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It seems rather clear, based on multiple reports, that Apple is actively studying how to get on the wearable computing train with an iOS-based smart watch. Now that we’re pretty sure it exists, the debate turns to what it might do: it will probably run iOS, will do some health-monitoring basics, and let you accept or decline phone calls with caller ID.

But this is likely just what the earliest iteration of such a device could do. Apple may start small, but it tends to think pretty big: after all, it launched the iPhone without third-party apps while internally debating whether or not Apple should offer developers access to the phone — and that worked out pretty well. It’s not a stretch to assume Apple would want to offer access to its most important basic services — from FaceTime and iMessage to Notes, Reminders and notifications — to any wearable device, like it has to the iPhone, iPad and Mac.

And it’s at this point that iWatch could really stretch what Apple is capable of delivering as far as internet services. Few doubt that Apple will make a really beautiful piece of hardware. But a future version of an iWatch could, like MobileMe did in 2008 and like Apple Maps did last fall, further reinforce the notion that Apple is still very weak when it comes to implementing web-based services.

However, the promise of an iWatch connected to the cloud could finally push Apple to get its web-based act together.

The promise of Siri

The dream of an iWatch is to (eventually) do many of the things we rely on our mobile devices for, but on a small computer resting on our wrists: browse the web, get mapping directions, send text messages, and in the case of the iPhone, use alternate interaction and communication methods, like a video call on FaceTime or voice-controlled Siri to get tasks done.

Siri, in particular, seems especially ideal for a device that will likely have pretty small display and no hardware buttons. Initially this may be unnecessary if you’re simply using the watch for checking your heart rate or tapping to answer a call. But when an iWatch becomes more capable, voice control might be the quickest way to add something to your calendar or even send a text message. Siri’s going to have to get a lot better for that to be a selling point for an iWatch someday, of course.

In my personal experience, Siri is one of those “nice to have” features but it doesn’t play into my use of my iPhone or iPad on any kind of regular basis. This is mostly because it’s just slow. I love the idea of dictating a text message when I’m driving; the reality is that by the time Siri understands what I actually want it to do, sometimes it takes much longer than it should. This is somewhat understandable because the service is still technically in beta. (But that brings up a whole other point of why a service Apple has been actively advertising as a key iOS feature is still in beta nearly 17 months later.)

iWatch and the cloud

And then there’s the general reliability of Apple’s cloud-based services. iCloud, which is Apple’s solution for keeping users’ content accessible from different Apple devices, is no stranger to outages; there was a half-day episode just last week that took down iCloud backup, Photo Stream and Documents in the cloud for some users.

But its other internet-based services that also operate in the cloud (i.e. not iCloud) aren’t always reliable either. Siri, iMessage, FaceTime, Maps and GameCenter are all services that have gone offline at one point or another or experienced major usage issues. An iWatch could add millions of more access points for these services at the same time that Apple will presumably be growing its user base through the sale of iPhones, iPads and other devices too.

Even if the iWatch does arrive before Christmas 2013, as some outlets have reported, it doesn’t appear like there will be many of Apple’s cloud-based services included right away. So Apple has some time to get there.

But an iWatch — if and when it arrives, and if and when it is integrated with Apple’s cloud services — could either help Apple’s internet services teams shine or further tarnish their reputation. Google Glass may be dorky, but no one worries about whether or not Google will be able to deliver useful and compelling web services to its wearable computer.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
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As Apple (AAPL) and Samsung (005930) continued to divvy up just about all of the smartphone industry’s earnings last year, one other global vendor managed to step up and eke out a profit. LG’s (066570) smartphone business has inched up into the black thanks to gorgeous smartphones like the Optimus G, and the company confirmed on Sunday that it has now sold 10 million cumulative LTE-equipped smartphones globally. “Aggressive pushing forward with 4G LTE technology allows LG to satisfy the needs of consumers and is a huge factor in our growing success in global LTE smartphone sales,” said LG Mobile boss Dr. Jong-seok Park. “Having established ourselves as a major industry player, we will continue to expand our footprint in the global LTE market with a wider range of differentiated, high quality LTE smartphones.” LG’s full press release follows below.

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Nintendo is in a pickle. It needs to sell more hardware before its fiscal year ends this month. January was not kind to the console, and we should soon be seeing if February was any better. For March, however, Nintendo has a few aces up its sleeve, including the delightful LEGO City: Undercover.

LEGO City: Undercover has received multiple online trailers to date, but none of them are going to have much mainstream impact. For that, Nintendo needs to make sure its first new TV ad in two months does a good job of selling the console’s unique qualities.

