Facebook's initial public offering started trading on NASDAQ today, with individual stocks going for $38 a share. Analysts expect the IPO will generate around $16 billion on opening day, and Wall Street scions and market novices alike are eagerly following the stock's performance. Here's why you should, too:

1. It Will Affect Your Privacy

Facebook is an enormously popular website, but how will it translate that popularity into money for investors? The social media giant's biggest asset is its wide collection of personal information, and though the company probably isn't going to risk alienating its user base by doing anything too extreme, it is likely to try to find a way to dip into that resource to increase profits.

As Rep. Ed Markey (D., Mass.) explained, "To respond to the demands of profit-hungry shareholders, Facebook will be under increasing pressure to squeeze revenue from its most valuable asset -- the vast treasure trove of personal information it's collected on users."

But don't worry too much -- any attempts to capitalize on personal information will meet intense scrutiny from lawmakers and consumer groups.

2. It Means More Ads

One of the perceived weaknesses of Facebook's stock stems from the company's inability to monetize its mobile platform. Facebook has yet to find a way to deliver ads to its mobile users, but that is likely to change due to pressure from investors.

Unlike the privacy issue, where any major attempts

5 Ways Facebook's IPO Affects You originally appeared at Mobiledia on Fri May 18, 2012 1:54 pm.

Apple and HTC's legal battles are heating up again, and the excessive litigation could seriously hurt HTC's new strategy to compete against Apple while raising questions about patents and the U.S. legal system.

HTC's recent phone models, the HTC One X and Evo 4G LTE, have both been delayed indefinitely in the U.S. due to a patent investigation by U.S. Customs on Apple's behalf, which could devastate the Taiwanese phone maker's U.S. prospects.

The patent in question concerns how phone data about a user's contacts appears on-screen.

What's Happening: The U.S. District Court of Delaware ordered the decision makers from Apple and HTC in the most recent patent battle to meet to reach a settlement over the issue. Magistrate Judge Sherry R. Fallon will oversee the discussions, which will likely include Apple CEO Tim Cook and top executives at HTC.

HTC issued a statement about the hold on its phones and upcoming patent skirmish, pointing out the controversial feature in question "is a small UI experience and HTC will completely remove it from all of our phones soon."

To get around the ban, HTC is shipping phone models to the U.S. with custom versions of Android without the contentious feature.

At the same time, the One X, which was available through AT&T, is now listed as "out of stock" on its website, and the Evo 4G LTE, which Sprint planned to begin selling on May 18, is subject to an open-ended delay. Both phones received rave reviews, and the delays are likely to anger customers waiting for their handsets.

What it Means: HTC staked its fortunes in the U.S. on its new phone models, and if this delay continues, it may severely impact the company's fortunes.

Apple sued to keep HTC phones out of stores in the past due to perceived patent violations, and this latest injunction demonstrates the iPhone maker is still willing to take up arms to protect its product, despite being involved in a number of other legal battles, including a significant e-publishing case and meetings with Samsung over similar issues.

What It Really Means: The same patent Apple is using to block the One X and Evo 4G LTE saw time in the spotlight earlier when the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled HTC had to remove the feature from all of its phones in 2011.

HTC knew it had to work around the patent, as the ruling went into effect in April, but its newest models are now under investigation for violating the same patent. This means HTC will have a harder time defending itself against Apple, since the courts already decided the phones legitimately violate Apple's patents, and HTC's initial shipments still had the feature on the phones.

What's Next: HTC poured an enormous amount of resources into streamlining its brand and focusing on a limited amount of high-end phones, and the One series bolstered its finances in the U.S. Keeping some of its best-reviewed phones off the market is sure to negatively impact the company's bottom line, which is why the company's decision to go head-to-head with Apple instead of changing its design from the get-go was a risky move.

The U.S. District Court of Delaware's decision to force a meeting between HTC and Apple shows the courts do not want a protracted legal battle, and this flare-up may inspire an investigation into the way the U.S handles patent infringements. HTC will continue to sell the unchanged versions of its new phones overseas because the patent rules are different, and the company may be using this incident to point out the problems within U.S. laws.

