Lenovo completes Motorola takeover

30 October 2014 Last updated at 12:34 By Leo Kelion Technology desk editor

Lenovo has completed its takeover of Google's Motorola Mobility division.

The acquisition gives the Chinese firm control of the unit's Moto and Droid-branded handsets as well as its 3,500 employees, 2,800 of whom are based in the US.

Lenovo said the deal made it the world's third bestselling smartphone-maker after Apple and Samsung.

That knocks its country-mate Xiaomi back down into fourth spot, based on data from two market research reports.

Lenovo stated that a total of 100 million mobile devices were on course to be shipped from its existing mobile phone business combined with that of Motorola's over the current fiscal year, which ends in March.

Little overlap

Motorola has found recent success with its "budget" Moto G models. The original version, released last year was the bestselling phone in the business's history.

More recently it has also entered the wearables sector with the Moto 360 smartwatch, and announced its first Nexus device - a 6in (15.2cm) "phablet" marketed by Google, which will be one of the first phones to offer the Android 5.0 operating system.

Lenovo is the world's bestselling PC maker, a position it attained after the takeover of IBM's personal computer business in 2005.

Its smartphones are already big sellers in Asia and the Middle East, but they have not been sold in North America and Western Europe.

While Lenovo and Motorola handsets do compete for sales in India, there is little overlap elsewhere between the two divisions at this point.

"We're now planning to introduce Motorola-branded products back into China," Aymar de Lencquesaing, Lenovo's president of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, told the BBC.

"But right now what we intend to do is leverage the stronger brand in each particular market.

"For the most part, think of the developed mature world - that's going to be Motorola-driven. Emerging markets will be Lenovo-driven.

"Some markets will overlap and over time nothing says that in any given market we couldn't have a dual brand strategy. But, let's put it this way, it's probably smarter for us right now to walk before we run."

He ruled out cutting jobs at Motorola and confirmed that the division would remain headquartered in Chicago.

'Quality phones'

Lenovo had previously stated that one of the reasons it bought the division for $2.9bn (£1.8bn) was to take advantage of Motorola's existing relationships with network operators in North America and Europe.

One analyst said that this could offer a way to launch Lenovo-branded handsets in those regions if the company later decided to make the move.

"Lenovo has proven it can manufacture quality phones and it is already well known as a PC brand in Europe and the US," said Ronan de Renesse from the telecoms consultancy Ovum.

"So, it doesn't have the cheap aspect to its brand that some of the other Chinese manufacturers have to deal with."

Mr de Lencquesaing added that a nearer-term advantage to the tie-up was that Motorola would benefit from his company's supply-line efficiencies.

The takeover does not include Motorola Solutions, which makes communications equipment for utility and emergency workers. The two Motorola businesses formally split in 2011.

Google paid $12.5bn to acquire Motorola Mobility in 2012. It said the key motivation for the deal was the firm's patents, which it is keeping hold of.

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Android smartwatch 'runs for a week'

29 October 2014 Last updated at 15:18 By Leo Kelion Technology desk editor

One of China's leading tech firms has unveiled two Android-powered smartwatches that it says can last about a week between charges.

That represents a substantial gain on alternatives that can struggle to run longer than a day.

The Geak Watch 2 models achieve the feat by using a hybrid screen that switches between a "high definition" LCD colour display and a "standby mode" battery-saving e-ink one.

One expert said this was "very clever".

"One of the big challenges that smartwatch manufacturers have had is that people stop using the devices, and one of the reasons they do so is that they have to be charged on a regular basis, whereby they are being taken off constantly," said Ben Wood from the tech consultancy CCS Insight.

"Anything that enhances the battery life is a big win.

"That's why we've seen people who have Pebble devices typically using them longer than some of the rivals with daily charging requirements."

Pebble smartwatches also promise "up to seven days" between charges thanks to the use of a black-and-white e-paper display, but lack the ability to switch to a colour LCD screen or run Android, restricting the amount of apps they offer.

Two models

The new smartwatches are made by Shanda, a Shanghai-based company that helped pioneer the sector with its first Geak Watch in 2013.

Reviews at the time indicated that the first-generation device lasted between 10 and 15 hours.

Early adopters are being rewarded with an offer to trade in the old watch for a free new one.