The ad doesn’t exactly scream system seller to me, but preexisting Wii U owners will probably buy the game as they’ve been starved for content the past few months. LEGO City: Undercover isn’t alone in March, however, as Capcom will be releasing the highly anticipated Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate on the Wii U and 3DS later this month.

LEGO City: Undercover will be available exclusively on March 18 exclusively for Wii U.

Final Book Now Available

Being healthy is a topic that is on everyone’s mind these days. If you are pregnant or may become pregnant in the future, it’s really important. In 2009, the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council published updated guidelines on weight gain during pregnancy that enhances your ability to have a healthy pregnancy and baby. This book provides vital information for expectant mothers or those trying to conceive.

[Read the full report]

Topics: Health and Medicine

Final Book Now Available

Being healthy is a topic that is on everyone’s mind these days. If you are pregnant or may become pregnant in the future, it’s really important. In 2009, the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council published updated guidelines on weight gain during pregnancy that enhances your ability to have a healthy pregnancy and baby. This book provides vital information for expectant mothers or those trying to conceive. Health care providers can do a lot to help women learn about the follow the guidelines. This book features the key points from the guidelines.

[Read the full report]

Topics: Health and Medicine

A new feature on the not-yet-announced Samsung Galaxy S4 may help you read more web content without having the touch the screen. Dubbed “Eye Scroll,” the function would use the phone’s front camera to track your eyes and automatically scroll content when it sees that you’ve read to the bottom of the screen. Samsung filed for an “Eye Scroll” patent in the U.S. last month, according to Brian Chen, writing for the New York Times.

In the patent description, you can get a better idea of how this will work:

“Computer application software having a feature of sensing eye movements and scrolling displays of mobile devices, namely, mobile phones, smartphones and tablet computers according to eye movements; digital cameras; mobile telephones; smartphones; tablet computers.”

Ideally then you could use a Samsung device with Eye Scroll and one hand for content consumption. That’s important as the company’s smartphone and small tablet screens have ballooned over the past two years.

The Galaxy S4, for example is rumored to have a 5-inch, 1080p display, while the company’s Galaxy Note 2 — the phone I use daily — has a 5.5-inch screen. Even Samsung’s small tablets, which used to have a standard 7-inch size, are moving toward 8-inch screens. For many, devices of this size means two-handed use. But with automatic page scrolling, content could be read while holding the device with one hand.

Even if such a feature doesn’t make it into Samsung’s Galaxy S4 — the phone is widely expected to be introduced on March 14 — it could be added to the phone via a future software update. And it makes sense that Samsung is even pushing towards this kind of use; it’s done so before with prior Galaxy phones.

My Galaxy Note 2, for example, has a similar function called “Smart Stay.” When enabled, the phone uses the front camera to look for my eyes and see if I’m actively looking at the screen. If so, it makes sure the phone display doesn’t dim or go into sleep mode. I have little doubt then that whatever features Samsung adds to the Galaxy S4, some of them will require the phone to be watching you.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
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Nevada Assemblyman Harvey Munford is concerned about all of the people he has seen texting while walking. And why shouldn’t he be? I mean, people are walking off piers left and right. Apparently, he’s been on the lookout for the dangerous practice since a constituent brought it to his attention last year.

“I was just amazed by what I saw,” he said. “So many people are almost oblivious. They are texting and texting, totally unaware as they cross even six-lane highways.”

Not wanting to leave it to natural selection to sort everything out, Munford has proposed Assembly Bill 123, which will outlaw texting and walking pretty much everywhere in the state. That means texting while walking on urban streets, state roads, and even out in the suburbs would be met with a penalty.

That penalty would start with a warning and increase to a $250 fine by the time the violator receives their third citation.

The only exceptions to the statute would allow for people to text while walking across the road in two specific situations – either a medical emergency or the reporting of a crime.

Reporting to your friend Ashley that whatever Taylor was wearing at the club last night was a “fashion crime” will not be exempted.

Munford is following in the trailblazing footsteps of officials in Fort Lee, New Jersey. In May of 2012, that town of just over 35,000 began to ticket “distracted walkers.” Before resorting to fines, Fort Lee tried reasoning with the population by issuing pedestrian safety messages. That didn’t work, so they started giving summons to those caught texting while crossing the street.

Fines for texting while walking may seem a bit dramatic to some. Maybe we should try texting “e-lanes,” jokingly proposed by Philadelphia last year?

Or, as previously suggested, maybe just let it work itself out.

[LA Times]

Netflix is available on iOS, Android and Windows Phone, but not BlackBerry 10. That’s not going to change anytime soon.