Since the feature in question is a fairly basic smartphone component -- entering in e-mail address and contact information -- Apple's prolonged fight to protect the technology only holds water in the U.S., suggesting the laws are outdated and faulty.

The Takeaway: HTC did not steal Siri or swipe unique features from Apple's iOS. It made use of a feature that many believe should be available to all phone users, whether they're carrying an iPhone, Android or something else.

This legal battle is akin to what would happen if it was legal for Neil Young to sue Paul McCarthy for using two major chord progressions in a row just because Young used them at one point. But the music industry doesn't work that way, and neither should the tech industry. Apple is taking advantage of laws due for overhaul and stymieing its competition, which hurts both consumers and the industry.

In Brief: Apple and HTC Duke It Out originally appeared at Mobiledia on Fri May 18, 2012 12:14 pm.

The theft of about 780,000 online medical records by unknown hackers from state computers in Utah is sounding alarm bells about the protections of sensitive data.

Last month, hackers stole the data of hundreds of thousands of Medicaid recipients and participants from Utah's Children's Health Insurance Program, including the Social Security numbers of about 280,000 of them. Child records are specifically valuable to criminals because their lack of a credit report or bank account makes it difficult to monitor them for identity theft, leaving their data open for exploitation for years before it is uncovered.

Utah's Department of Health said it was cooperating with the F.B.I. on its breach and working to notify victims, suggesting that Utah's Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Plan recipients, as well as anyone whose health-care provider might have submitted information to the state for Medicaid coverage within the last four months, monitor their credit and bank accounts.

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert this week called the compromise a "completely unacceptable breach of trust," offered an apology and announced a "comprehensive" response to the massive data breach, including the resignation of Stephen Fletcher, director of the state's Department of Technology Services. The state also offered victims free credit monitoring.

These kinds of patient data breaches are surging, underscoring the need for greater privacy protection. According to the Ponemon Institute, data hacks in healthcare rose more than 30 percent this year, with 96 percent of healthcare organizations reporting at least one breach involving patient information over the past two years.

As part of a 2009 stimulus bill, the U.S. government pays incentives to doctors and hospitals that adopt electronic health records. As a result, more than half of office-based physicians now use digitized records and the number is steadily growing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Electronic medical records are a treasure trove of personal information, as the Utah breach reflects, including names, Social Security number, birth date, insurance information and personal health details, making them a prime target for hacking and theft.

Utah officials report hackers were able to break into a Medicaid eligibility server, used to validate claims of retirees and others, in part because the security tools on the computer server were not installed properly. Also, much of the vulnerable data should have been deleted from the server once the claim was validated, but they were retained as records.

Some of the exposed data was indecipherable, or disconnected from a name, making it hard to assess the full damage. Investigators have traced the hackers' IP address to Eastern Europe, but haven't identified any suspects.

Hospitals and physicians are likely to search for better ways to bridge the gap between security practices and digitized data. More than 80 percent of physicians now use a smartphone, according to Manhattan Research, to do more patient-focused activities, such as communicating with patients via text messages, checking EKG or other test results and sending patient alerts and reminders, adding to the complexity of the protection issue.

Hospitals, consulting firms, insurers and other big organizations that handle digitized, sensitive patient information expect to increase privacy protection, providing an emerging market for enterprise-class, healthcare-specific device and records security amid growing consumer awareness.

"The people of Utah rightly believe that their government will protect them, their families and their personal data," Herbert said. "As a state government, we failed to honor that commitment. For that, as your governor and as a Utah [citizen], I am deeply sorry."

Credit monitoring and commitment to improve are two consolations for those affected by the Utah breach, but will hardly be enough as medical records zoom towards digitization and hackers hone their skills.

Is Your Medical Data Safe? originally appeared at Mobiledia on Fri May 18, 2012 11:49 am.

Verizon will soon move all customers with unlimited data plans into tiered options, marking the true end of unlimited data on its network.

The Score is a weekly column scoring controversial events in the mobile industry. Want to get to the point? We'll break it down and give you the score.

