Dear Google: don't screw up Android

KitKat made the best of Android accessible to more people than ever, but what will the next version do?

The history of Android has always been about more. From its inception with the T-Mobile G1 in 2008, Google’s mobile operating system has sought to compete by having more features, higher specs, and bigger devices than everyone else. Improving relentlessly with each new release, Android’s rise has produced excellent new phones but also many disappointed users who were either left on an old version of the software or bought a device that was never good enough in the first place. Late last year, Google sought to correct that by putting the brakes on and introducing Android 4.4 KitKat, an OS update that was about less.

THE LEANER KITKAT OPENED THE DOOR TO MUCH NICER CHEAP ANDROID PHONES

KitKat simplified the interface, reduced the minimum specs for a good user experience, and made it easier for Google’s partners to update their devices more rapidly. As a result, Android is now more inclusive and consistent than it’s ever been. But to rectify the fragmenting effects of Android’s constant evolution, Google had to pause that essential process. What happens when the L successor to KitKat debuts, most likely at Google I/O later this month?

The motivation behind KitKat was as ambitious as any goal the Mountain View company had previously set for itself. Having just recorded its billionth Android device activation, Google was eager to "reach the next billion" smartphone users. The company was already in charge of the globe’s most popular mobile platform, but obsolete versions of Android were cannibalizing the most price-sensitive markets in developing countries with dirt-cheap devices that didn’t include access to the Google Play Store. That created a dual problem for Google: complete Android neophytes were getting a bad first experience of the OS, and even those who liked it weren’t spending their time and money inside Google’s service ecosystem. The trouble was that good Android and cheap Android were two different things.

KitKat was the solution.

Motorola’s software VP Steve Horowitz credits KitKat’s lower spec demands for making the extraordinarily affordable Moto E possible. The E is the first of what should be a cavalcade of new Android phones that finally combine smooth user responsiveness with rock-bottom pricing. Yes, Motorola was already on this track with the excellent $179 Moto G, but the $129 Moto E addresses a far wider market. The G was cheap by European and American standards, whereas the E is cheap globally.

THE MOTO E IS THE PUREST EMBODIMENT OF THE KITKAT PHILOSOPHY

The Moto E is one of the missionaries spreading the Google KitKat gospel to the world. It proves that Android’s best and latest really is versatile enough to be used on every device, no matter the size or price. In India, one of the fastest-growing smartphone markets, demand for the Moto E has been high enough to twice take down the distributor’s website and the handset is currently out of stock. Even with the lingering high reputations of Nokia and BlackBerry in the country, the new Google phone is attracting buyers with a superior user experience and broader ecosystem. Whereas previously the manifestation of Android in developing markets might have been some Gingerbread monstrosity defaulting to Baidu as its main search engine, Google can now offer its finest software across the widest price range ever.

UNITING ALL THE PHONE-MAKING HOUSES UNDER THE "POWERED BY ANDROID" BANNER

At the other end of the scale, even Vertu is now selling phones with the latest version of Android on board, proudly offering the ruby-infused Signature Touch with 4.4 as the default OS. All the big Android device makers have also finally gotten their ducks in a row and have this year shipped their devices with KitKat preloaded instead of as a promise for the near future.

Google's KitKat has been surprisingly successful at reducing the amount of fragmentation in the Android ecosystem. It's still far from the unity of iOS, but it's much better than it used to be. Now, Google is preparing to unveil its next big wave of Android updates.

Recent reports have suggested the introduction of a new Android Silver initiative that would bring in a tier of certified premium devices with a high minimum standard of quality and consistency. It would formalize Google’s demand for limited customization of the user experience and ensure that more software updates are delivered more rapidly. As such, it portends a return to the familiar strategy of focusing on high-end devices first.

Whatever Google chooses to do with Android’s future development, there are signs to suggest that KitKat’s democratizing legacy will endure even beyond the next big feature update. KitKat, as embodied by the exemplary Moto E, crosses a threshold of usability that Android hasn’t previously been able to offer at the lowest end of the market. Even if Google widens its Nexus program of paragon handsets into the proposed Android Silver group, the achievement of a usable entry-level Android smartphone may not be lost.