Shanda says:

• the basic Geak Watch 2 lasts six days on a single charge with normal use or 15 days if restricted to standby mode. It costs 1,999 yuan ($327, £203)
• the Geak Watch 2 Pro lasts seven days with normal use or 18 days if kept in standby mode. It costs 2,499 yuan ($409, £254).

Owners can alternate between the two display modes by pressing a power button.

Both watches feature a circular 1.3in (3.2cm) display offering a resolution of 254 pixels per inch when the LCD is in use - roughly the same specifications as LG's G Watch R, which does not include the e-ink component.

Shanda's Pro model features a metal, rather than plastic, bezel and also includes a built-in heart rate monitor.

The models are powered by Geak Watch OS, a proprietary "skinned" version of Android 4.3 that has its own app store and user interface, rather than Google's Android Wear software.

This helps it overcome the fact that Google Now - the anticipatory search service that provides much of Android Wear's functionality - is blocked in China, where the Geak devices are sold.

Price erosion

Mr Wood said it was not yet clear whether the hybrid screens matched existing watches in terms of display quality, but said that if they did other companies might follow with similar products made available worldwide.

"We're seeing a tremendous amount of innovation in wearables coming out of China," he said.

"It's amazing how all of the different manufacturers quickly follow successful ideas.

"But China is not only the epicentre for innovation, it's also the source of extreme price erosion, which is making things challenging for the established players."

Samsung, LG, Motorola, Sony and Asus are among other companies to offer smartwatches that typically last about a day per charge.

Many analysts have speculated that Apple's Watch - a smartwatch to be released in 2015 - would boost sales across the sector.

But there has been concern about Apple's admission that battery life will be constrained.

"I think given my own experience, and others around it, that you're going to wind up charging it every day because you're going to use it so much," Apple's chief executive Tim Cook said at the WSJD Live conference, according to a transcript by the Verge news site.

Long-life LCDs

While improvements in the efficiency of computer processors are helping compensate for the relatively slow pace of battery tech advances, they can go only so far.

But research elsewhere in China might offer an alternative to falling back on e-ink.

Researchers at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have reported that they have created a new type of LCD screen that can hold a static image for years without requiring power.

This could be suited to smartwatches that change only a single digit every minute to show the time when not running more complex apps.

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Big firms 'must condemn GamerGate'

29 October 2014 Last updated at 23:59 By Dave Lee Technology reporter, BBC News

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Zoe Quinn talks to Dave Lee about 'GamerGate'

Games publishers and industry figures must "stand-up and condemn" the movement referred to as "GamerGate", developer Zoe Quinn has told the BBC.

Ms Quinn has been at the centre of a furore which some argue is about ethics in journalism, but others consider to be a largely misogynist hate campaign.

The 27-year-old was forced to leave her home after receiving death threats.

She said publishers must "say GamerGate, and what it's been doing, is wrong".

"The fact that so much of the responsibility is offloaded to the people most harmed by it, when somebody in a much safer position than I am can stand up and condemn it... it's frustrating."

Intimate details

In a highly-emotional interview, Ms Quinn told the BBC how her life had "completely changed" after she had become embroiled in the row.

In August, an ex-boyfriend of Ms Quinn published a blog post, that ran to thousands of words, detailing intimate details about their relationship.

Continue reading the main story

I don't want to set an example that you can do this and get what you want."

End Quote Zoe Quinn Developer

The posts detailed that Ms Quinn had had a relationship with a journalist at prominent games site Kotaku - prompting accusations from others she had done so in an attempt to get positive reviews for her game, Depression Quest.

While the relationship happened, the review did not. The debate continued, however, and is now approaching its third month.

Ms Quinn, who has not returned home since the initial threats, had been speaking at the annual Gamecity event in Nottingham - despite a previous threat she would suffer a "crippling injury" the next time she went to a games conference.

"I used to go to games events and feel like I was going home," Ms Quinn said.

"Now it's just like... are any of the people I'm currently in the room with ones that said they wanted to beat me to death?

"It's terrifying. It sucks to not have any privacy. This has all been so public. It's more scrutiny than a politician faces - it's living with constant fear in a place I called home."

The ex-boyfriend, Eron Gjoni, has said he did not support the "abuse and harrasment" of Ms Quinn.

'Horrible misrepresentation'

Some firms - such as Ubisoft - have come forward and said they were strongly against "harassment, bullying and threats".

The Entertainment Software Association, a trade group for US developers, released a statement saying: "Threats of violence and harassment are wrong."