The Setup: When Verizon decided to go with tiered data plans last year, customers yelled and cried and kicked and screamed. Well, not literally, but they weren't happy! However, Big Red eased the pain by telling customers that those who already had unlimited plans would be "grandfathered in" to this new model and be able to stick with the terms of their current agreement.

But not anymore! As Verizon's 4G LTE network continues to grow and attract customers, the unlimited data plan will be a thing of the past. The reasoning is simple: customers using LTE data are eating up more spectrum than those who are using 3G. As a result, Verizon can't afford to have thousands of customers with unlimited data eating up all the spectrum and slowing down the service for everybody else.

Verizon may consider this move necessary, but make no mistake, it's not going to gain any points with customers with it. So, just how bad is Verizon looking after this announcement? Let's take a look at the score.

AT&T doesn't offer unlimited data plans anymore either. However, the network is in the process of rolling out its LTE network and has made no announcement so far that it plans to cut off its "grandfathered" unlimited data users. This could change, but for now the comparison just makes Verizon look bad. Especially when it's the one that supposedly has the strongest network. Verizon: - 500 points

Sprint still offers unlimited data plans. No, its network is not nearly as good as Verizon's and there's no proof that anyone over at Sprint can even define what LTE is yet, but the word "unlimited" goes a long way in marketing. Expect Sprint to really up the ante when it comes to advertising itself as the only network where users can get unlimited data plans. Verizon: -250 points

Verizon is countering its dismissal of unlimited data with a new type of "data share plan." The company expects to unveil details this summer, but analysts expect the carrier to allow family plan users to share one block of data, and not having each line signed up for its own costly plan. This sounds like it could end up being a cost-effective idea that other carriers don't yet offer. Verizon: +500 points

Final Score: Verizon: -250 points

Customers and some analysts will likely criticize Verizon for pulling its unlimited data completely from life support, but it won't hurt the company too badly. There will be some who decide they can't live without unlimited data and run to Sprint, but they'll be sacrificing network strength and true 4G data in the process. And in the end, Verizon is far larger than the small number of customers that will have a problem with this change.

It'll be interesting to see what move AT&T now makes. The company may continue to still keep its unlimited data plan customers happy for a while, but ultimately, Verizon has opened the door for it to now drop this offer as well.

Sure, unlimited data plans have been gone for a while. It has been over a year since customers have been able to walk into a store and pick up a new smartphone on a contract without being on a data leash. But this move by Verizon means all traces of unlimited data will soon be gone. It's all over, folks. It's all over.

The Score: Verizon Delivers the Killshot to Unlimited Data originally appeared at Mobiledia on Fri May 18, 2012 10:28 am.

Eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia are notoriously difficult to treat, with technology's speed and reach both complicating treatment and offering solutions.

A Difficult Problem, Complicated by the Internet

Eating disorders are among the most commonly diagnosed mental illnesses, with an estimated 24 million Americans suffering from anorexia, bulimia and other problematic eating behavior. Treatment of these illnesses can be particularly difficult, especially since the disorders feature a complex intersection of psychological, social and genetic factors.

More people die young from eating disorders than any other mental illness, and the problem is not getting better, especially since those afflicted often turn to online communities to fuel their destructive behavior.

Eating disorders predate modern technology, but the communication revolution sparked by the rapid growth of Internet use and mobile technology have profoundly changed the way people experience and come to grips with this self-harming behavior.

A number of innovative apps and programs using smartphone technology and social media to offer support systems for people struggling with eating disorders, but technology continues to serve as a platform for triggering images, videos, conversations and impossible comparisons reinforcing the illness, and people dealing with eating disorders may want to tread carefully when surfing the Web and using their smartphones.

Problem Sites Create Toxic Community

Sites and forums devoted to encouraging eating disorders have a long history on the Internet, with today's sufferers taking advantage of inventions like Tumblr, Facebook and Pinterest to fuel their destructive behavior.

Even back when most people used AOL and Compuserve dial-up service, communities that egged on harmful behavior flourished. People with eating disorders used the Internet to validate their behavior and form quasi-support groups that actually approved of destructive behavior.

