Apple’s annual fall product preview featured a colorful array of unprecedented announcements kept 6,000 in-person attendees and thousands more online viewers interested for more for almost two hours. “To wear it is to love it.” Everyone knew there would be a new pair of iPhones—the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus—but this is not how the evening started. First came the Apple Watch, now best buddy with high-end fashion house Hermès, in an entirely new collection that features hand-stitched leather straps and a special watch face. The couture device will have a selection of three bands with the stainless steel face: a single leather loop, a double loop, and a cuff. The double loop one comes only with the 38mm face, while the thicker cuff only has the 42mm version. The band leather is available in different colors. Apple also announced new gold and rose gold colors for the Apple Watch Sport, a take on the pricey Apple Watch Edition series, but in anodized aluminum. Moreover, an expanded range of pastel Sport Band colors were presented under the fall collection. This can only mean that more colors are in the works for next year. Starting September 16, the wearable software will be updated to Watch OS 2, providing support for native third-party apps named “third-party complications” that bring notification and other third-party app data on to watch faces, as well as some overall performance improvements. More on that when it’s out. “Thin. Light. Epic.” Then there was the iPad Pro. This (not so) little (anymore) device grew up into a fabulous 12.9-inch screen, with plenty of surprises. Very comfortable for gaming, entertainment, and serious work tool, the new iPad is accessorized with a full-size keyboard and a multi-tasking tool. And if you thought that MacBook...

QuadHD displays are yesterday’s hot thing. The new point of attraction is 4K. At IFA 2015, Sony introduced its Z5 family—Z5, Z5 Compact, and Z5 Premium phones—with Z5 Premium sporting the world’s first 5.5-inch 4K (3,840×2,160) with 806ppi display, “next-generation” cameras, and some teensy-weensy fingerprint scanners. This is the first time ever that Sony has launched a trio of phones at the same time. They all share many features, but there is one thing that differentiates the Premium from the rest. The 4K display is a truly ridiculous world-beating panel, with vibrant colors and deep blacks. Unfortunately, the new screen tech was saved only for the Premium, while Z5 stays with the 5.2-inch 1080p unit and the Z5 Compact gets only a 4.6-inch 720p display. Aside from the 4K monster, the Z5 Premium flaunts a mirrored glass back in black, gold, and chrome. Z5 comes in white, black, gold, and subdued green with a frosted glass back, and Z5 Compact seems to be designed for the younger customer base, dressed in white, black, but also yellow and coral; these too with frosted glass at the back. If you’re picky about the size of the device you’re choosing for yourself, you’re in luck: Z5 Premium has 5.5-inch display and is 7.8mm thick, the Z5 has a 5.2-inch display and is 7.3mm thick, and the Compact has a 4.6-inch display and is 8.3mm thick. What’s your size? Specs-wise, the trio shares pretty much the same features. All three have inside Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 processor, up to 32GB of internal storage (expandable to 128GB by microSD), high-res audio chips, “up to two-day battery life,” and a fingerprint sensor built into the power button on the right edge of the phone, a position that feels more natural than...

Google is already Internet Service Provider and pay-TV operator. Now, it’s starting its adventure as mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). Frankly, it was about time to be able to Google a phone call. The long-awaited cell phone service – Project Fi is finally here. For now, the product can be considered an experiment; Even more so considering that it will be available only to people using Google’s flagship phone, the Nexus 6. This choice doesn’t only limit its reach, but also doesn’t make Google a serious competitor to Verizon, AT&T, and other wireless service providers. The service offers the same basic functionality as traditional wireless carriers: voice, text, and Internet access – but at a lower price than many of the plans out there. It can be called an attempt to combine cellular calls and VoIP calls (like those offered by Skype) into one phone number and service. “Wherever you’re connected to Wi-Fi — whether that’s at home, your favorite coffee shop or your Batcave — you can talk and text like you normally do,” wrote Nick Fox, Google’s vice president of communications products, in a blog post. “If you leave an area of Wi-Fi coverage, your call will seamlessly transition from Wi-Fi to cell networks so your conversation doesn’t skip a beat.” Project Fi is designed to be able to switch between different high-speed wireless networks operated by Sprint and T-Mobile, choosing the stronger one in any given area. Moreover, phones on Project Fi will switch from cellular networks to Wi-Fi networks when available to place calls or access the Internet without using the customer’s data plans. The service will also bounce around between devices, allowing users to talk and text on smartphones, tablets and laptops. Google won’t be building its own cell phone...