But Ms Quinn said she did not feel it went far enough.

"We need everybody to stand-up and condemn it - and not in this milquetoast 'harassment is bad you guys' way - because they don't think that what they're doing is harassment."

She added: "When people that are prominent in the industry can stand up and say 'I'm part of games, I love games, this hate mob doesn't speak for me, this is not welcome in games', it has the two-fold effect of making it less damaging to those that this can hurt, and it does something repair this horrible misrepresentation of this medium that so many of us love.

"Condemning them and say they do not speak for games - it's so fundamental, otherwise this is going to keep happening."

'Pure toxicity'

Analysis of discussion about GamerGate has indicated that misogynist abuse - and vitriolic messages in general - is not limited to either "side" of the argument.

Journalist Allum Bokhari, a writer for TechCrunch, has said there was credible evidence that at least one well-known trolling group was "working to provoke both sides against each other".

Meanwhile, some people previously offering highly vocal support of GamerGate have backed off.

"Through a snowball effect of misinformation, trolling, and ideological/emotional bias on both sides, the issue is quickly descending into a quagmire attracting trolls, extremists, and opportunists needlessly stirring the pot of controversy," said one prominent figure who backed GamerGate, but wished to remain anonymous in this article.

"The harassment is ultimately an unfortunate variable affecting both sides of this situation, and it distresses me to see anyone live in fear.

"Dismissing GamerGate as a misogynist hate movement is not going to make it go away, because it just simply is not that - it's a consumer boycott.

"Until we act like adults and come together to have a conversation on the ethics of games journalism, it's only going to get worse and worse - that's why I'm now choosing to distance myself from the issue."

Ms Quinn herself suggested that the gaming ethics argument could progress - but only if it distanced itself fully from GamerGate tag.

"If you have any care for this industry, if you have any care for the future of games, you need to leave.

"If you have actual concerns, start over without [GamerGate]. If your concerns can't exist on their own, if they have to be supported off the backs of ruining lives, then how legitimate are your concerns?"

'Maybe they'll be back'

As well as Ms Quinn, other women in the games industry have had to leave home due to threats to their safety, including Brianna Wu, a developer in Boston, and Anita Sarkeesian, a feminist writer and commentator.

Ms Sarkeesian had published a series of YouTube videos criticising the depiction of women in many popular games. Some felt it was applying a level of political correctness not needed in gaming.

Ms Quinn said it was important to keep talking about the issue openly.

"I don't want to set an example that you can do this and get what you want.

"I have a folder on my desktop called 'those who left' - every time somebody sends me a message saying 'hey, I really admire your strength, but it's not worth it for me, I'm leaving', I save these.

"I'm going to hopefully go back through it in a few years, and maybe they'll be back."

As for whether she would be able to continue her own career, she said: "I love games more than they hate me."

Follow Dave Lee on Twitter @DaveLeeBBC

An extended interview with Zoe Quinn will be published later on Thursday.

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Software 'predicts' gang violence

29 October 2014 Last updated at 19:48 By Leo Kelion Technology desk editor

Police in London have tested software designed to identify which gang members are most likely to commit violent crimes.

The 20-week pilot study is thought to have been the first of its kind in the UK, although similar experiments have been carried out elsewhere.

It used five years worth of historic data, but the idea would be to analyse up-to-date details if it is deployed.

Civil liberty campaigners have voiced concerns.

But Accenture - the firm that developed the software - highlighted the potential benefit it offered.

"You've got limited police resources and you need to target them efficiently," said Muz Janoowalla, head of public safety analytics at the company.

"What this does is tell you who are the highest risk individuals that you should target your limited resources against."

Flagging threats

The software works by merging together data from existing systems already used by the Metropolitan Police and carrying out predictive calculations.

Types of information ranged from previous crimes to social media activity.

"It's previous offending and various different sources that are used for intelligence, in terms of who they are involved with and who they associate with," explained Sarah Samee, a spokeswoman for the Met's Trident Gang Crime Command.

Mr Janoowalla added: "For example if an individual had posted inflammatory material on the internet and it was known about to the Met - one gang might say something [negative] about another gang member's partner or something like that - it would be recorded in the Met's intelligence system.

"What we were able to do was mine both the intelligence and the known criminal history of individuals to come up with a risk assessment model."

The study used data gathered about known gang members across London's 32 boroughs across a four year period to forecast their likelihood of committing further violent acts.

