10k a day: why are there no good running smartwatches?

The Apple Watch is looming large on the technology horizon at the moment - we're mere weeks away from its April launch.

What's been interesting, if not surprising, is the sudden outcry over what it won't do, namely monitor your stress and blood pressure (down to hairy arms, apparently).

Apparently we should all be up in arms because Apple was supposed to have made the greatest health device ever to adorn our wrists. I got the chance to check one out in Cupertino, and while it is well made, even slapping it on the wrist of a stupidly chiselled model in running gear couldn't convince me this was going to be a replacement for a standalone watch.

Google Glass 2 is already being sent out to a select few

When Google announced that it was ending the Glass Explorer program many people leapt to the conclusion that Google Glass was dead and buried.

However it appears those Glass-sceptics might have jumped the gun with the news that the search giant is already sending out prototypes of the next iteration of Glass.

Although the next generation Google Glass is still in the early development stage, sources close to the project have revealed Google has been showing off the prototype in private to a select number of partners, according to 9to5Google.com.

We've previously reported that Google has continued to work on the Google Glass project with Ivy Ross, a jewellery designer, and Tony Fadell, a former Apple product executive, brought in as a change of management.

Windows 10: release date, price, news and features

Update: Following the January 21 event, check out our post-event chats with Microsoft execs, like CEO Satya Nadella sharing his thoughts on the nitty gritty of Windows 10, which you can read below. Plus, it looks like the next major Technical Preview build is just around the corner:

Why Satya Nadella wants you to love Windows 10
Read our interview with Terry Myerson to discover the fate of IE, RT and MSRP
With Windows 8 and now Windows 8.1, Microsoft tried – not entirely successfully – to make tablets part of a continuum that goes from number-crunching workstations and high-end gaming rigs through all-in-one touchscreen media systems and thin-and light notebooks down to slender touch tablets.

The general consensus is that it still has a long way to go to produce a unified OS. Recently, Microsoft publicly made the first steps to doing just that, with Windows 10. Skipping the Windows 9 name entirely, the Redmond, Wash. firm aims to step into the next generation of computing with the right foot forward.

The new Moto X is going up for pre-order, and the Moto 360 is back

Motorola is on a role with new gadgets, but so far none of them have been very easy to get.

Good news, then, as the new Moto X goes up for pre-order starting Tuesday, September 16, Motorola announced in a blog post.

That includes two versions of the phone: the new Moto X for AT&T, and the $500 (about £300, AU$550) unlocked Moto X Pure Edition that comes with stock Android.

Possibly even better news is the fact that the Moto 360 is going back on sale in the US on the same day. The first batch sold out quickly, though, and Motorola warns that "quantities will be limited."

Charged up

Both versions of the new Moto X, as well as the Moto 360, will be available Tuesday at Motorola's site starting at 11am Central Time.

No word on when the new phones will actually be shipped, but Motorola says their individual ship dates will be disclosed at checkout on a per-customer basis.
In addition to the phones Motorola is releasing two new gadgets on Tuesday: the Moto Hint Bluetooth headset and the Motorola Turbo Charger that the company promises will provide 8 hours of battery life after just 15 minutes of charging.

Sony Xperia E4 Dual

NETWORK	Technology	GSM / HSPA

LAUNCH	Announced	2015, February
	Status	Coming soon. Exp. release 2015, March

BODY	Dimensions	137 x 74.6 x 10.5 mm (5.39 x 2.94 x 0.41 in)
	Weight	144 g (5.08 oz)
	SIM	Dual SIM (Micro-SIM, dual stand-by)

DISPLAY	Type	IPS capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
	Size	5.0 inches (~67.4% screen-to-body ratio)
	Resolution	540 x 960 pixels (~220 ppi pixel density)
	Multitouch	Yes, up to 4 fingers
	Protection	Scratch-resistant glass

PLATFORM	OS	Android OS, v4.4.4 (KitKat)
	Chipset	Mediatek MT6582
	CPU	Quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7
	GPU	Mali-400MP2

MEMORY	Card slot	microSD, up to 32 GB
	Internal	8 GB, 1 GB RAM

CAMERA	Primary	5 MP, 2592 х 1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
	Features	Geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR, panorama
	Video	1080p@30fps
	Secondary	2 MP, 720p

SOUND	Alert types	Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones
	Loudspeaker	Yes
	3.5mm jack	Yes

COMMS	WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
	Bluetooth	v4.1, A2DP, apt-X
	GPS	Yes, with A-GPS
	Radio	FM radio with RDS
	USB	microUSB v2.0

FEATURES	Sensors	Accelerometer, proximity
	Messaging	SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, IM, Push Email
	Browser	HTML
	Java	Yes, via Java MIDP emulator
		- Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic - Xvid/MP4/H.265(market dependent) player - MP3/eAAC+/WAV/WMA/Flac player - Document viewer - Photo/video editor

BATTERY		Non-removable Li-Ion 2300 mAh battery
	Stand-by	Up to 552 h (2G) / Up to 548 h (3G)
	Talk time	Up to 12 h (2G) / Up to 12 h 40 min (3G)
	Music play	Up to 48 h

MISC	Colors	Black, White

Motorola has an 'exciting' announcement planned for February 25

Fresh off their president defending the company's design ethos, Motorola is planning to unleash something new next week, courtesy of a mysterious box being hand-delivered to the press.