THERE'S REASON TO BELIEVE KITKAT'S DEMOCRATIZING LEGACY WILL ENDURE

Additionally, this year’s Android phones are consistent from a hardware perspective as well as in their software. Qualcomm’s latest chips are dominating every segment of the market and their efficient performance is part of what’s made Android viable on so many more devices. That won’t change no matter what happens at Google I/O.

It may be damning with faint praise, but Android's never felt as cohesive and consistent as it does today. Whether you buy a Vertu, a Moto, or a Sony phone, the basic user experience, performance, and features are similar enough to make them all feel like part of the same software family. Now Google’s about to resume its old habit of additive innovation and, if that innovation’s any good, disruption to the status quo should be expected. Current phones won’t slow down and functionality won’t be reduced, but the perception of a fragmented Android landscape could arise again. The tricky task for Google is to figure out how to keep moving forward without leaving anyone behind.

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Teen Smoking, Sex Hit New Lows But Texting, Fat Are New Dangers

BY MAGGIE FOX

Kids today — they’re smoking less, having less sex, and fighting less often at school. They’re less likely to use drugs, and they’re more likely to wear seat belts and helmets when they are supposed to.

The latest federal look at teenage behavior is reassuring and suggests that some safety messages are getting through to American youth.

On the downside, kids are fatter than ever before and just a third are eating anywhere near as many fruits and vegetables as they need to stay healthy. And less than a third are getting enough sleep.

And a very troubling new statistic shows that more than 40 percent of teenagers who drive cars admit to having texted or emailed while driving recently.

TRISTAN FEWINGS / GETTY IMAGES, FILE

Teens are spending more time on computers, and an alarming 40 percent say they have texted or emailed while driving recently, the CDC reports.

But on the whole, it's a snapshot of progress. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which organizes the every-other-year survey, was especially pleased about the drop in smoking.

“I think it's really encouraging that we're seeing the lowest cigarette smoking rate ever,” CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden told NBC News.

“We've actually reached the goal that the nation set for ourselves for 2020 early. So that's one of the most positive trends that we see here — down to 15.7 percent — less than one out of six kids in our high schools is smoking. That's great news.”

About 20 percent of Americans smoke, down from 40 percent in the 1960s.

While smoking is the single biggest preventable cause of death in the United States — it causes heart disease, cancer and lung disease — teenagers face a more immediate risk. Their single biggest killer is motor vehicle crashes, causing 23 percent of deaths among 10 to 24-year-olds, CDC says.

Another 18 percent of young deaths come from other unintentional injuries, 15 percent from homicide and 15 percent by suicide.

The good news is that only 7.6 percent of the students surveyed said they never or rarely wore a seat belt when riding in a car driven by someone else — down from nearly 26 percent in 1991.

“I think it's really encouraging that we're seeing the lowest cigarette smoking rate ever."

Frieden said public health campaigns make a difference.

“These positive trends didn't just happen. They're the result of hard work in communities all over the country — doing things like protecting kids from secondhand smoke, passing laws that are graduated driving laws so that kids don't drink and drive,” he said.

Other car-related behavior isn’t so good. The survey of more than 13,000 students taken at schools across the country showed that nearly 22 percent admit to having ridden one or more times in a car or other vehicle driven by someone who had been drinking in the past month. That’s down, however, from nearly 40 percent in 1991.

Ten percent of teen drivers admit they’ve sometimes gotten behind the wheel after drinking.

JONATHAN ALCORN / REUTERS FILE

Teen smoking rates dropped in the latest CDC report.

But most startling, 41.4 percent of teen drivers said they had texted or emailed while driving a car or other vehicle on at least one day during the 30 days before the survey.

"It puts not only them but every other driver on the road at risk,” said Dr. Stephanie Zaza, director of CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health. “Teenagers are particularly susceptible to distraction. Parents need to model good behavior.”

Older teen drivers may do it more often — in 2012, the CDC found that 58 percent of high school seniors admitted to texting while driving.

Among all Americans, 57 percent of drivers admit to talking on a hand-held cell phone while on the road. About 35 percent say they have texted while driving,

Teens can be foolhardy in other ways. Nearly 88 percent said they skip wearing a helmet while biking all or most of the time. But this is down from 96 percent of teens in 1991.