All Things D reports that Netflix is not building an app for BlackBerry 10. The service wouldn’t say why it’s forgoing the platform for now, but a spokesperson did say that there are “no current plans” for an app. So, there’s some hope for Netflix on BlackBerry 10 in the future, but it’s a no go at the present.

It can’t look good for BlackBerry after it announced that its latest smartphones would have all the latest apps that its competitors have. Netflix is a name brand app that would have strengthened the BlackBerry 10 brand. It wouldn’t have a “major” loss, however, as most users still don’t watch Netflix on smartphones or tablets. The bigger concern for BlackBerry should be the news that Instagram is not developing a native app for the platform.

Like Netflix and Instagram, most developers are probably taking a wait-and-see approach for now. BlackBerry 10 will be launching in the U.S. this month and it should give developers more realistic expectations as to the success of the product. Of course, people might not go with BlackBerry 10 over its lack of software support from app developers. If that happens, BlackBerry will be stuck in a cruel cycle of decreased software support leading to decreased hardware sales.

Still, there are plenty of developers taking a chance on BlackBerry 10 with some big names in the mobile scene gambling on its success. If their bet pay outs, you can be rest assured that those sitting on the fence will come running.

Just last week Microsoft began rolling out the Azure service in 25 new markets around the world, but the updates have continued today as Microsoft continues to move forward in its competition with services like Amazon S3, Google Cloud Platform and others. Today the company’s Azure Director, Alex Simons, announces updates to the identity and access management capabilities in Windows Azure.

The service gains three new features — the ability to manage users and their access rights in the Windows Azure Portal; preview of the new phone based two factor authentication for users who are Global Administrators in Windows Azure AD; and the ability to manage the synchronization and federation between your Windows Azure Active Directory and Windows Server Active Directory from within the Windows Azure Portal.

According to Simons “this is another step in our continuing effort to bring a set of secure, enterprise grade identity and access management capabilities to Windows Azure”.

With Azure AD administrator, you can now create user accounts, assign users to your existing subscriptions and users can create their own new subscriptions. In addition, as a Directory administrator you will be able to disable user accounts or reset their passwords from within the Azure management portal.

The phone-based two-factor authentication is still in preview mode, while with Synchronization and federation you will be able to follow a few steps and reduce the work required to securely manage access to your cloud resources.

Simons wraps up by letting customers know that “I hope you’ll find these new capabilities useful and valuable.  We’re really looking forward to your feedback on them and to delivering more capabilities like this in the near future”. The updates are rolling out as I write this, so you should see them across the board very soon, if not already.

Photo Credit: Sergej Khakimullin/Shutterstock

We announced last week that we are doing a self-assessment of the U.S. National Action Plan on Open Government and were looking for your feedback about our implementation. We are meeting with civil society groups to solicit their feedback in person, and we set up ways for you to share your own feedback online through a dedicated Q&A site Quora, or through a web form on WhiteHouse.gov. And we take your feedback seriously. 

Here’s proof: We heard from you that it would be helpful if we published the text of the President's directive extending whistleblower protections to the intelligence and national security communities for the first time. We decided you were right. Click here to find the directive.

In response to a Freedom of Information Act request, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released a 128-page report into the life of singer Whitney Houston.

According to the Detroit Free Press, the report was part of an FBI extortion case that was closed before any charges were filed. The document shows that Houston was blackmailed in 1992, with a letter from a woman stating that details of her private life would be revealed if $100,000, and later $250,000 were not paid.

Houston had told the FBI that the woman was “a friend.” Houston’s father, John Houston, later sent the woman a “confidentiality agreement” and paid her an amount of money which was redacted in the FBI document.

The document also contains letters from adoring fans, some of which were of interest to the FBI because the agency was afraid certain fans might hurt someone because of their obsession. FBI agents were compelled to interview several of these obsessive fans, once going as far as Brussels, Belgium. In the cases detailed, these fans were determined to not have broken the law and did not appear to have actual plans for hurting anyone or extorting Houston.

Houston died just over one year ago, on February 11, 2012. She was found unconscious in a bathtub in her room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The cause of death was later determined to be an accidental drowning related to heavy drug use.

WASHINGTON D.C. – The Institute for Energy Research released a statement today after conducting a document review of emails made public in response to a recent FOIA request by E&E News.

Buried in a tranche of official emails related …

Thumbs Up: Impressive handling and fuel economy; good content for the money

Thumbs Down: Dated exterior design

Buy This Car If: You want a commuter car that delivers both features and frugality

Just a few short years ago , a car that served up features like a blind spot detection system, adaptive headlights, Bluetooth audio streaming, navigation, keyless entry with push-button start, rain-sensing wipers and a Bose Centerpoint surround-sound audio system would have fallen into the luxury car realm, priced far out of reach of the average consumer.