LG is on to something. After having its LG G3 crowned by TrustedReviews as 2014 Phone of the Year, the Korean manufacturer strikes again, unveiling its latest flagship phone – the LG G4. Visually, the G4 doesn’t differ much from the G3, on the front side that is. It’s a 5.5-inch device with 2560 x 1440 pixel display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and volume buttons on the back. The G4 has a slight curve, subtle enough to go unnoticed by many, but with 20 percent less chances than the flat G3 to have the display break on impact, claims LG. Furthermore, the slim arc allows for a natural, firm grip. There is one feature that makes enthusiasts want to get their hands on it: LG has decorated the back of the phone in leather, real leather, featuring an exquisite stitch. The materials and the processes used are the same as luxury handbags and LG expects to sell millions of it. These premium back covers are made of vegetable tanned full grain leather, the type that doesn’t harm any animals; and they come in brown, black, and red. However, the more conventional plastic backs are made available as well, with metallic or ceramic finish in metallic gray, ceramic white, and gold. The back covers are removable and interchangeable, enabling access to a removable, monstrous 3,000mAh battery and Micro-SD Card slot that can add up to 2TB of storage space. It’s helpful to remind that Samsung’s Galaxy S6 has a 2,500mAh battery, while iPhone 6’s is a 1,800mAh battery. Also, Samsung has stopped offering the expandable memory, as well as the replaceable battery. The G4 has a “Quantum IPS” panel – one that has the same color accuracy as displays used for color grading...

SAN FRANCISCO – Last week, The Moscone Center West hosted one of the world’s largest games of Pong while Google presented the products and services it’s been brewing up for the past year. At the I/O keynote, Google showed primary focus on optimizing Android, complemented by a new Google Cardboard and a VR camera system that will be sold by GoPro. Also, we’re found out that right now there are out there over 4,000 distinct devices using Android of which you probably only know a few, such as Samsung, LG, Motorola. And Sundar Pichai, senior vice president, announced HBO coming to Google Play. Android M mostly follows its predecessor L, but comes with a few big improvements. App Permissions – is a way to simplify what data you allow the apps to access. Instead of the long list of permissions upon installation, the user will be prompted for permission when the app needs to use a feature, such as microphone or camera. App Links – or Chrome Custom Tabs, is a useful feature that enables developers to add custom components that overlay on top of apps; for instance, Pinterest can add custom transition animation to link to the web, within the app. Furthermore, there’s a new app linking feature that allows apps to verify links to switch from app to app rapidly. Battery & Charging – introduces Doze, a new feature that in Android M uses motion detection to go into a deeper sleep state if inactive for longer periods of time. While dozing, the device will still be able to respond to high-priority messages and alarms. Their test in which a Nexus 9 running on Lollipop against M Nexus showed that the latter lasted up to two times longer in standby, Google claims....

Alongside the evolving smartphone industry develops another one: accessories for these can’t-live-without devices, and particularly smartphone cases. Most of them are meant to protect the smartphone in case you drop it, other are designed with a heightened sense of fashion and put vibrant colors and intricate patterns on it, some add juice to the battery life, some add protection to the holder, while others add physical keyboards for those less attracted to the touchscreens. The possibilities seem endless. Nikola Labs, an Ohio-based company, has found the way to build a case for iPhone 6 that converts RF (radio frequency) energy to DC power, in other words it pulls battery power out of thin air. Incredible? It sure sounds so, but behind this magic trick there is a scientific explanation and an issue in meeting your great expectations after reading up to this point. According to Nikola Labs co-founder Dr. Rob Lee, over 90 percent of the smartphone’s energy is lost into the environment while spending it to forge data and voice connections by using radio frequencies. Besides protection, the case has a harvesting antenna and a RF-DC power-converting rectifier circuit that through Nikola Labs’ formula can be collected and redirected to the battery life. However, this can only add about thirty percent of battery life to your iPhone 6; this is a slow process as well. On the positive side, as long as the case is connected to the smartphone, the process of collecting and reusing the wasted energy is ongoing. This translates into a slower battery depletion and not into a sudden burst of charging process. The case doesn’t have an internal battery or the capacity to store the energy, thus having a thinner figure than the already popular Mophie case. The company...