“We're very concerned to see the decrease in condom use."

And while teen sex is at a low — 46.8 percent, down from 54 percent in 1991 — just 59 percent said they used a condom the last time. This is up from 46 percent in 1991, but down from 63 percent in 2003 and it’s not good enough, Frieden said.

Just over a third — 34 percent — are currently sexually active.

“We're very concerned to see the decrease in condom use,” Frieden said. “We worked hard, we educated and we had a steady increase in condom use until recent years. Now we've seen a slight decrease in condom use, and that's concerning."

Teens should use condoms even if they are also using other contraception, Frieden said. Pregnancy is a big worry, but STDs are even more likely, and Frieden fears "there may be a sense that, well, there's treatment for HIV so it's not such a terrible problem.”

There may be treatments for HIV but there’s no cure. People must take pills every single day for life and the virus can develop resistance to those medications.

And some kids are relying on dumb luck. Of those who were sexually active, 13.7 percent did nothing to prevent pregnancy during their last sexual intercourse.

SPENCER PLATT / GETTY IMAGES FILE

A teen drinks a large soda on Oct. 17, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.

On the good news side, students are fighting less at school. Just under 25 percent had been in a physical fight one or more times during the past year, down from 42 percent in 1991, And just 25 percent had even been in a fight, down from a third in 2011.

The other long-term risks to health are poor diet and a lack of exercise. Teens are trying, but not reaching targets there, the survey indicates.

People should aim to eat at least three servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables every single day. More than 62 percent of the students had managed to get one fruit serving down a day for the week before the survey and 61 percent managed to eat one or more vegetables. Only 15 percent hit the three or more mark.

“We’ve seen a tremendous increase in screen time. It's remarkable."

Fifteen percent said they hadn’t exercised hard enough to get a little out of breath in the week before the survey, and only 47 percent had done so for five of the past seven days — another basic goal to stay healthy. And as a possible result, nearly 14 percent of the students were obese, the survey found, and another 16.6 percent were overweight.

It’s not hard to guess what they were doing instead of exercising. Nearly a third of students said they watched television three or more hours per day on an average school day. And 41.3 percent of students played video games or used a computer for something that was not schoolwork for three or more hours a day on school days.

“We’ve seen a tremendous increase in screen time. It's remarkable,” Frieden said.

“We have to constantly be vigilant about technology,” Zaza said. “Kids are constantly looking for the new thing.”

One other thing that hasn’t changed for years — kids don’t get enough sleep. Most teenagers need nine hours of sleep a night. The survey found that only 31 percent of students were getting eight or more hours a night on school nights.

NBC's Erika Edwards contributed to this story.

First published June 12th 2014, 3:45 pm

MAGGIE FOX

 

Maggie Fox is senior health writer for NBCNews.com and TODAY.com, writing top news on health policy,... Expand Bio

Bad News for BBQ: Hot Dogs May Raise Heart Disease Risk

BY MAGGIE FOX

A man carries a plate of hot dogs.

Just in time for those Father’s Day cookouts, researchers have released a study linking serious disease risk with processed meats.

This study, done in Sweden, shows that men who ate the most processed red meat had a 28 percent higher risk of heart failure and twice the risk of dying over a 12-year period compared to men who ate the least. The highest intake in this case was equivalent to a 75-gram jumbo frank.

The findings, published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Heart Failure, add to a body of studies that implicate both processed meat and red meat with a higher risk of heart disease and cancer — the top two killers of people in most developed countries. Earlier this week, researchers found more evidence linking red meat and breast cancer.

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Dr. Alicja Wolk of the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, and colleagues studied 37,035 men 45-79 years old who had no history of heart disease or cancer at the start.

The men filled out a questionnaire on what they ate and how often. For the Swedish study, processed meats included sausages, cold cuts and liver pate — foods that, like U.S. favorites such as hot dogs and bacon, can be high in sodium, nitrates, phosphates and other food additives.

When these foods are grilled they can also contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which can damage DNA and cause both heart disease and cancer.

For each 50 grams of this meat the men ate daily, the incidence of heart failure rose by 8 percent. Unprocessed red meat, such as steaks and burgers, did not raise this risk.