Today, that’s just a partial equipment list for the 2013 Mazda3 i in Grand Touring trim, fitted with the Technology Package. As if that weren’t impressive enough on its own, the car’s SkyActiv-G gasoline engine delivers enough power for reasonable acceleration (155 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque), while returning highway fuel economy of 40 mpg. Did we mention that it serves up impressive handling, too, for a sticker price under $26,500?

If you’ve been new-car shopping lately, you know that there isn’t much in the under $30k price range that comes as well-equipped. Sure, the current Mazda3’s styling (which dates back to 2009) is getting a bit old, but with everything else in its favor, we can easily look past a design that’s starting to border on stale.

That’s not to say the Mazda3 is ugly, but it’s simply not as contemporary a design as served up by many of its rivals. We still like the strong creases that sweep from the grille, across the hood to the A-pillars, and we’re still fond of the muscular swell of the front fenders that tie it back to the MX-5 and the (sadly) out-of-production RX-8.

In profile, however, we find the looks of the hatchback to be much cleaner than the lines of the sedan. If anything, the styling of the four-door is a bit too conservative, with only a pair of character lines running across the doors to add interest. We appreciate the lack of brightwork around the daylight opening, but the Mazda3 sedan, even in Grand Touring trim, needs some kind of design flourish to reduce its anonymity.

The rear could also benefit from a clean design. Its taillights, like its headlights, are large by contemporary standards, and we think the white taillight trend has played itself out. The tastefully-minimalistic rear deck lid spoiler is a nice touch, but we wish the rear had something other than body-colored metal and plastic to look at.

If that’s the bad news, here’s the good news: a new Mazda3, wearing the company’s current Kodo design language, is expected to debut in 2014. If you’re in the market today, that’s still good news as it means the current Mazda3 models are priced to sell. If you want to hold out for the new design, chances are good you’ll be spending more money to get the same level of content, all in the name of fashion.

Inside, the Mazda3 (thankfully) skips the faux-luxury to serve up a well-executed cabin and dash design. Materials are what you’d expect in the car’s price point, but fit and finish are a step above most competitors. The dash layout, for example, uses a dual-screen display for functions like range, average mpg, time, outside temperature and cabin temperature. The displays are in LCD format, which isn’t as clean or stylish as most rivals are using these days, but we appreciate the fact that you’re not having to look down at the infotainment screen to adjust cabin temperature.

Instruments are well designed, with the driver looking at a hooded tachometer and a hooded speedometer, split by a gear indicator, an LCD bar-graph fuel gauge, an odometer and a trip odometer. They’re not fancy, but they’re functional and easy to acquire, which is good enough for us.

Front seats are better than expected at this price point, serving up a comfortable perch with plenty of head and leg room. The driver gets an eight-way power adjustable seat, which should allow buyers of all shapes and sizes to find the best seating position. The passenger seat lacks the same range of adjustability (and isn’t motorized), but both are wrapped in stout-feeling leather and vinyl, and both are heated.

Rear seat passengers aren’t likely to be as enamored with the Mazda3 as those in the front row. Despite the sloping roof, there’s room enough for passengers under six feet in height, but there isn’t much leg room to speak of. Mazda includes three seat belts in the rear, but let’s be honest: only two adults, or perhaps three children, will be comfortable in the Mazda3 sedan’s second row.

While the Mazda3 can be had with three different engines (excluding the Mazdaspeed3, which is really an entirely different model), the one to pick is the 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G, which cranks out 155 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. That’s good enough to get the car from 0-60 mph in around 8.5 seconds, which isn’t bad for the class, while returning 33 mpg combined (28 mpg city, 40 mpg highway) with the six-speed automatic transmission.

Unlike other cars focused on fuel economy, the Skyactiv Mazda3 doesn’t feel slow, even off the line. It’s no sport sedan, to be sure, but it doesn’t feel like a car that serves up near-hybrid levels of fuel economy. Like every other car that wears the Mazda badge, the Mazda3 Grand Touring sedan manages to provide some level of entertainment value behind the wheel, too, primarily via its optimally-weighted steering and nimble handling. Some will complain that the Mazda3 Grand Touring serves up too firm a ride, but we don’t find it harsh at all. If anything, the quick turn-in and minimal body roll deliver confidence, and we’re willing to accept a stiffer ride as a trade-off. The six-speed automatic transmission does include a manual shift mode, but it really doesn’t improve the car’s shift times (not that anyone is going to be drag racing a 2.0-liter Mazda3). Finally, the brakes deliver a good pedal feel and return reasonable stopping distances, especially in light of the car’s non-performance-oriented rubber.