This was then compared to known acts of aggression that took place in the fifth year to give an indication as to whether the software was accurate.

Mr Janoowalla said the intention was to identify groups of gang members that were at the highest risk of reoffending rather than singling out specific individuals.

He said that he was confident the experiment had been a success, but added that he was not allowed to disclose the exact criteria on which the software was being scored.

Privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch has asked for more information to be made public.

"The police need to be very careful about how they use this kind of technology," said research director Daniel Nesbitt.

"Big data solutions such as this can run the risk of unfairly targeting certain groups of people and potentially making them feel stigmatised as a result.

"The Metropolitan Police must ensure that they are fully transparent about how they intend implement this technology and what type of information will be used in the process."

In response Mr Janoowalla noted that the Ministry of Justice already operated the Offender Assessment System and Offender Group Reconviction Scale (Oasys) - a computer-based system used to predict the likelihood of different types of released criminals reoffending.

He said the key difference with Accenture's software was that it was specifically tailored to tackle gang violence.

Data-driven policing

While Accenture and the Met believe this is the first test of its kind in the UK, the company has carried out other crime-prevention analysis elsewhere.

In Spain it has tried to identify locations where crimes are most likely to happen, and in Singapore it has tested software that monitors video feeds of crowds, traffic and other events to alert the authorities to potential risks.

Other companies are pitching rival tools. IBM has explored how factors including weather patterns, past crimes, and surveillance efforts can be combined to predict threats.

And police in Kent, Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and Yorkshire have all trialled software from PredPol, a US start-up, to help tackle street crime.

However, campaign groups have warned against the danger of police gathering too much personal data.

"It is clear that harnessing and analysing vast data sets may simplify the work of the police," said European human rights group Statewatch earlier this year

"However, this in itself is not a justification for their use. There are all sorts of powers that could be given to law enforcement agencies, but which are not, due to the need to protect individual rights and the rule of law - effectiveness should never be the only yardstick by which law enforcement powers are assessed.

"The ends of crime detection, prevention and reduction cannot in themselves justify the means of indiscriminate data-gathering and processing."

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Speed boost for 4G in some cities

30 October 2014 Last updated at 13:56

Browsing speeds on some 4G handsets in some UK cities are set to accelerate as two UK operators switch on an improved version of the mobile technology.

Called 4G+ by EE and 4.5G by Vodafone, the technology can offer data rates of 150 megabits per second (Mbps).

In practice, those signing up to use the service should see speeds of up to 90 Mbps - much faster than standard 4G.

However, the technology is only usable on two handsets currently available in the UK.

'Slow rollout'

EE announced that its 4G+ service should now be available in 150 sites across central London. It has been testing the technology in the Tech City area of the capital since late 2013.

The whole of EE's 4G London network should be upgraded for 4G+ by June 2015, it said. By then upgrades to its network in Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester will also be under way.

Currently, EE offers only two handsets - Samsung's Galaxy Alpha and Note 4 - that can take advantage of the higher speeds available with 4G+.

Vodafone's rollout of the improved 4G technology began on 15 October in three cities - London, Manchester and Birmingham. It said other cities would be added later this year and throughout 2015.

Although only owners of phones that can use the upgraded 4G will get the headline speeds, other 4G customers should see average browsing speeds improve because the technology involves improving a network's data-handling capacity.

Ernest Doku, mobile expert at USwitch said: "We may eventually see the same tech deliver speeds faster than fixed line broadband in the UK, which could be a life-changing concept for those people stranded by a painfully slow rural rollout."

The upgrade comes soon after research into the UK coverage offered by mobile networks found it was often poor. The research by Global Wireless Solutions said many busy commuter rail routes were "mobile dead zones".

It said EE, Vodafone and O2 all heavily relied on their 2G networks to cover the data demands of commuters.

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White House computers 'hacked'

29 October 2014 Last updated at 12:02

A White House computer network has been breached by hackers, it has been reported.

The unclassified Executive Office of the President network was attacked, according to the Washington Post.

US authorities are reported to be investigating the breach, which was reported to officials by an ally of the US, sources said.

White House officials believe the attack was state-sponsored but are not saying what - if any - data was taken.

In a statement to the AFP news agency, the White House said "some elements of the unclassified network" had been affected.

A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Washington Post: "In the course of assessing recent threats, we identified activity of concern on the unclassified EOP network.