Canonical’s first Ubuntu-based smartphone has finally been released – BQ Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition is available in the European Union for €170 ($190). Chinese distribution is also underway – a date for U.S. release hasn’t yet been publicized. The technical specifications of the phone are far from exciting, especially after the much talked about Ubuntu Edge – the device that behaves like a phone until it’s plugged into a keyboard and monitor, at which point becomes a fully-fledged Ubuntu desktop. The Ubuntu Edge crowdfunding campaign failed to pique the interest of major manufacturers, but made people talk about Ubuntu Mobile. Aquaris E4.5 is a modest, mid-tier handset from Spanish manufacturer BQ, more popular for developing e-readers. The device has a 4.5-inch screen, 1GB RAM, a quad core A7 chip running up to 1.3Ghz, 8GB of on-board storage – expandable through a microSD slot, 8MP rear camera and 5MP front camera, plus a dual-SIM slot. The battery feeding the phone is a LiPo 2150mAh. Basically, it’s the same phone used by Google, but pre-loaded with Ubuntu’s mobile software. The scope of the phone is… Scopes!     Here is where things become interesting. Ubuntu has created a unique platform endowed with all a mobile experience should be: seamless, effortless, uncluttered interface between user and hardware – through Scopes. Scopes represent universal search; these are a series of themed cards that compile content and which the user swipes between to navigate through the functions of the phone, with the app icons hidden to the side of the screen, or placed together on a single Scope card. The examples used refer to ‘Today’ card – it contains info such as weather and calendar, to ‘Nearby’ card – it contains location-specific local services, to ‘Music’ or ‘News’. Basically,...

One is tough, you drop it and it doesn’t shatter, the other is super resistant to scratches; one is named after a massive primate, the other after a wonderful gemstone. Gorilla Glass and Sapphire Glass are the two major product players in the tough glass race. Gorrilla Glass is developed by Corning, a leading innovator in materials science. Corning has been continuously working on improving the toughness of their product, attempting to strengthen it to survive all types of disastrous scenarios. So far the company created the best product on the market, but has as principal flaw its low scratch resistance. The latest update released by Corning is Gorilla Glass 4, introduced in November. This is one twice as strong as the previous generation, claimed the company, and survived the fall 80 percent of the time, unlike the soda-lime glass used in other phones which shattered in every test. However, the Glass 4 proved to be less resilient to scratches than the Gorilla Glass 3 and thus engineers went back to the drawing board.   Recently, Corning started focusing on the qualities of sapphire glass and looked for ways to insert the scratch-resistance feature into their product. Thus originated Project Phire, an initiative that wishes to combine Gorilla’s strength and the resistance of the sapphire. The new material has been unveiled at a New York investor meeting, reports CNET. The new glass will start selling later this year, without specific details on price or date. Why not synthetic sapphire? According to Corning, even though synthetic sapphire is extremely resistant to scratches, it doesn’t hold up when dropped. And smartphones are dropped a lot. According to some analysts the price of the sapphire glass would increase painfully the price of the smartphone wearing it. We...

The Mobile World Congress grows bigger every year. Over 93,000 visitors from 200 countries attended the 2015 MWC at the Fira Gran Via and Fira Montjuïc venues in Barcelona; more than 2,000 exhibiting companies showcased their latest products and services across 100,000 net square meters; more than 2,800 international media and industry analysts were present to report on everything that took place at the Congress. Some of the most exciting announcements came from Samsung, Lenovo, Microsoft, Intel, Blackberry, but they are not the only ones. Wearables were present at the event, as well as 5G connected humanoid robots and virtual reality headsets. The star of the event was undoubtedly Samsung, unpacking its newest line of flagship smartphones: the six appeal Samsung Galaxy S6 and Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. They both have a completely redesigned look and feel, mostly due to ditching the cheap plastic for premium metal and glass; the new design feels somewhat familiar. Technical specification-wise, the two models are similar: a lightning fast 64 bit, Octa-core processor powers the devices, breaking from Qualcomm as its primary supplier for the first time since the Galaxy S2. The new processor, dubbed Exynos 7420 – CPU, is supported by a meaty 3GB RAM and 32/64/128GB internal storage, ditching the micro SD slot – this might upset a few, but probably shouldn’t as the internal storage included should suffice. Both smartphones come equipped with a 16MP back camera with optical image stabilization, autofocus, 4K video and LED flash and a 5MP, wide angle front camera with 1080p@30fps, dual video call and auto HDR. The display measures 5.1 inches with a resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels (~577ppi pixel density), protected by the latest Corning release, the Gorilla Glass 4. The display is where the two devices differ...