These "pro-ana" (pro-anorexia) and "pro-mia" (pro-bulimia) groups posted "thinspiration" or "thinspo" photos, videos and tips, sometimes competing against each other to achieve the ideal body weight. The practice so alarmed French lawmakers that in 2008 they outlawed posting "thinspo" images and comments trying to curb the growing movement.

In 2002, the New York Times ran an article highlighting pro-eating disorder online communities, and figured the number of community members ranged in the thousands. People with eating disorders often felt pressure from friends and families to work toward changing their anorexic and bulimic behavior, but online, they found a community that shared and celebrated their unhealthy pursuits.

Now, the numbers have likely grown considerably. The rise of social media sites like Facebook exacerbates the problem, because people struggling with eating disorders have a constant source of images to compare themselves with, and the communities are thriving. Facebook has since prohibited pro-ana and thinspiration forums, but people still report feeling lowered self-esteem after visiting the site because of the ample opportunities to compare themselves to others.

Sites like Tumblr and Instagram, which are often visually-focused and allow more anonymity than Facebook, receive postings of dangerous images, often hash tagged with #thinspo. British fashion plate Alexa Chung recently came under fire for posting a photo to her personal Instagram account that some users thought glamorized anorexia, though the TV personality denied the claims. The incident illustrates how pictures of thin women, even those put online for benevolent reasons, are sometimes hijacked and used to promote unhealthy body images.

Following the onslaught of media attention, both Tumblr and Instagram recently changed their policies to try to curb this behavior, but it is unlikely it will die out completely, since pro-anorexia bloggers have already migrated to the image-based social media site du jour, Pinterest.

Though Pinterest took action and changed its policy as well, problematic images continue to circulate, there and across the web.

Twitter is another modern bastion for pro-eating disordered groups, and accounts like "Thinspo Quotes" and "Thinspiration" have thousands of followers, often checking the feed on their mobile phones for encouragement on the go.

How It's Helping

Despite the parasitic pro-ana community's wide reach, mobile technology and the Internet do not need to be the bane of an eating disorder patient's existence. Just as the Web allows problematic communities to flourish, it also provides a wealth of forums for people looking for help.

There are smartphone apps designed to help people find treatment, including a popular entry EDReferral.com, started by a recovered patient, Christine Hartline. She explained the benefits of technology for eating disorders, saying, "This is the resource I wish I had when I was struggling with an eating disorder -- years ago there was no place to find and compare treatment options."

Another helpful app, Recovery Record, encourages people with eating disorders to eat healthy amounts of food and set positive daily goals for themselves. Started by PhD student Jenna Tregarthen, the app recently received acclaim from The Butterfly Foundation, a major charity, for its ability to connect with young people.

Beyond phone apps, genuine support groups are available at all hours on the Internet, providing people who need to talk to someone immediately a place to go. The anonymity provided by computer-based support groups appeals to many eating disorder patients, who associate their conditions with feelings of shame.

No Easy Solution

People struggling with eating disorders suffer from being cut off from their social circles, so limiting their Internet use is unwise, although recognizing the potential dangers isn't. Anorexics, bulimics, and people with other eating disorders may want to set up blocks on "thinspo" content and make a conscious effort to take advantage of the support groups and apps available due to new technology.

Also, as more therapists wisely incorporate the positive aspects of Internet and mobile phone use into their therapies, those who suffer have more online options for help.

The Internet isn't inherently good or bad, and although it allows harmful groups space to flourish, it also gives helpful communities and treatment services an opportunity to reach out to people in need. The problem is, people who struggle with disordered eating may not want to cure it, and until they decide to seek positive help, the astounding, pernicious presence of the pro-eating disorder community on social networking sites may offer too potent a temptation.

There is no easy answer or quick fix for eating disorders, but a service providing a way to block pro-disordered content would prove invaluable to people struggling with the problem. Until then, technology will remain a double-edged sword for people with eating disorders.

Eating Disorders and Technology: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly originally appeared at Mobiledia on Fri May 18, 2012 10:09 am.