"Any such activity is something we take very seriously. In this case, we took immediate measures to evaluate and mitigate the activity.

'State-sponsored'

"Certainly, a variety of actors find our networks to be attractive targets and seek access to sensitive information. We are still assessing the activity of concern."

The source said the attack was consistent with a state-sponsored effort and Russia is thought by the US government to be one of the most likely threats.

"On a regular basis, there are bad actors out there who are attempting to achieve intrusions into our system," a second White House official told the Washington Post.

"This is a constant battle for the government and our sensitive government computer systems, so it's always a concern for us that individuals are trying to compromise systems and get access to our networks."

The Post quoted its sources as saying that the attack was discovered two-to-three weeks ago. Some White House staff were reportedly told to change their passwords and there was some disruption to network services.

In a statement given to Agence France-Presse, a White House official said the Executive Office of the President received daily alerts concerning numerous possible cyber threats.

In the course of addressing the breach, some White House users were temporarily disconnected from the network.

"Our computers and systems have not been damaged, though some elements of the unclassified network have been affected. The temporary outages and loss of connectivity for our users is solely the result of measures we have taken to defend our networks," the official said.

The US's National Security Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Security Service were reportedly investigating.

Requests for comment were referred to the Department for Homeland Security, a spokesman for which was not immediately available. A White House spokesman has not responded to the BBC's request for comment.

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HP wades into world of 3D printing

29 October 2014 Last updated at 18:26

Technology giant HP has announced the launch of a 3D printer it claims will be 10 times faster than current models.

The company also unveiled a new computer with built-in scanner, projector and touchpad at an event in New York on Wednesday.

The firm is hoping the products will help stir up a stagnant PC market.

One expert said printing companies were facing tough times and that HP needed its 3D printing to "work and to work well".

The firm said that 3D printing remained a niche technology because it was a slow process and, besides very expensive models, the printers turned out low quality products.

But it claimed that its own printer would be faster - and consequently cheaper - for manufacturers. HP also said that, for its price, it would turn out a better-quality product than its competitors.

HP's senior vice-president, inkjet and web solutions, Steve Nigro, said the printer would be on sale for a "lower cost than any others in its class". But he did not specify an expected retail price.

'Dwindling prospects'

Analysts identified HP as one of the companies that needed to capitalise on the potentially large market for 3D printing to offset the stagnation in their core areas of business.

"We estimate that the global 3D printing market is set to grow from $1.15bn (£930m) in 2013 to $4.8bn in 2018," said Arnaud Gagneux, vice-president, technology transformation, at CCS Insight.

Joris Peels, an expert on 3D printing, said: "The existing 2D printing companies face dwindling prospects, with kids increasingly growing up in a world virtually without paper."

Mr Peels worked for HP as a consultant on its 3D printing endeavour but was not employed to work on this project.

"Competing tablet products such as Amazon's also have better business models than HP's tablets since Amazon's and Apple's tablets put a store in the consumer's hand letting these vendors make more revenue over time.

"HP needs 3D printing to work and to work well," he said.

Peels said that the printer technology differed from other methods because it "hardens the entire layer in one pass and also uses several chemical compounds to do so. Existing technologies draw out a layer one curve at a time using heat or light".

This, he said, accounted for its purported relative speed.

The "multi-jet fusion" printer will not be released to the open market until 2016, following a period of collaboration with certain users, during which it hopes to fine-tune the product.

Sprout venture

In a departure for the firm, HP also announced that it would share its 3D printing technology in a bid to get feedback from experts.

The company said it had waited until it had the right product ready before moving into 3D printing.

But Mr Peels said that by "announcing now and only launching in 2016, HP is giving EOS, 3D Systems and Stratasys years to come up with alternatives and build competing machines."

The Sprout computer, which combines scanner, projector and touch pad, will be available to order online from Thursday 30 October and will be for sale in stores in the US from 9 November. It will cost $1,899 and the company said that launch dates for other countries would follow.

It has a sensor-laden mat on the desktop, instead of a mousepad and runs on Microsoft's Windows 8. It also has display-mounted 3D scanner and projector that creates a digital image of objects placed on the mat.

The images are projected on to the desktop, which a user can edit by touch. At its launch event, HP demonstrated how items could be placed on the mat, scanned and incorporated into designs on the screen.

