iSperm lets your iPad analyze your swimmers at home
The iSperm device has already been used to spy on the sperm of scores of boars. Soon, it could be used in the same way for men.
The iPad can be used to show home movies -- including films of babies as they come home from the hospital, take their first steps, and later, lock themselves in their rooms with loud music and their cell phones. Soon, iPads might be able to show a home movie of what a baby looked like before it was even created, by beaming live-action movies of your sperm swimming around.
That will be the case if Taiwanese startup Aidmics has its way.
The company has already invented a device called iSperm which according to Reuters has been sold to almost 200 farmers around the world. They use it to analyze the sperm counts of their boar to maximize the success of breeding programs. The news agency reports that Aidmics has announced plans to seek approval from the US Food and Drug Administration next year to expand the device's use to men.
Like some other microscopes that attach to tablets and phones, iSperm acts by magnifying what's put into its tube -- in this case semen. The tip of the tube is dipped into the sample, then capped. A light source illuminates the sample, a microscope enlarges it, and the results are captured by the iPad camera (iSperm works only with iPad Minis).
A customized app contains a logarithm that analyzes the sperm count and motility (how well the swimmers move). It's also possible to record HD movies of the sperm that ostensibly could be sent to a fertility specialist for analysis. The entire process takes 17 seconds (7 seconds for video capture and 10 for analysis), which -- along with the video feature -- sets iSperm apart from other at-home sperm-measuring kits available at drugstores.
"Morphological assessment of sperm head and tail has never been this easy," says the iSperm website.
The device, which will cost between $100 (about £64, AU$136) and $200, would be a useful first step for couples seeking to have a baby, an issue for one in six who try, founder Agean Lin told Reuters. Instant, at-home sperm analysis could quickly rule out or confirm issues with sperm that could be standing in the way of a couple conceiving.
Plus, just imagine how fun it would be to show your 17-year-old his or her very first home movie when a date comes over to meet the family.
THIS WEEK'S MUST READS
Apple earnings preview: iPhone still rocks, China woes bubble up
Sales of the company's blockbuster smartphone will likely remain strong -- even during the lowest sales period of the year. But a slowdown in China's economy could hit Apple.
The iPhone will prove as resilient as ever -- even if a potential hiccup is on the horizon.
That's the expectation for Apple when it reports its financial results for the third quarter Tuesday. Typically, the fiscal third quarter is Apple's weakest period of the year -- its newest iPhones are nine months old by the end of the quarter in June, and rumors about new devices coming in a few short months cause consumers to hold off on their purchases.
But this time around, Apple's blockbuster iPhone sales likely continued, according to analysts tracking the company. Research firms polled by Fortune estimated Apple sold 49.4 million iPhones in the period, up 40 percent from the same period a year ago. That's not as many as in the past couple of quarters -- including the 61.2 million iPhones sold in the March period. But it's also not shabby compared with rivals such as Samsung, which warned earlier this month that its June quarter profit likely would be lower than expected and would fall for the seventh straight quarter.
A big reason for the anticipated rise in Apple's smartphone sales is the popularity of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in China. The country surpassed the US to become Apple's biggest iPhone market in the March quarter, and it topped Europe as the second-biggest revenue generator overall after the Americas. China also was the only region detailed in Apple's earnings report in April, where second-quarter sales topped those of the first quarter, thanks to a boost from the Chinese New Year in February.
But China could become less of a sure bet for Apple if the region's economy slows and demand starts to dry up. Earlier this month, Gartner revised its annual growth forecast for smartphones downward, in large part because of the cool-down in the region.
"We have witnessed fewer and fewer first-time buyers in China, a sign that the mobile-phone market there is reaching saturation," Gartner analyst Annette Zimmermann said in a research note.
It's been a strong run for China -- and companies selling products in that country. China became the world's largest smartphone market in 2011 and now is home to more than half a billion smartphone users. The introduction of larger-screen phones with the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus (versus the 4-inch iPhone 5S) helped Apple gain a bigger presence in the country, as did a January 2014 agreement with China Mobile, the world's largest wireless carrier, with more than 800 million subscribers.
Analysts are sure to look for commentary from CEO Tim Cook on how China's economy could affect Apple and what that means for iPhone sales. Apple's smartphone line has made up more than two-thirds of the company's total revenue for the last couple of quarters. Apple didn't have a comment ahead of its report Tuesday.
"A slowing Chinese economy is a risk for Apple," UBS analyst Steven Milunovich noted. But UBS economists expect the Chinese stock market turmoil to have a limited impact on the region's overall economy. "We think Apple is OK for now, but we will watch the situation closely," Milunovich said.
There also could be questions about the upcoming iPhones, likely called the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. The new devices -- likely launching in September -- are expected to feature similar designs to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, which follows Apple's trend over the past generations of its popular smartphone. The off-year "S" model typically adds features that don't dramatically alter the overall design -- such as the Siri digital voice assistant, added to the iPhone 4S, or the TouchID fingerprint reader, which debuted with the iPhone 5S. Apple may include its ForceTouch technology in the new devices, allowing the iPhones to differentiate between hard and light taps on the display.
Apple plans to build more iPhones than ever before for the new models coming this fall, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal earlier this month. The company has asked suppliers in Asia to make 85 million to 90 million units of two new iPhones with 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screens for release later this year, the publication said. Last year, Apple had asked suppliers to initially build 70 million to 80 million units of its iPhone 6 and 6 Plus smartphones -- which, up to now, have been the best-selling devices Apple has ever created.