9to5Google today reported that Motorola is busy emailing members of the tech press, giving them a heads-up about a mystery package scheduled to arrive on just in time for the mid-week "hump day" on February 25.

Unfortunately, Motorola is playing coy on exactly what the box might contain, beyond the invitation's teaser which explains that "everything you need fits inside one box, which we will deliver to your doorstep on Wednesday."

It hasn't been that long since Motorola last refreshed its flagship Moto X smartphone, and the report speculates a followup to the Moto 360 smartwatch could be what's in store, but details are otherwise scarce.

Jack in the box

"Motorola is making an exciting announcement next week and wants you to be in the front row. The best part? You get to choose where and when you'd like to experience it," the media invitation from Motorola reads.

Android Lollipop 5.0 update: when can I get it?

It's been a while since Android Lollipop was unveiled, but a lot of your handsets still don't have it, as it's down to individual manufacturers to bring it to their devices.

That takes time, but we're finally seeing it trickle out to ever more phones, and many manufacturers have also revealed when they plan to roll out the update.

We're constantly updating this article as new information emerges so read on for details about your specific device and manufacturer and remember to check back regularly.

The good news though is that if you don't have Lollipop for your phone yet you probably will soon. And the even better news: it's worth the wait, as it includes a smorgasbord of new features, a visual overhaul and numerous under-the-hood improvements to make if faster, more efficient and lighter on your battery.

Read our hands on: Android 5.0 Lollipop review
Latest update: Samsung has started rolling out the Android 5.0 Lollipop update to Australian Galaxy Note Edge owners and Motorola has brought Android 5.0.2 to Canadian Moto G handsets.

BlackBerry OS update delivers a personal assistant to your phone

Canadian smartphone maker BlackBerry is starting to roll out the BlackBerry 10 OS 10.3.1 to existing BlackBerry devices. The software is now arriving on the BlackBerry Passport, Z3, Z10, Q10, and Q5 as well as the Porsche Design P'9983 and "9982. With the update, BlackBerry users will get a number of new features including BlackBerry Assistant, BlackBerry Blend and dual app stores.

If you've been jealous of Siri, Cortana or the Google Now digital voice assistants on your friends' phones, BlackBerry is making up for it with BlackBerry Assistant on OS 10.3.1. BlackBerry Assistant can be used with voice or text commands to help users manage emails, contacts, calendars and native BlackBerry 10 applications.

BlackBerry says Assistant is intelligent enough to know how to respond to you. BlackBerry Assistant will respond with voice if spoken to, and it will display the results to your queries if you're typing text. Additionally, if you're accessing BlackBerry Assistant from Bluetooth, it will respond with additional context because you may not have access to your phone's screen.

Samsung Galaxy S6 looks set to be a 2K marvel

We're expecting Samsung's next flagship phone to break cover in the near future, and we now have some solid details on what to expect - thanks to a discovered User Agent Profile.

As spotted by Dutch site TechTastic (that's the bit of code that tells a site how to behave on particular devices) the Galaxy S6 looks set to pack a QHD 1440 x 2560 pixel resolution, something we had been expecting. The listed model number is SM-G920A which is likely to be the AT&T version of the S6 in the US.

QHD has always been the rumoured display resolution for the Galaxy S6 - although we have heard reports that Samsung is going to release a couple of different models, with one featuring a curved edge to its display like the Galaxy Note Edge.

64-bit future

Other bits of information revealed by the UAP are that the Galaxy S6 will be using physical hardware buttons and come with the 64-bit version of Android installed, which lines up with the 64-bit processor we think the S6 will have.

Samsung gives us our first official Galaxy S6 shot

Samsung has just released a teaser video for its Unpacked event in Barcelona on March 1, and it's given us a sneaky look at the Galaxy S6 in the process.

The video gives precious little away about Samsung's next galaxy, but it looks like it will be super slim from the side profile revealed at the end of the 21 second clip.

The voice over purrs "I am crafted from the beautiful things I see around me, they shape who I am, I am the next galaxy."

Superficial Samsung

From what we can tell then, Samsung is going to focus heavily on the design of the Galaxy S6, providing further fuel to the "all metal body" fire which is burning brightly in the lead up to its MWC 2015 event.

TechRadar will be reporting live from Unpacked on March 1 to bring you all the latest on the Galaxy S6.

Everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy S6