Eric Monsef, who heads the project for HP, said the initial production run would be modest but could be scaled up if needed.

The key is to attract developers for a new Sprout marketplace or apps store, for specifically designed software that can take advantage of 3D capabilities.

'No competition'

It would come with apps from Dreamworks Animation, Skype and Evernote, among others.

"It's about getting people excited again," Mr Monsef told Reuters. The hope is that Sprout will entice more developers as time goes by, who will in turn devise novel ways to make use of the technology, he said. "Day of launch, we're not even at the halfway point of our work."

Mr Gagneux said: "Sprout is a unique product which will undoubtedly appeal to hobbyist and creative workers. It has no competition.

"Both Stratasys and 3D Systems have to be concerned about this launch as the marketing and commercial might of HP can potentially dwarf any initiative they had to grow their business."

Earlier this month, HP said it would separate its better-performing computer and printer business from its corporate hardware and services operations.

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Samsung profit lowest in three years

30 October 2014 Last updated at 00:29

Samsung Electronics has seen its quarterly operating profit fall to its lowest level in more than three years because of slowing smartphone sales.

The South Korean company said profit fell 60% to 4.1tn won ($3.8bn; £2.5bn) in the three months to September.

The results were in line with the firm's preliminary estimates released earlier this month.

Shares of the world's biggest smartphone-maker have lost nearly 20% of their value this year.

Continue reading the main story

Samsung's mobile division, its biggest business, has been struggling to maintain its dominance against rivals such as Apple, which recently released the new iPhone 6.

Its flagship Galaxy smartphone line has been losing market share to Chinese smartphone-makers Xiaomi and Lenovo, which sell cheaper models that also have large screens and multiple features.

Samsung said market competition is "expected to further intensify".

"Although the company anticipates a demand growth for the recently launched Galaxy Note 4 and new middle-end smartphone models, uncertainty remains," the firm said in a statement.

It said the year-end surge in competitor smartphone launches "may require a potential increase in marketing expenses associated with year-end promotions".

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Microsoft unveils fitness band

30 October 2014 Last updated at 04:48

Microsoft has unveiled its first wearable device that can track a user's sleep and exercise as well as connect to a health service on smartphones.

The Microsoft Band will retail for $199 (£125) on the company's online store.

The device can operate for two days on a single charge and has 10 sensors that can track heart rate, calories, stress and even a person's sun exposure.

It marks Microsoft's latest push into digital health after its medical record initiative HealthVault in 2007.

"This is just the beginning of a multi-year vision for Microsoft in the health & fitness and wearables category," the company said in an emailed statement.

"We want to enter this space in a deliberate and measured fashion and as such are launching first in the United States."

Technology giants Apple, Samsung and Google have all released health initiatives and are looking to further develop the growing demand for wearable devices.

However, Microsoft's device is distinctive because it will work with all major mobile operating systems as well as connect to social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

"Consumers now have an overwhelming choice of health-related cloud platforms to choose from," Ben Wood from CCS Insight told the BBC.

"They can be forgiven for being confused by the multitude of options. It's going to be a tough decision to choose whether to place their loyalty with Apple, Google or Microsoft given the immaturity of all three platforms.

Furthermore, once they choose a platform they risk locking themselves into a long term commitment if they want to keep a lifetime of health-related data in one place."

Analysis: Richard Taylor, BBC North American technology correspondent

Microsoft had long been rumoured to be working on a health-centric wearable - and its timing, ahead of the busy holiday season, is no surprise either.

More than anything, Microsoft cannot be seen to be left behind, especially when other tech giants like Google and Apple are entering the burgeoning health-tech arena.

The Band will compete in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

Smaller startups like FitBit and Jawbone initially kick-started the sector, and today other consumer electronics hardware giants (notably Samsung) already have some traction and offer an array of devices.

However, Microsoft appears to be offering something a little different.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

Microsoft cannot be seen to be left behind, especially when other tech giants like Google and Apple are entering the burgeoning health-tech arena"

End Quote

Unlike many of the more recent smartwatches which have recently come to market, the Band's dazzling array of sensors suggests a primary focus on fitness-tracking rather than attempting to be a multi-purpose smartphone accessory.

And whereas others work largely with one mobile operating system, the Band and its companion Health app are cross-platform.

Microsoft's cloud-based health service is also a key differentiator; harnessing Redmond's strength in cloud computing, it will offer users deep insights of data gathered from other fitness devices and rival smartphones too.