The American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society both recommend limiting red meat. The U.S. government says people should eat a plant-based diet, keeping meat portions small.

First published June 12th 2014, 9:49 pm

MAGGIE FOX

 

Maggie Fox is senior health writer for NBCNews.com and TODAY.com, writing top news on health policy,... Expand Bio

Police Use Tear Gas on World Cup Protesters in Brazil

SAO PAULO — Brazilian police and protesters clashed in Sao Paulo on Thursday just hours before the opening game of the World Cup, which has been marred by construction delays and months of political unrest.

The demonstrations largely died down before the kickoff of a game that saw the home team defeat Croatia 3-1.

Earlier, police had to fire tear gas and noise bombs to disperse hundreds demonstrators angry about heavy government spending on the event, a spokesman for Sao Paulo state's military police said.

Demonstrators regrouped a while later and clashed with police again three blocks away, hurling rocks and setting fire to trash.

RODRIGO ABD / AP

Police fire rubber bullets at protesters in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Thursday, June 12, 2014. Brazilian police have clashed with anti-World Cup protesters trying to block part of the main highway leading to the stadium that hosts the opening match of the tournament.

The protesters had been trying to cut off a key avenue leading to the Corinthians arena on the eastern edge of the city where Brazil played Croatia.

A few protesters suffered injuries after being hit by rubber bullets, while others were seen choking after inhaling tear gas. An Associated Press photographer was injured in the leg after a stun grenade exploded near him. CNN reported on its website that two of its journalists were also injured.

Many Brazilians are furious over the $11.3 billion spent on hosting the World Cup when basic social services are poorly financed. Their pessimism has so far overshadowed a brighter mood among the some 800,000 foreign tourists expected to come to Brazil for the event.

Much of Sao Paulo, Brazil's biggest city and business capital, resembled a ghost town early on Thursday after a partial holiday was declared to ensure traffic to the stadium would be light.

But excitement began to spread by mid-morning. Fans waving Brazil flags boarded trains heading to the stadium and Croatian fans drank beer on Avenida Paulista, the city’s best-known thoroughfare.

Outside city hall, Tuany Ramos sang along with about 50 other fans setting off firecrackers and blowing airhorns. "It finally arrived and we are very excited to cheer for Brazil," Ramos said.

Melisa da Silva, who was wearing Brazil's green and yellow colors as she headed to work on the subway, said the country might finally cheer up once play gets under way.

"Well, it's here, and I think now it's time to cheer the team," she said. "I don't see why people should still be sad."

Brazil's team, led by exciting 22-year-old star striker, Neymar, is widely fancied to beat Croatia on Thursday and go on to win a record sixth World Cup title.

The stakes are high not just on the soccer field. Whether the tournament goes smoothly may also have an effect on President Dilma Rousseff's chances for re-election in October, as well as Brazil's flagging reputation among investors.

Rousseff has dismissed complaints about overspending and delays in preparing stadiums and airports, and is betting Brazil will put on a show on and off the field.

Video: Anti-World Cup protester pepper-sprayed at point blank range http://www.itv.com/news/update/2014-06-12/protester-pepper-sprayed-by-police-in-world-cup-demo/ …

''PORTUGAL'' PROFILE - 2014 WORLD CUP BRAZIL...

How they qualified 
For the second time in succession Portugal had to go through the play-offs in order to advance to the world finals. Reprising their aggregate defeat of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the road to South Africa 2010, the Portuguese saw off Sweden 4-2 over two legs to book their place at Brazil 2014. Their hero of the hour was none other than Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored all four of their goals against the Swedes to round off a qualifying tournament full of ups and downs for Paulo Bento’s side.

They began their bid to reach their sixth FIFA World Cup as the favourites to win Group F, having made the semi-finals of UEFA EURO 2012, where they lost on penalties to Spain. And though they held their own against Russia, losing in Moscow but winning the return fixture in Lisbon, the Portuguese had to settle for second place in the section after surprise draws at home to Northern Ireland and home and away to Israel. That left them with no option but to take the play-off route again, but in a duel that pitted together two of the world’s best players, Ronaldo got the better of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the scorer of his side’s two goals, to guide the Portuguese safely to Brazil. 

