How to unlock the screen of the Galaxy S5 without touching it

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Imagine this - you are halfway through a chicken wings bucket, and you get a message on your Galaxy S5 that's laying on the other end of the table, then the screen goes off before you glimpsed who it is. 

This certainly can be counted as a situation You are in a pickle now, as you want to see if it's something important, but you are too lazy to go and wipe or wash your hands. 

Yet another scenario - you simply want to check what time it is, with the phone lying flat next to you, but, again, you are elbow-deep in chicken wings with a barbeque sauce. Well, you catch our drift, but frustrate not, as your Galaxy S5 has a way to deal with these scenarios:

1. Go to the phone's Settings>Personalization>Accessibility>Dexterity and interaction>Air wake up menu;

2. Switch the Air wake up slider to the "on" position;

3. When the phone is lying flat with a locked screen, simply hover your palm briefly over the front camera and sensors area, and the Galaxy S5's screen will turn on for your preset amount of time, simple as that.

College students face cellphone addiction

                 With many college students living on their own for the first time, some start drinking socially, and before you know it, they are alcoholics. And college students often find themselves taking drugs, with some becoming addicts. But a report from Baylor University warns of another addiction that could soon be affecting some of today's college students: cellphone addiction.

Published in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions, Baylor's report says that female students are spending ten hours a day staring at their handsets, two hours more than male students use their phones. The researcher behind the study notes that the excessive use of smartphones is leading to a downward spiral in academics. The number one activity that college students use their phones for is texting, at an average of 94.6 minutes a day. Sending and receiving emails is next at 48.5 minutes, followed by checking Facebook (38.6 minutes), browsing on the internet (34.4 minutes) and listening to music. (26.9 minutes).

60% of students say that they are addicted to their cellphone. Some students even admit that they become agitated when they don't see their handset in sight. The use of some applications can predict cellphone addiction. For example, based on the study, the use of Instagram and Pinterest are seen with those who say that they are addicted to their phones.

According to researcher James Roberts, cellphones could be used to help students cheat, or help them escape the pressures of the classroom. Roberts says that the device is a paradox in that it is freeing and enslaving at the same time. 

If you start feeling anxious whenever you can't find your phone, you might want to wean yourself from your handset before your addiction worsens, and you are jonesing for the feel of a touchscreen on your finger.

HTC One (E8) now available at Sprint as a cheaper One (M8) alternative

                             
Earlier this month, Sprint announced that it would offer the HTC One (E8), without saying exactly when. Well, the handset is available to buy starting today, being offered in two color versions: polar white, and misty grey.

Essentially a cheaper version of the One (M8), the One (E8) has a body that’s made out of plastic, not metal - though it retains the overall design of the One (M8). Sprint is selling the new smartphone for $99.99 on contract, or $499.99 off contract. Customers can also choose Sprint’s Easy Pay plan ($0.00 down, and $20.84 monthly payments for two years). As you may know, the One (M8) is offered by Sprint for $199.99 on contract, or $649.99 sans any agreement, so getting the E8 will allow you to save precious bucks.

The One (E8) runs Android 4.4 KitKat with Sense 6.0 UI, and has a 13 MP rear camera instead of the Duo rear snapper of the One (M8). But the rest of its features have remained unchanged. If you’re interested in knowing more about the handset, you should read our HTC One (E8) review (the international version).

Sony suggests that one of its upcoming Xperias will be 6.4mm-thin

Not long after unveiling its official IFA 2014 teaser video, Sony followed with a teaser image that wants us to guess the dimensions of a mysterious device. The image suggests that we’re talking about a 6.4mm-thin product, also revealing another dimension: 124 mm. The third dimension is missing, so we don’t know what kind of device we’re dealing with here. If the missing dimension is smaller than 124 mm, the device should be a smartphone. If the dimension is greater than 124 mm, it’s probably a tablet.

Sony made it pretty clear that it’s going to announce three new devices at IFA, and we’re expecting these to be the Xperia Z3,Xperia Z3 Compact, and Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact. According to previous rumors, the Xperia Z3 measures 146.46 x 72 x 7.3 mm, while the Xperia Z3 Compact is a 126.98 x 64.9 x 8.71 mm handset. So we’re thinking that the mysterious 6.4mm-thin device could be the Z3 Tablet Compact. After all, Sony already has a slate with exactly the same thinness: the Xperia Z2 Tablet. 

The Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact may have been partially revealed earlier this month. The tablet supposedly features a display of around 8 inches, and that’s all we know about it for now. Thankfully, Sony's IFA 2014 press event is scheduled for September 3, so it won't be long until we get to find out everything about the upcoming Xperias.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 leaks in photo, once again in disguise

The other day, we showed you a 15 second video of what allegedly was the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. The phablet was wearing a case to disguise it, and to keep the design secret until its September 3rd unveiling. Today, we have a photograph of that very same handset that was featured in the video, wearing the same exact case.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will be introduced on September 3rd at the Samsung UNPACKED event in Berlin. The festivities start at 2pm Berlin time. More than ever, Samsung is relying on its top-shelf phablet to help it reverse course financially. The company has had a couple of tough quarters, and even the Samsung Galaxy S5 couldn't bail out the manufacturer. This could be why Samsung has started teasing the device with a number of internet videos.