Critics will say this openness was somewhat inevitable, as its own Windows Phone has negligible market share.

But it could well prove a canny move, broadening its appeal not just to consumers but also to other hardware partners, who will be able to licence Microsoft's core sensor technology to make new gadgets of their own.

Leaked details

Details about the Microsoft Band were leaked on Wednesday after companion applications for Windows, Android and Mac phones appeared on its website ahead of an official announcement.

A Microsoft Band Sync app appeared in the Mac App Store and revealed what the product looks like.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

It's going to have to make a big marketing investment to raise awareness with US consumers"

End Quote Ben Wood CCS Insight

Some analysts believe Microsoft will face stiff competition in the wearables market because "the company has little or no brand".

"Microsoft is targeting the higher tiers of the fitness band market - it's going to have to make a big marketing investment to raise awareness with US consumers," Mr Wood said.

"The number of fitness bands that have been launched this year is overwhelming - personally I'm already testing two on each wrist and I'm rapidly running out of places to wear them. It must be a daunting prospect for consumers trying to decide which one to buy."

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Apple chief: 'I'm proud to be gay'

30 October 2014 Last updated at 16:24

Apple chief executive Tim Cook has publicly acknowledged his sexuality, saying that he is "proud to be gay".

Mr Cook made his announcement to try to help people struggling with their identity, he wrote in a Bloomberg Businessweek article.

He has been open about his sexuality, but has also tried to maintain a basic level of privacy until now, he said.

This week Mr Cook challenged his home state of Alabama to ensure the rights of gay and transgender people.

Privacy trade-off

"While I have never denied my sexuality, I haven't publicly acknowledged it either, until now," he wrote.

"So let me be clear: I'm proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me," he added.

He said he didn't consider himself an activist, but that he realised he had "benefited from the sacrifice of others."

"So if hearing that the CEO [chief executive] of Apple is gay can help someone struggling to come to terms with who he or she is, or bring comfort to anyone who feels alone, or inspire people to insist on their equality, then it's worth the trade-off with my own privacy," he added.

Mr Cook said that he had been open about his sexuality with many people, including colleagues at Apple, but that it still "wasn't an easy choice" to publicly announce his sexual orientation.

He quoted civil rights campaigner Martin Luther King, saying: "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?' "

Analysis

Rory Cellan-Jones, BBC News technology correspondent

Tim Cook's announcement may come as no surprise in Silicon Valley or across corporate America.

But that does not mean that we should underestimate the significance of the leader of the world's most valuable company talking openly about his sexuality.

Back in May, a piece in the New York Times asked "where are the gay chief executives?" and struggled to name any openly gay CEOs at America's 1,000 biggest companies.

Apple under Steve Jobs was not a company that took a stand on any issues which were not seen as relevant to its business.

Tim Cook has been more forthcoming on all sorts of issues, including equal rights for gay workers, and while he says he does not see himself as an activist, that is how many will now see him.

That could embroil him in controversy in the United States, let alone in other parts of the world with less liberal views of sexuality.

Mr Cook admitted that going public as a gay man was not an easy choice - but it certainly looks a courageous one.

This week Mr Cook referred to Martin Luther King in a speech in Alabama in which he called for equal rights for people based on sexual orientation and identity.

He said that Alabama had been too slow to ensure the rights of ethnic minorities in the civil rights era, and was now being too slow to guarantee gay rights.

"Under the law, citizens of Alabama can still be fired based on their sexual orientation," Mr Cook said.

"We can't change the past, but we can learn from it and we can create a different future."

Mr Cook has championed equality at Apple, but in August said he was "not satisfied" with workforce diversity at the company.

Outstanding, a not-for-profit professional network for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) executives, said on Thursday that many LGBT people in the UK felt it was "safer to stay in the closet" when at work.

In May a US study by LGBT organisation Human Rights Campaign suggested that 53% of US LGBT employees had not come out at work.

'Role model'

Former BP chief executive Lord Browne, who now chairs fracking company Cuadrilla, said Mr Cook had become a role model.

"By deciding to speak publicly about his sexuality, Tim Cook has become a role model, and will speed up changes in the corporate world," Lord Browne said.

The peer kept his sexual orientation a secret for decades, but was forced to come out after a boyfriend made his sexuality public in 2007.

Lord Browne later resigned after losing a court battle with a newspaper.

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