Some frequent fliers may delight to hear they can use their phones in-flight, while Iranians can't see the Persian Gulf on Google and they're less than pleased about it.

Facebook sugar daddies are surprisingly elusive creatures, and now that Eduardo Saverin may be banned from the U.S., there's slimmer pickings.

Meanwhile, Steve Jobs became a children's icon -- at least for those with iPhone-loving parents.

Virgin Airlines Okays In-Flight Phone Use

Passengers aboard flights on Virgin's Atlantic route, including the London-New York flight, will be able to use their phones to make calls and send texts in flight, which may offer the airline a leg up on competition, especially since JFK-Heathrow is a popular business route.

The service will begin with certain limitations -- only six people at a time can make calls, though everyone can text -- and at first, only passengers with certain service providers will be able to get a connection.

For U.S. fliers, T-Mobile is the selected carrier, although all passengers will have to turn off their phones once they come within 250 miles of U.S. airspace.

Iran's New Enemy: Google

The Iranian government is furious at Google for removing the name of the Persian Gulf from its mapping services, and plans to sue the search engine giant to have the title reinstated.

No word yet on why Google removed the name -- it may be a glitch, because "Persian Gulf" still shows up in Google Earth, and the U.S. recognizes the body of water as such.

Iran's neighboring Arab countries have taken issue with the name of the Persian Gulf in the past, preferring to call it the "Arabian Gulf," so Iranian officials are likely hypersensitive because they see the name diss as Google taking the side of its enemy countries.

Steve Jobs Comes Alive in Children's Book

"Who Was Steve Jobs," an illustrated children's book detailing the successes of the late Apple founder, is now available for purchase at bookstores and online (including through Apple's iBookstore, appropriately).

Part of an ongoing series on inspiration people, the Steve Jobs book focuses on Jobs' positive accomplishments and is aimed at children in grade school.

The book is available for $5, and the "Who Was" series also covered luminaries like Walt Disney and J.K. Rowling, so Jobs is in good company.

Facebook Founder Kicked Out of U.S.?

Eduardo Saverin, the co-founder of Facebook, made waves this week when the media learned he plans to renounce his U.S. citizenship to live indefinitely in Singapore. Saverin, a Brazil native who immigrated to the U.S., may be doing so to take advantage of the tax breaks Singapore offers on the eve of Facebook's IPO. Analysts estimate Saverin could save millions doing so.

But Saverin, portrayed by Andrew Garfield in "The Social Network", may end up banned from re-entering the U.S. if the government verifies he chose to renounce his citizenship for tax purposes.

Saverin and his lawyers are fighting to prove the billionaire is not making the decision to save money, but the timing of the announcement may hurt his case.

Single Facebook Millionaires Wanted

One San Fransisco-area writer went in search of Facebook "sugar daddies" and gold-diggers who pursue them, but she had a hard time uncovering any blatant examples of a for-profit dating scene.

The writer did uncover some "techie hot-spots," including expensive hotel bars and wine bars. Barstaff said women often waited around these locales until a financially confident Silicon Valley-type picked up their tab, though the writer did not see the behavior first-hand.

Perhaps when the IPO happens it will be easier to spot the men flush with new-found riches?

The Chat Room: Do We Really Need to Make Calls on Flights? originally appeared at Mobiledia on Thu May 17, 2012 3:44 pm.

New media is giving cable stations problems, as viewers flee to online alternatives, but ESPN's mobile apps and online presence offer a model for traditional media to transition into the future.

Media-Mind is our column charting how technology's opportunities and challenges transform traditional media and entertainment, for better or for worse.

The worldwide sports leader has several cable networks, including ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU, each of which is viewed via the company's comprehensive mobile app, Watch ESPN. The app is available for iOS and Android and provides access to popular shows like "SportsCenter," "Pardon the Interruption" and "Mike and Mike in the Morning."

In addition to giving viewers the opportunity to watch ESPN wherever they go, the app is available for free to customers with Bright House Networks, Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Verizon FiOS TV as an extension of their cable subscription.