If you’re in the market for a compact commuter car, should you shop the 2013 Mazda3? Our answer, without hesitation, is yes. It delivers an engaging driving experience, returns impressive fuel economy and gives buyers a variety of trim levels to choose from. Even optioned-out, in the highest Grand Touring trim, the car carries a sticker price under $27,000, yet gives buyers features like heated seats, navigation, Pandora audio streaming (via smartphone), Bluetooth connectivity, blind spot detection and adaptive HID headlights. There aren’t too many other cars we can think of that offer so much in the plus column, with so little in the minus column (the car’s somewhat dated styling, in this case).

Mazda supplied the 2013 Mazda3 i Grand Touring sedan for the purpose of this review. Base price on our press-fleet tester was $24,445, including a destination charge of $795, and options included the $200 Interior Lighting Kit, the $275 Homelink Rearview Mirror With Rain Sensor and the $1,500 Technology Package (auto on-off HID headlights, adaptive headlights, fog lights, LED taillights, body-colored heated side-view mirrors with integrated turn signals, Sirius satellite radio, alarm system, rain sensing wipers, rear deck spoiler) for a total sticker price of $26,420.

For comparison, a similarly-equipped Chevrolet Cruze LTZ would sticker for $27,795, while a comparable Ford Focus Titanium would price at $25,685.

The modern BlackBerry device user is faced with a very difficult decision: selecting the perfect photo to become their BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) avatar. Sure, it seems easy. The Time Shift Camera on the BlackBerry Z10 is perfect for grabbing that perfect new selfie. For those of you who aren’t shutterbugs, there’s always that family member who constantly sends you awkward photos from the last get-together, and the Facebook app is your gateway to even more options. With all these options, why is choosing one photo so hard?

I toyed with the idea of uploading a photo of myself for quite some time. On the one hand, it would allow my friends to feel like they could really connect with me, since they would see my face as they typed. On the other hand, I wasn’t sure if a solo shot looked self-aggrandizing. So, I scanned through my contact list to see what avatars my friends, family and colleagues chose. The results were fairly consistent – roughly the same number of professional headshots, fun party photos, images of children and loved ones, and cool products/gadgets that people wanted to buy.

But what is the message you want to convey with your avatar? Of course, it’s not just an image you’re uploading; it’s a way to set the stage for your conversations. Team BlackBerry, tell us: how did you choose your BBM Avatar?

* Image has been altered to remove BBM screen names

Purity is a tile-based puzzle game for BlackBerry 10 by Carbide Software. The object of the game is to find your way out of each stage using portals, shields, connectors and static tiles. The full game features 60 levels and they also offer a free trial with a few sample stages.

Purity is a great puzzle game that will challenge you to think of solutions as you listen to atmospheric music and enjoy psychedelic cosmic game art. Most stages have a lot of different paths you can take in order to solve it which makes it much more interesting than single-solution puzzlers.

Click here to try the Purity free trial for BlackBerry 10.

Click here to buy Purity for BlackBerry 10 for $1.99 from BlackBerry World.

Last week, Chrome for Android received a pretty substantial update that added a slew of new features to the mobile browser. At the time, I suggested a similar update would hit iOS sooner rather than later. Google didn’t disappoint as the company has released a new version of Chrome for iOS today.

Unlike the Chrome for Android update, the newest version of Chrome for iOS focuses on adding new functionality to the browser instead of additions to its HTML5 capabilities. The big new feature is a revamp to how searches are displayed in Chrome for iOS. Now you can see your search term in the Omnibox instead of Chrome displaying a long URL.

Google says that they’ll be rolling out the above change to search over the next few weeks so don’t freak out if you don’t see it immediately after updating. What you will see immediately after updating, however, are two new features that should make any Chrome user happy:

To quickly view your tab history, simply press and hold the back button to access any page you had previously visited from that tab. Head to “Menu” then “Share” to share a web page via email or to your favorite social network. Now you can also share any web page via Messages.

You can grab the newly updated Chrome for iOS here. If you missed the Chrome for Android update from last week, you can grab that here.

A petition asking the Obama administration to reverse a decision made by the Librarian of Congress last fall to deny consumers the right to unlock their phones and bring them to different carriers recently garnered more than 100,000 signatures, prompting a formal response from the government. The White House on Monday came out in support of the petition, noting that consumers ought to be allowed to unlock their devices if they so choose.

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