FIFA World Cup finals history It was not until England 1966 that the Portuguese made their world finals debut, yet as entrances go it could hardly have been more impressive. Spearheaded by the irrepressible Eusebio, Portugal’s golden generation knocked out Brazil en route to the semi-finals, where they came up just short against the host nation. Consolation came in the shape of victory over the Soviet Union in the match for third place. The Portuguese do not have happy memories of their next appearance on the big stage, however, which came at Mexico 1986. Despite opening up with a win over England, they went out in the group phase after defeats to Poland and Morocco.

Absent from Italy 1990, USA 1994 and France 1998, the Portuguese contested their third World Cup at Korea/Japan 2002, where they once again fell at the first hurdle. A very different story would follow at Germany 2006. Coached on that occasion by Luiz Felipe Scolari, the man who had taken Brazil to the world title four years earlier, Portugal made it all the way to last four before being knocked out by a Zinedine Zidane penalty, with Scolari’s side then going on to lose the match for third place against hosts Germany. In South Africa four years later Portugal’s dream ended in the Round of 16, when they were edged out 1-0 be eventual champions Spain.

The key players As he showed in the play-off against Sweden, Cristiano Ronaldo is still very much Portugal’s go-to man, though the peerless Real Madrid star is supported is by a very able cast. The central-defensive pairing of Pepe and Bruno Alves is the cornerstone of a very solid rearguard that also features flying full-backs Joao Pereira and Fabio Coentrao. Joao Moutinho is the heartbeat of a creative midfield unit, while Nani can also be relied upon to shine alongside Ronaldo. 

Current coach: Paulo Bento 
Best performances in a FIFA competition: 1966 FIFA World Cup England (third place), FIFA U-20 World Cup Saudi Arabia 1989 and Portugal 1991 (winners), FIFA U-20 World Cup Colombia 2011 (runners-up), FIFA U-17 World Cup Scotland 1989 (third place). 
Former stars: Eusebio, Coluna, Simoes, Jose Augusto, Torres, Jaime Graca, Rui Costa and Luis Figo.

MORE AT: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/teams/team=43963/profile-detail.html

Sleep like a baby in Virgin Atlantic's adult 'onesie'

Amber Le Bon, daughter of Duran Duran's Simon Le Bon, models Virgin Atlantic's first ever Onesie for Upper Class passengers.(Photo: Virgin Atlantic Press Office)


Richard Branson

Want to sleep like a baby on your next overseas flight? Try Virgin Atlantic's new adult "onesie."

The cheeky British airline is offering the onesie, designed by Norway's OnePiece, to its "upper class," or first-class, passengers starting in mid-June. Only 1,000 passengers traveling on select night flights on Virgin's long-haul network will get to try and take home the one-piece pajamas.

Virgin Atlantic, founded by British business magnate Richard Branson, is calling it the "first ever airline onesie."

Virgin's first-class passengers already get two-piece sleep suits for long-haul flights. The onesie is basically a jumpsuit, yoga pants and hoodie all in one. It comes in black and has the slogan "sleepy head" written on the back.

"The bespoke onesie blends Virgin Atlantic's rock n' roll spirit with design expertise from OnePiece to offer unrivaled comfort for sky-high slumber," the airline said in a written statement.

The airline has even enlisted Duran Duran frontman's Simon Le Bon's daughter Amber to model the onesie.

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The Onesie was created in 2007 by three Norwegians in their 20s who "fantasized about the ultimate chillout wear, perfect for the lazy Sunday at home," the onesie's packaging says.

The designers sewed together a hooded sweatshirt and a pair of sweatpants to come up with the outfit.

"We are passionate about new innovations such as bringing our Upper Class passengers the first ever airline onesie," Fay Burgin, head of Global Public Relations for Virgin Atlantic, said in a written statement. "OnePiece onesies are the original and best and our design teams have been working tirelessly to create a onesie that offers the perfect combination for a satisfying slumber on one of the longest, fully flat, beds in business class."

The onesies are unisex. Even Branson has been known to wear one.

Even Richard Branson wears an adult onesie, available for a limited time in the Upper Class cabins on Virgin Atlantic's long-haul flights.(Photo: Virgin Atlantic)