I was browsing through images of computers, phones, and smartphones and their transformation over the course of years, when it dawned on me that not only art imitates life, but technology does, too. All of the sudden, my mind was back in the Baroque period, reminiscing the famous paintings of Flemish painter Sir Peter Paul Rubens. The term “Rubenesque” popped into my mind, terminology known by art enthusiasts to be referring to his fondness of painting plus-size women, the beauty standards of those times. And I stared at the world’s first desk computers, at the first phones, at their generous widths. How times change… today’s beauty standards got stuck somewhere at size zero. The ever-skinnier tech devices follow the trend. The latest to enter the scene of skinny devices is Samsung’s Galaxy A7, one of the company’s slimmest smartphones yet, only 6.3mm (0.245 inches) thick that weighs 141g. At first glance, its design makes you think of Apple’s iPhone 5 with its curved edges, metallic band, and silver home button surround. But you’ll soon see the Samsung in it. Samsung Galaxy A7 is attempting to please its followers and to catch the attention of Apple users as well, as “one of the slimmest Galaxy smartphones equipped with premium hardware for a superior social experience, expanding on the popular services provided by the Galaxy A5 and A3.” The hardware on the 5.5-inch smartphone, even though not Samsung’s best, is worthy of attention as it humbles the price along with the technical specifications. A7 comes equipped with two separate quad core processors – 1.8GHz and 1.3GHz or 1.5GHz and 1.0GHz for the dual-SIM version – paired with a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon chip; eight cores should be snappy at handling multiple tasks. Backing up the package are...

Chinese tech manufacturer Oppo Electronics presented their latest products just in time for the winter holidays, including two new phones, the N3 and the R5. The N3 will most likely be attractive to photography fans, considering the 16 megapixel camera mounted on a 206 degree rotating motorized mount; the R5 might catch the eye of the fashion conscious smartphone buyer. And something else: Oppo R5 steals its name from Gionee’s Elife S5.1 as the world’s slimmest smartphone by flaunting its 4.85mm thick steel body. How much has affected the device’s slim silhouette its specifications? – Down to a more than competent device, but not quite in the “flagship” spectrum. The smartphone sports the 64-bit Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor running at 1.5GHz next to an Adreno 330 GPU, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of storage (no, no microSD expansion available). The battery is rather small (not surprisingly) at 2,000mAh, but it charges quickly due to the VOOC mini Rapid Charge tech support – the device can go from zero to over 75 percent in just 30 minutes. The 5.2-inch display is Full HD AMOLED (1920 x1080), 423 PPI. The frame of the phone is made of 3D-welded hand-polished aluminum alloy, and without too much width to match the lack of depth, the weight is down to 155g. The stunning Oppo R5 sees through a 13-megapixel Sony Exmor main camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing 83 degree wide angle front camera with f/2.0 for both. Scene modes feature Ultra-HD, Colorful Night, Slow Shutter, Expert Mode, Beautify, HDR, Panorama, Audio Photo, GIF, Double Exposure, Raw, Super Macro, and After Focus. Other features include 4K video at 40fps, 1080p video at 60fps, and 720p slow motion video at 120fps. The issue of camera optics has been dealt with by...

The new holiday lineup from Apple has launched, and Tim Cook calls it “the strongest lineup of products that Apple has ever had.” Joining the iPhone line and the updated iOS are the new iPads, iMac, and OS X Yosemite. The iPad Air 2 is a 6.1mm thick tablet, down from the previous 7.5mm; this makes it noticeably thinner than the iPhone 6 which is 6.9mm thick. Design-wise, the tablet shares many of the iPhone 6’s features, with a few notable distinctions from the smartphone like the sharply angled chamfer where the screen meets the aluminum body outside the edge of the screen. Despite the ultra-thin profile, the iPad Air 2’s iSight camera sits flush against the body. The thinness of the device is achieved by laminating the different screen layers into one seamless panel. This process reduces glare and improves clarity. The resolution has not been increased, but the Retina display has been improved. An anti-reflective coating has been applied to the screen, reducing reflections by 56 percent. The device runs on an A8X chip and a GPU that Apple says is 180 times faster than the original iPad. It includes a new M8 motion co-processor that “tracks motion, calibrates sensors, and has a barometer,” said Apple. This is the first iPad with 2GB of RAM which not only will speed up overall performance, but will help with multitasking as well. The iPad Air 2 has a 10-hour battery life. New Wi-Fi 802.11ac MIMO and cell radios are in the iPad Air 2, increasing the speed performance. The home button now includes a Touch ID fingerprint scanner, which works just like those on the iPhones: unlock, complete app and in-app purchases, and works with Apple’s new Apple Pay to buy products in retailer...