This coming Wednesday, we should get to see the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 sans case. At the same time, we should learn all about the new features that Sammy has stuffed into the phablet.

Alleged HTC Desire 820 specs leaked, plus details on two HTC smartwatches

HTC is getting ready to announce a new 64-bit-capable smartphone, seemingly called Desire 820, at IFA 2014 next week. We recently heard that the new Desire would be powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor, but that may not be the case. According to Chinese leaker @upleaks (which provided reliable info in the past), the Desire 820 will feature an MSM-8916 chipset - which is the quad-core Snapdragon 410. Nevertheless, that’s still a 64-bit processor. 

@upleaks further says that the Desire 820 will offer a 5.5-inch display with 720 x 1280 pixels, 8 MP front-facing camera, 13 MP rear camera, 1.5 GB of RAM, 8 GB of internal memory, and a 2600 mAh battery. Assuming that these are its real specs, the Desire 820 seems to be a slightly upgraded Desire 816 - which was released earlier this year, being well received by most users. 

In addition

 to providing details about the Desire 820, @upleaks has some info on two alleged HTC smartwatches: HTC WWY and HTC CWZ (these seem to be internal codenames, so their final names should be different). Reportedly, the HTC WWY features a 1.8-inch display with 32 x 160 pixels, a 100 mAh battery, and a water-resistant body. The device should be available starting September, possibly being HTC’s response to Samsung’s Gear Fit. As for the HTC CWZ, this supposedly runs Android Wear, and should be released in September in North America, Brazil, Europe, and Asia. 

As always, we can’t be sure of anything until things are officially confirmed (or infirmed). In any case, HTC and Qualcomm already said that a 64-bit Snapdragon-powered handset would be showcased at IFA. Moreover, HTC’s been talking about smartwatches for quite a while, so we won’t be surprised to see the company announcing both smartphones, and smartwatches next week (by the way, the smartwatch seen on the right is just a concept design). Whatever happens, we’ll be on ground at IFA 2014 to bring you all the news as they break.

Google tests airborne drones to deliver goods

A neon Google logo is seen as employees work at the new Google office in Toronto, November 13, 2012.

(Reuters) - Google Inc is developing airborne drones capable of flying on their own and delivering anything from candy to medicine, the Internet company said on Thursday.

The effort, which Google calls Project Wing, marks the company's latest expansion beyond its Web-based origins and could help Google break into lucrative markets such as commerce and package delivery, ratcheting up the competition with Amazon.com Inc.

Google, the world's largest Internet search engine, said it will take years of development to create a service with multiple vehicles flying multiple deliveries per day.

An early version of the drone, which Google showcased in a video on its website, has a 1.5 meter-(yard-)wide wingspan and is capable of flying pre-programmed routes.

"These planes have much more in common with the Google

self-driving car than the remote-controlled airplanes people

fly in parks on weekends," Google said on its website, referring to the company's test fleet of automobiles that use sensors and radars to navigate city streets and freeways on their own.

The drone Google showed in the video Thursday was equipped with rotors to allow for vertical takeoff and landing, as well as a fixed wing for plane-like flying. The drone flew about 40 meters above the treeline, Google said, and dropped a package of chocolate bars to a farmer in Queensland, Australia.

Google spokesman Ray Gobberg said it was too soon to discuss specific business plans for the delivery drones, but the company said on its website that self-flying vehicles could offer a cheaper, faster and less wasteful way to move goods.

Google rival Amazon.com Inc announced plans last year to use aerial delivery drones for a service called "Prime Air."

"Local delivery of products is the next battlefront," said Sameet Sinha, an analyst with B. Riley & Co. "Google has had its eyes on e-commerce, basically trying to get around Amazon."

Google has partnered with local retailers in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York for its Shopping Express service, which allows consumers to order goods online and have them delivered to their doorstep on the same day.

While Google has been quietly developing its aerial drone project since late 2011, the company will now focus on teaching the vehicles to safely navigate around each other, to reduce the noise of the vehicles and to refine the delivery capability such that a package can be delivered to a spot the size of a doorstep.

Google's Gobberg said the company has briefed the Federal Aviation Administration on the project and has been updating the agency. Gobberg said Google has done some "small scale research flights" in the United States but hoped to talk more with the agency to determine specific locations for testing.

In 2012, Congress required the FAA to establish a road map for the broader use of drones. The FAA has allowed limited use of drones in the United States for surveillance, law enforcement, atmospheric research and other applications.

Your Digital Life: Stop cyberbullying before it starts

USA WEEKEND columnist Steven Petrow offers advice about digital etiquette.

