsung Gear 2 priced at €299 (which is close to AU$450), while the Gear 2 Neo and the Gear Fit will come in at €199 (again, probably AU$302). Bearing in mind that the first Samsung Galaxy Gear launched for AU$369, these prices are well within the realms of possibility, but we're yet to hear anything official. Healthy marginsWhile the Gear 2 may be priced as steeply as its predecessor, we've at least now got the Neo coming in at a more affordable point. Plus we expect we'll see Samsung continue to slash the cost of the original Gear, or remove the product entirely. But by asking the same price for the Gear Fit, Samsung will be pricing itself higher than competitors like the Nike Fuelband and Fitbit Force, which could make it a more difficult sell - even with that flexible OLED screen. We're currently waiting for a response from Samsung on the matter and will keep you updated. - Are we happy with Samsung's improvements in its watch? Find out in our Gear 2 review
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