The world was expecting the new Windows 9, but it seems that arithmetic is not the strategy used to name the Microsoft OS. The company decided to jump straight to 10 and unveiled the new operating system recently in San Francisco. It will become available next year; the early presentation aimed to involve customers in the development process through a Technical Preview available for download. The first thing that catches the eye in the new Windows 10 is the Start menu. It’s divided in two columns; the left one has the traditional Windows 7 design that displays the familiar list of pinned and recent applications, the search box, and the power button for shutting down or restarting the PC. The search box has Windows 8’s features – it includes results from Bing and the Windows store; there is also a separate Search menu next to the Start button that displays trending topics, also from Bing. The right column is a customizable and resizable live tiles-based menu. Windows 8 Metro apps can now also open in a windowed mode on the desktop, not entering into a full-screen mode by default. This change has been originally demonstrated at Build. Moreover, the modern Windows 8 can be used side by side with the standard Windows desktop app. The combination gives the new interface a sense of the new, but also stays familiar. Microsoft added a Task View button on the taskbar which, when triggered, displays a multitasking view very similar to Apple’s OS X Expose feature. From here, multiple desktops are available, something Windows always needed. Yet, this is another feature that had as source of inspiration rival operating systems OS X and Linux/Unix. Still, it’s not identical, as Windows 10 has incorporated its productivity-focused snap views....

Wi-Fi Calling has never been a priority for carriers with good cellular service. However, following the recent announcement that iPhones will support Wi-Fi Calling through iOS8, and that T-Mobile is already on board, the rest of the carriers have somewhat been forced to rethink their plans for this service. The terminology might be confusing, what does Wi-Fi Calling mean exactly? This nifty sounding technology uses your home Wi-Fi to make calls and send texts over the internet. It allows cellular packets from your phone to be transferred to your carrier over the internet, and reintroduces them into the cellular network, much like beaming over the air. It differs from Google Hangouts and Skype – these let you talk to other people by using call forwarding or some internet-based interface – Wi-Fi Calling allows you to use your actual carrier phone number over the internet. It differs from VoIP technology which lets you use an internet-connected phone just as you’d use a landline, transferring your voice over the internet to the switched telephone network – the Wi-Fi Calling technology drops the cell towers path, connecting your voice to your mobile carrier’s network using the internet. One of the advantages of this system is that it can help you conserve plan minutes and texts, as the calls that are made over Wi-Fi don’t count against your plan. Moreover, it enables you to make calls using your phone number even when your network cuts out or when you’re outside your coverage area. Wi-Fi Calling is not a new idea – smaller providers like Republic Wireless have been offering the service for quite some time – but Apple’s announcement may be forcing everyone by emphasizing the technology and launching it before the rest are ready to go. At...

There’s a new kid on the smartphone block. Hailing from China, they call it the “flagship killer” due the extremely low price of $299 off-contract. It’s the OnePlus One, the smartphone that can be purchased only through invitation. Pete Lau, former employee of OPPO where he led the Blu-ray division, launched this startup in December of 2013. His product is a serious competitor to Google, which has been dominating the low-cost, unlocked, off-contract flagship space with its Nexus line. OnePlus One is priced at $299 for the 16GB model and $349 for the 64GB model and requires the aforementioned invitation to be able to order it. Design and specifications-wise, this smartphone explains why it’s called a “flagship killer”. This is a sleek and solid phone that looks anything but cheap. Aesthetically it resembles the HTC more than the plasticky Galaxy phones. It has the tough Gorilla Glass 3 display that rises slightly above the thin metal lip, but the real center of attraction is the rear of the device: OnePlus introduces 7 exchangeable back covers that come in a range of materials and textures including kevlar, bamboo, and denim on top of faux silk and sandstone. The OnePlus is a thin 0.35 inch and weighs in at 5.7 ounces – quite light for a 5.5-inch phone. The display is no slouch at 1,920 x 1,080 IPS LCD with 401 ppi. Its left side is adorned with the volume control and the micro-SIM slot, while the right side has the power button. On the top side there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack and the twin speaker grilles flank the micro-USB port on the bottom. At the bottom of the screen is where its three buttons are – Settings, Home, and Back, from left to right. Its...