Broadcasters like NBC, CBS and FOX, along with pay cable stations, are losing ratings as customers look to Hulu and Netflix to watch their favorite shows on demand. The loss of live viewers diminishes the stations' worth to cable providers and hurts advertising revenue, something ESPN's strategy is helping it avoid.

ESPN's decision to offer its own app rather than license its product to other companies allows the network to control the way it redistributes its content. Watch ESPN puts all the company's broadcast content in one place, making it the best option for viewers who want to watch the station's programming on-the-go. In addition, the station's partnership with cable companies make sure it is still valuable to providers at the same time, serving its customer better.

One of the only flaws the Watch ESPN app has is it's only available to subscribers of specific cable providers. For example, a New York viewer who has Cablevision as their provider does not have access to the Watch ESPN app. However, as ESPN continues to work out deals with remaining cable providers, the app will become even more of an asset to the company as it attempts to reach viewers all over the world.

There is even an alternative for customers who aren't somewhere they can watch ESPN. The company's new ESPN Radio app allows customers to stream more than 30 of its radio stations across the company. Users can download the app for a one-time fee of $5 and stream unlimited for as long as their data plan will allow, and they'll have access to podcasts featuring commentary from the station's analysts and reporters.

ESPN Gets It

Any time new media arises, the automatic reaction of content providers seems to be to stick with traditional methods for as long as possible. However, by embracing mobile devices' ability to carry its product beyond the TV, ESPN is blazing a trail to increase its audience and reach markets it may never would have otherwise.

ESPN specializes in live programming, the one type of show that analysts say is immune to DVR and capable of sustaining ratings. However, the company still went out of its way to create new ways for its fans to view its content and its future-focused emphasis is paying dividends. The network adopted a philosophy that viewers should be able to watch ESPN on "the best available screen," and its digital portfolio has added value to its affiliates, its rights holders and advertisers.

ESPN's model for offering content digitally may not work for other cable stations, but the company's success suggests that embracing new media is a good thing, if done correctly.

Media-Mind: How ESPN Gets It Right originally appeared at Mobiledia on Thu May 17, 2012 2:58 pm.

Several companies are marketing waterproofing technology to protect electronic devices, an endeavor that may revolutionize the mobile market.

P2i, HzO and Liquipel are all competing for commercial clients interested in making their laptops and mobile phones fully submersible.

U.K.-based P2i is already "working with virtually all the big names," according to Applications Director Nick Rimmer, who wouldn't disclose specifics but affirmed water-repellent phones will hit the market "within months." The high prices people pay for smartphones, combined with their need to be connected to them at all times, is opening new markets for these innovations.

P2i's method for waterproofing a mobile phone involves placing the device in a vacuum chamber and spraying it with chemical agent. An electric current then pulses through the chamber, permanently bonding the waterproofing agent to every atom on the phone's surface.

P2i's competitor Liquipel, a California-based startup, lets consumers waterproof their phones at $60 per device. Liquipel is reportedly negotiating at contract with Fujitsu to coat its upcoming tablets and phones, as the company aims to expand its mail-in business.

HzO, a Utah-based company, is also developing nano-technology to waterproof electronic devices. The startup says its coating, which covers a phone's internal circuitry, can protect submerged devices for longer than P2i's technology.

"We're vastly different from P2i or Liquipel," said HzO president Paul Clayson. "We take a solid chemical, turn it into a gas and introduce it into a vacuum chamber to deposit on the electronics. Our coating is thicker, building layers on top of each other and providing a protection that can endure underwater for extended periods of time."

All three companies seek to improve upon past waterproofing techniques, like Keystone Echo's MarineCase and Grace Digital Audio's Eco Pod.

The MarineCase is a silicon cover for iPhone that lets users record videos and take pictures in up to twenty feet of water, making it a useful tool for divers.

The $50 Eco Pod is another waterproof case made of polycarbonate material that shields phones from drowning. It comes with submersible headphones too, allowing swimmers to enjoy music while doing laps.

The iPhone-specific LifeProof case works in up to 6.6 feet of water, meeting military specifications for those leading rugged and active lifestyles.

But P2i, HzO and Liquipel may make external waterproof cases unnecessary, if future phones and other electronics use nano-technology coating off the shelves.