USA WEEKEND columnist Steven Petrow offers advice about digital etiquette.

My daughter is starting middle school, and her friends are getting smartphones, iPods, laptops — all the tools that make it easier to communicate, do homework ... and bully someone. I worry about this new school, where students who don't know my child may target her because of her "different" style of dress or her haircut. I want to protect her from ridicule and gossip circulating on the Internet – and especially don't want her to end up as another suicide statistic. What can I do?

– Name withheld

I don't often get to trot out a Ben Franklin aphorism, but here goes: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." I'm glad you're thinking ahead about the potential for your daughter to be a victim of cyberbullying; every parent should be so wise.

Earlier this year Janell Burley Hofmann, a mother of five, published iRules: What Every Tech Health Family Needs to Know about Selfies, Sexting, Gaming, and Growing Up.At the core of this amazingly useful book is what she calls the iRules contract, the agreement she and her husband negotiated with their then-13-year-old son. Among the 18 points, these three will lay the foundation for your prevention efforts:

• It is my phone. I bought it. I pay for it. I am loaning it to you. Aren't I the greatest?
• I will always know the password.
• Hand the phone to one of your parents promptly at 7:30 p.m. every school night and every weekend night at 9 p.m. It will be shut off for the night and turned on again at 7:30 a.m.

When it comes to cyberbullying, Hofmann calls upon parents to be both vigilant and resourceful. As she wrote: "Parents must talk to their children about it, ask them what they have seen, help them identify it, and encourage them to express their online challenges, problems, and conflicts with you." More specifically, she calls upon moms and dads to teach their kids to "report, block, and delete" so-called friends long before a sour relationship turns into harassment or worse."

Back to School: Kind campaign combats female bullying

Let me also remind you that most bullying takes place face-to-face, with cyberbullying only an add-on to what our kids may be experiencing in school. (Check outwww.stopbullying.gov.) Fortunately, more and more schools are establishing anti-bullying rules and policies, with student codes of conduct and penalties for violators. As the new year begins, find out what those policies are in your daughter's school. (If they don't exist, talk to the principal about writing some.) Finally, encourage your daughter to be what's known as an "upstander," not a "bystander." Teach her to speak up if she knows of anyone being bullied. Bullies thrive on fear and silence; we can't give them that.

Windows 9 is set to be unveiled on September 30

                                              Microsoft is planning to release a preview build of Windows 9 at a special press event on September 30, according to sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans. The date could still change, but September 30 lines up neatly with previous leaks that suggested a late-September or early-October release date for the Windows 9 technology preview. It’s still unclear exactly how many of Windows 9′s hotly anticipated features will actually make it into the September 30 release — but hopefully we’ll at least see the resurrected Start menu and Metro apps running on the Desktop. We wouldn’t be surprised if you have to wait a little longer for the consumer preview of Windows 9 before you get to play with your new Cortana digital assistant, however.

A few days ago, news leaked that Microsoft was planning to release the first public build of Windows 9 at the end of September or beginning of October. Now, sources are telling The Verge that Microsoft is planning a Windows 9 press briefing on September 30. The tech preview build of Windows 9 will likely be released at the event or shortly after. Hopefully everyone will be able to download the Windows 9 preview — just like the early public builds of Windows 8 — but there’s a chance that Microsoft will only release it to developers and professionals via TechNet and MSDN.

Windows 9, build 9788, leaked screenshot showing PC Settings Metro app running in a window on the Desktop. Microsoft’s current Windows 9 builds are around the 9820 mark.

This technology preview of Windows 9 will contain a lot of new features, but it won’t be feature-complete. In much the same way that the first Windows 8 preview still looked a lot like Windows 7, expect the Windows 9 preview to be a Frankensteinian hodgepodge of new and old features. We would expect the new Start menu to make it into the tech preview build, and the ability to run Metro apps in a window on the Desktop, but beyond that is anyone’s guess. One of Windows 9′s larger new features — integration of Cortana — might not make the cut. You should also expect a lot of smaller changes — UI tweaks, new stock Metro apps, etc. — to pop up a couple of months later in the first Windows 9consumer preview.

Microsoft might also use the September 30 press event to tell us about the fate of Windows RT, too, which is being integrated into Windows Phone as part of the grand unified theory of Windows.

Cortana, from the Halo universe, is expected to make an appearance in Windows 9

Microsoft, with its accelerated release schedule and exciting features like Cortana and virtual desktops, is clearly trying to prove that it still cares about normal (laptop/desktop) PC users. While Cortana is useful on a smartphone, I think it might be surprisingly powerful on a laptop or tablet as well. I might be getting a bit ahead of myself here, but it would be really cool if you couldsay “Cortana, show me all of my photos from 2012″ rather than fiddling with various filters and search boxes in Explorer. Using Cortana on a PC could be just like the voice-activated computer in Star Trek — if Microsoft does it properly, anyway, and doesn’t just half-assedly drop the Windows Phone version into Windows 9.