A wave of announcements flooded Google’s I/O conference this year. The almost three hour keynote included anticipated news, as well as surprises. Gone are the days when technology companies can focus solely on their own products when presenting them. Whenever Google or Apple introduce a new feature, it is instantly compared with the competing counterpart, and the alternative will likely be mentioned with more or less subtlety. Points of comparison are hard to in down as both giants’ mobile platforms seem to resemble one another more and more, in both functionality and purpose: Apple has Continuity between OS X and iOS, and now Google introduced synced notifications between Chrome OS and Android. Apple announced HealthKit and Google presented Google Fit – the mission of both appears to be the development of seamless ecosystems of hardware, software and services that keeps users faithful to one or the other. Here are some highlights from Google’s conference in San Francisco. Android L is the successor to Android Kit-Kat; it was presented as the biggest upgrades ever done to Android. The most noticeable ones are the design changes – the sleek Holo theme of KitKat is being replaced with the colorful new Material Design, a new design language which is based on basic shapes and sheets of paper. Material Design gives developers the ability to add the illusion of depth, featuring a grid-based layout so that it can be easily ported to different screen sizes. L has been deeply integrated with Android Wear platform, fact that allows users unlock their smartphones without a pin code if they are wearing a smartwatch. Notifications received a makeover too, allowing users to respond to notifications directly from the lock screen. Mobile Chrome will take advantage of the Material Design as it...

It may have felt like the smartphone world had reached a point of status quo until a few weeks ago, when Amazon launched the Fire Smartphone after years of preparations. Chief Executive Jeff Bezos described it as the gadget that “puts everything you love about Amazon in the palm of your hand — instant access to Amazon’s vast content ecosystem and exclusive features.” The technical specifications present a device worthy of  premium classification. A 2.2GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 800 CPU with Adreno 330 GPU and 2 GB of RAM fuels the Fire, complemented by a 2400mAh battery that burns up to 22 hours of talk time, 285 hours of standby, up to 11 hours of video playback, and up to 65 hours of audio playback. The screen is 4.7-inches with glass on the front and back giving it a less plasticky feeling than a Samsung Galaxy, but adds to the weight reaching 160 grams. Unfortunately, the Gorilla Glass 3 it has on both sides is durable but not shatter-proof, thus doubling the risk to break it. The OS is Fire OS 3.5.0 built on the open source version of Google’s Android operating system, without Google’s standard suite of apps and without the Google Play app store. Fire has its own app store, browser, email client, and non-Google maps. Among the most popular apps in its store are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Pandora, Netflix, HBO Go, Uber, Yelp, and StubHub. Two cameras, a 13 MP rear-facing camera with multi-frame HDR, auto focus, optical image stabilization, f/2.0 5-element wide aperture lens, LED flash, and a 2.1 MP front-facing camera have a dedicated button to wake the camera and snap a photo, even when the device is asleep. The Fire Phone shoots 1080p video and features HDR, panorama...

Today’s smartphones hold more private data than a credit card. A credit card comes with a “kill switch” but your smartphone does not. If your credit card is stolen, you can have it disabled. Any access to your account using the old card number will be forbidden. Yet if your smartphone is stolen, you and your company are more vulnerable than ever. A few developers have created software that disables mobile devices. All that would be required to activate the kill switch is a verification  process, much like what is undergone when you’re canceling credit card. Companies and individuals can potentially save a lot of money and effort when kill switch technology hits the market. A kill switch can provide improved security for businesses by keeping private data out of the wrong hands. The 2013 Cost of Data Breach Study issued by Ponemon suggests that US companies have the most costly data breaches at $199 per record. This brings total costs to about $5.4 million annually. Cybercrime that may come as a result of compromised data leads to $300 billion to $1 trillion in damages. Companies could greatly decrease the cleanup costs of data breaches with a kill switch on corporate smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Companies can also protect themselves against disgruntled and negligent employees. Cisco reports that: 20 percent of IT professionals said disgruntled employees were their biggest concern in the insider threat arena 39 percent of IT professionals were more concerned about the threat from their own employees than the threat from outside hackers. 11 percent of employees reported that they or fellow employees accessed unauthorized information and sold it for profit, or stole computers. If a company is able to disarm its issued devices when needed, the company will be better...