Such a development would greatly benefit those who live in waterlogged climates, where consumers are willing to pay more for protection from the elements. And accident-prone mobile users will have nothing to fear after dropping their phones in a puddle if nano-technology waterproofing catches on.

The possible applications for solid waterproofing technology are endless, as consumers may soon find out should companies like P2i, HzO and Liquipel revolutionize the market.

Coming Soon: Waterproof Phones originally appeared at Mobiledia on Thu May 17, 2012 12:51 pm.

The next generation iPhone will have a larger 4-inch display, according to the Wall Street Journal, trending with consumer interest in bigger displays.

The Cupertino, Calif.-based company is ordering larger displays from its Asian suppliers as it prepares to start production on the handset next month. Analysts believe the new iPhone will launch in the fall.

A 4-inch display in the next-generation iPhone would be the biggest physical change to Apple's smartphone since it originally launched in 2007. The iPhone has always featured a 3.5-inch screen, but Android manufacturers have continued to push the envelope when it comes to the display size of smartphones. Many smartphones now feature 4.3-inch screens, and others like the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the upcoming Galaxy S3 sport 4.7-inch displays.

Apple doesn't seem interested in increasing the size of the iPhone screen too much and blurring the line between smartphone and tablet. A bump to 4-inches will make the device more formidable at media-related tasks like watching videos and playing games, while still keeping the overall size of the device the same.

A move to a 4-inch screen may be an external change, but it could present problems for developers under the hood. Developers created more than 200,000 apps in Apple's App Store to run on a 3.5-inch retina display. Apps on the new iPhone will have to run with black bars until developers issue updates to avoid pixilation.

Still, while a 4-inch iPhone could be a bit of a headache for developers, it is a decision that will pay dividends for Apple. Increasing the size of the device's display gives owners of the 4S plenty of reason to upgrade, as well as get some Android users who were holding out for a larger screen to make the switch to an iPhone. As long as there are millions of people buying Apple's new handset, developers won't mind working a bit harder to make sure their apps run well on the device.

The difference between 4 and 3.5-inches may seem small, but for Apple, it's very, very big.

IPhone 5: Small Screen Changes, Big Results originally appeared at Mobiledia on Thu May 17, 2012 12:40 pm.

Scientists are helping people with paralysis move objects with their minds, aiding the physical disabled with sophisticated tools.

Brown University researchers successfully completed a trial with two tetraplegic patients, people who have no control over their limbs. As part of their "BrainGate2" study, the researchers developed a neural interface powerful enough to translate users' thoughts to a robotic arm machine, which can complete tasks from commands given by thought alone.

The neural interfaces work through tiny devices implanted in the users' brain, requiring surgery, but the promise of the robotic arm is immense -- people who are permanently paralyzed can regain the ability to feed themselves, reach for things, and do a number of activities previously out-of-bounds.

The scientists are working to improve the accuracy and speed of the robotic arm, so users can feel confident and empowered while completing tasks with the device, which isn't the only remarkable innovation in the works to empower paralyzed people.

A few weeks ago, a paralyzed woman completed the London Marathon using the ReWalk, a bionic suit that allows people with use of their arms to control their legs. Although quadriplegic people cannot use it, paraplegic people can reap enormous benefits from the device, as they can walk around without a wheelchair.

The ReWalk, priced at over $69,000, is still prohibitively expensive for most people, and although the BrainGate apparatus is still in clinical trials, it will likely come with a hefty price tag if it becomes available for commercial use. Innovations like eye tracking may help paralyzed people use devices at a more affordable price, but eye tracking does not allow them the precious movement offered by the ReWalk and Brown University's robot.

Scientists are making swift progress in technological advances for those with physical challenges, indicating future generations of people with physical disabilities will regain significant control of their bodies. At the same time, the fact that nobody is close to developing affordable innovations suggests the day when these remarkable products are available for everyday people with disabilities is still in the distant future.

Using Mind-Controlled Robots to Help the Paralyzed originally appeared at Mobiledia on Thu May 17, 2012 11:06 am.