This year, business travelers can expect to see a variety of changes between point A and point B.  Do you want to start with the good news or the bad news? Bad news makes good news even sweeter, so let’s start there. Many airlines started off the New Year by jacking up existing fees. Spirit Airlines, United Airlines, Delta and US Airways have raised the price on checked luggage. Some changes depend on the quantity of checked bags, others on the size.  None have amended their promise to have your checked bags arriving in a timely and unaltered manner. Now for the best news of the year: you can get through security checkpoints at pre-9/11 speeds. TSA Pre-Check has expended its program, encouraging applications from a greater pool of frequent travelers. Pre-check members get through security faster without the strip-down and tedious unpacking and repacking of toiletries and electronics. If that’s not reason enough to rejoice, we may see a drop in in-flight internet prices. Wifi access is becoming more common in the air. Companies like Gogo, Row44, ViaSat, and soon Panasonic service airlines with internet connectivity. Some, such as Gogo, use ground-to-air tower transmissions while ViaSat use a faster transmission via satellite. More companies on the market plus different speeds could result in a range of prices and services offered in the air. This could be great for business travelers, who may soon see lower prices as airlines compete. Now for news with mixed appeal. 2013 ended with a proposal on the table for in-flight calls. The FCC then entered a 30-day proposal period to receive feedback from industry leaders and consumers. Delta and Jet Blue haven’t waited for the FCC’s decision. Both airlines have rejected the idea altogether, declaring their planes a...

Earlier this month, the Consumer Electronic Association presented the latest innovations in the smartphone’s most important peripheral accessory: the lasted and greatest in cases. But these babies do much more than just protect your phone from the inevitable fumble, toss, or spill from your shoulder bag. A popular one is the Typo case (left) for iPhone 5 and 5S, a $99 indigo copy of the BlackBerry keyboard founded by Ryan Seacrest; this case comes with a backlit physical keyboard at the bottom of the iPhone. It’s a niche product that doesn’t require too much of an effort to use it: at the first use it has to be paired with the iPhone and once set up it takes over from the iPhone’s keyboard software anywhere text can be inserted. A special key allows switching through the keyboard’s languages. It also has a key that mimics the function of the home button as the case covers the one of the iPhone. Of course, on the iPhone 5S the fingerprint-recognition function is lost; Siri is still present by holding down Typo’s home key. The keyboard has its own battery that the company claims will last one to two weeks between charges. This four-row replica triggered BlackBerry’s reaction and sued Typo for patent infringements. What will happen in court remains to be seen, but until then the Typo is available for sale and might be a much needed accessory for former BlackBerry users who are thumb-typing experts. No version has been announced for Android users. Mophie presented its new battery case for iPhone 5 and 5S and it doesn’t look too different from the previous Juice Pack Air, it’s just a bit taller. However, the way they used the extra height is what made it be the...

The Nexus line offered by Google has created a clear identity; behind each version stands the will to make the best, purest, Android-istic phone, at a price that matches what most carriers and manufacturers would charge with a regular two-year contract. On Halloween Google launched Nexus 5 after months of “accidental” leaks, powered by Android 4.4 Kitkat software. The Nexus line represents Google hardware running on Google software, built by a manufacturing partner (LG), but with Google’s involvement in the creation of the hardware. The result is a 5-inch phone, thinner and lighter than the previous version, quite difficult to use for those with small hands. It’s coated in a soft-touch plastic (not the best choice for a premium phone), with a silky texture that provides just enough friction to keep the phone in hand. The backside has a rounded finish that feels nicely in the palm of the hand and the 130g it weights makes it light enough for a one-hand usage. The rear camera in the top left-hand corner looks and feels odd, bulging the surface and acting as prop when the phone is laid down flat, basically left completely unprotected. The screen is full HD IPS Plus LCD that makes text on websites crisp and easily readable, while photos and videos offer details and intense color. Furthermore, the screen’s brightness makes reading in direct light much easier. The technical specifications feature a 2.3 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor backed by 2GB of RAM, 16 or 32 GB of storage (no micro SD slot for expansion), 8MP rear camera with OIS (optical image stabilization) and a 1.3MP front camera. The HDR (high dynamic range) function helps produce greatly improved detail and color in photos. Based on these, the phone is as...

One of the hottest tech topics of the year in the technology world has been wearable gizmos like smart watches and Google Glass. As hot as these inventions are, they have privacy implications that must not be overlooked. By April 2014, the initial 10,000 people that are currently testing the prototype will multiply. With the eminent adoption of the “all-knowing eye”, reviewers and scientists are uncovering problems and discovering solutions. The most prevalent concern is related to privacy. The fields of discussion are various, from the privacy of a walk down the street, to the security in the work environment. Privacy is already affected primarily by the cameras installed everywhere, from storefronts to busy intersections; the new Google Glass mechanism will rule over all of them, combining a miniature computer with everything it means plus a recording camera that’s seamlessly mounted on the glasses – you might not even know that you’re being recorded as you take your evening stroll in the park. What will organizations do? Having the freedom to wear a small recording device at the office gives both employees and management the potential to modify how transparent things really are in the work environment. The HR department will suffer important changes, as here is where organizational policies are developed – here is where disputes between employees, and between employees and management are handled. Perhaps this will ease up their work, perhaps they’ll need a Video Review function, or perhaps they’ll focus on determining if and to what extent will Google Glass be allowed in the workplace. It’s absolutely relevant the worry that this watchful eye could easily turn into a spying eye, more so than the current highly used devices that have the recording function as part of their mechanism. “Smartglasses...

Which do you value most during a flight: peace and quiet or the ability to get more work done? Business travelers across the globe may have to ask (and answer) that question when booking their next flight. The Federal Communications Commission has proposed to lift its ban on in-flight cellular communications. This means chatting it up and conducting business at 5,000 feet. A poll by the Federal Aviation Administration reveals that 61 percent of people are in favor of keeping the ban right where it is. Travelers applauded the arrival of in-flight internet. The provision opened the doors for leisure and business travelers alike to entertain themselves with their tablets, smartphones and laptops. No more making awkward small talk with the stranger sitting next to you, or suffering with a teething baby during a transatlantic flight. Hulu Plus could rescue us all. But maybe the FCC has taken in-flight communication a step too far with phone calls. With the addition of earphones, enjoying the features of most mobile devices does not impose on other travelers. Phone calls, however, will necessarily increase noise levels and create more scenarios for friction between passengers. The topic, duration, volume, and language used during conversations will no longer be limited to the few passengers sitting around the device user. The conversation can exist between the device user, nearby passengers and everyone else in their social circles. A 55-passenger flight can easily sound like a 110-passenger flight, or more if someone gets creative with a video conference call. That’s a lot of noise. Added noise is only one level of concern. The second is the end of in-flight rest. It could be said that a long flight would at least allow time for a catnap or even a full on...

A new word is on the lips of many in the tech world and it’s not one easy to pronounce by us, westerners – Xiaomi – pronounced She-ow Me. It means Little Rice in Mandarin and is the product of Xiaomi Tech, a three-year old startup led by serial entrepreneur Lei Jun. Jun and his company are often compared to the late Steve Jobs and Apple, a comparison he recently told CNN he was tired of. He is also famous for co-founding Joyo.com, which he sold to Amazon in 2004 for $75 million, and for chairing the board of UCWeb, China’s largest mobile Web browser. Xiaomi drew attention through a few essential factors in the industry: an intense growth, an impressive team, savvy marketing, attention to the followers, but firstly, a product that satisfies the high-end demands of the clients. All of these made Xiaomi Tech a relevant competitor on the national market because after just three years in business, the company gained on Lenovo’s market value of $10 billion (which is twice Blackberry’s current figure of $5.5 billion). Although it only started selling smartphones in October 2011, Xiaomi amplified with 5 million smartphones the 15 million pieces it had set as sales goal for 2013. Considering that after announcing the last phone in April the company received over 7.4 million pre-orders for the device, the new goal doesn’t seem farfetched. Currently the company holds 5 percent of China’s smartphone market, above Apple’s 4.8 percent, but still well behind Samsung (17.6 percent), Lenovo (12.3 percent), ZTE (8.7 percent) and Huawei (8.6 percent). In an interview for TechCrunch in October 2011 Lei Jun explained with a touch of humor one side of his strategy to take on Apple: merging Microsoft, Google, and Motorola. And that...