Singing the same tune
Overall, Apple's third quarter likely followed the same trends as the second -- strong iPhone sales boosting results, and weak iPad demand remaining a drag. Analysts expect Apple to report per-share earnings of $1.80, and they anticipate revenue of $49.3 billion. Apple in April said its sales would likely total $46 billion to $48 billion.
Unsurprisingly, Wall Street believes iPad sales dropped again. Apple likely sold 10.7 million tablets in the quarter, down from 13.3 million a year earlier, according to a poll by Fortune. This would mark the sixth consecutive decline for Apple's iPad line -- a concern for a company that's becoming more and more reliant on its smartphones.
Consumers have been holding on to their tablets for longer and opting to purchase bigger-screen iPhones instead. And so far, the expected boost from business users seeking out the tablets -- particularly with Apple's partnership with IBM -- hasn't materialized. What may turn things around for the iPad is a bigger-screen "iPad Pro" that could hit the market this fall. But don't expect Apple to talk about that Tuesday.
Another topic top of mind for analysts is Apple Watch sales. Reports have characterized recent orders as dismal at best, with data tracker Slice Intelligence recently saying sales of the smartwatch tumbled 90 percent after the opening week.
Apple doesn't plan to break out Apple Watch sales, but it could give some general thoughts on demand and on the reception of the device. Most likely, though, Cook will follow his typical line of saying everything is "fantastic."
"For Apple to hit our 26.3 [million] unit estimate through December, we believe that reviews will need to get materially more positive on the Watch after WatchOS 2.0 [which improves the device's apps] rolls out," said JP Morgan analyst Rod Hall. "We believe this is possible given the substantially better functionality in OS 2.0, but only time and reviews will tell in the early fall."
Apple also introduced its first subscription streaming-music service, Apple Music, at the end of June. The service may not be a huge moneymaker at first, but analysts believe it was an essential move for Apple to make as the market shifts away from purchasing songs to renting them.
Between the Apple Watch, the larger iPhone, and new areas of expansion like Apple Music or the company's presence in the world of cars, there remains reason for some to get excited.
"Apple's future prospects have never been brighter," said Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Brian White.
THIS WEEK'S MUST READS
Should I upgrade my iPhone 5S to iOS 9?
Patience is a virtue, and when it comes to software upgrades it might just save your sanity. In this edition of Ask Maggie, CNET's Marguerite Reardon explains why some owners should wait before they upgrade their devices to iOS 9.
The latest version of Apple's iOS operating system for iPhones and iPads is out in the wild. The early version of the software was released last week to the general public ahead of its official launch later this year. But is it really a good idea for the average Joe to download the software?
It seems that with every update of Apple's iOS software, anxious Apple fans worry about whether or when they should upgrade their devices. For the next iteration of iOS, Apple is giving the general public a peek at the next version of the software, iOS 9. At its Worldwide Developer Conference in June, the company announced that for the first time it was making the next version of iOS available early not just to software developers, but to everyone.
This early version of iOS, which may differ from the version released in the fall when the next iPhone launches, offers changes to Siri, improvements to the Maps app, and better search tools.
The changes have gotten high marks from reviewers, such as CNET's Jason Parker. But how will the upgrades fair on older devices, like the iPhone 5S? Is it a good idea to upgrade to the new software before the final version is released?
That's the question I answer in this edition of Ask Maggie.
Dear Maggie,
Is it safe to install iOS 9 on my iPhone 5s or iPad 2 or iPad Mini? I want to check out the new features, but don't want kill my devices. Let me know what you suggest.
Thanks,
Karan
Dear Karan,
I wouldn't say that upgrading to iOS 9 is "unsafe." Your devices won't explode if you update them. But there are a few things you need to keep in mind before you take the plunge.
In short, if you thought the last upgrade of iOS was too much of a headache for you to handle, then you might want to wait.
The version of iOS 9 that Apple released last week is considered a beta release of software. What that means is that it's not the final version of software. It's still in the testing phase, and Apple is using regular folks like you and me to test it out before it's tweaked and released to the public in its final version.
These beta or test versions of software are usually buggy. In fact, the whole point of releasing a "beta" version is to allow others to help find glitches so that Apple software engineers can fix the issues. My CNET Reviews colleague Jason Parker, who has been testing software for more than 15 years at CNET, has written a post specifically on this question of whether people should upgrade to iOS 9 now or wait. His suggestion is that being part of a beta trial is not for the faint of heart.
"If you're an experienced developer, running beta operating systems is old hat," he writes. "But if you're just an avid user, take a breath before you go and sign up for your chance at either beta: You may not be ready to run non-final software."
The fact that Apple has opened up the software to the masses while it's still in development is unusual for the company, whose hallmark is making sure its products offer consumers a great experience. Previously, Apple only released this test software to developers. Then the company would release the final version of the software to the general public. Even these software releases were still plagued with bugs.
Remember the upgrade to iOS 7? From a security flaw that allowed potential hackers to gain access to the contents of your phone via the lock screen to a bug that caused devices to constantly reboot, the upgrade to iOS 7 from iOS 6 in 2013 was a rough ride for many consumers. To be fair, iOS 7 was not just any upgrade. It was the biggest overhaul of the mobile operating system since it had launched in 2007. Still, you get the picture. Even upgrades to a final version of software do not always go smoothly.
This leads to my next bit of advice. Even when the final version of iOS 9 is released, you still may want to wait a few days or weeks before you upgrade. This is especially true if you have an older device, like the iPhone 5S and the iPad Mini and iPad 2 you mentioned. Why? Apple fans who have older products tend to report more problems following a software update than people using new devices.
Part of the problem is that many of the new features offered in a software update are often optimized for the latest and greatest technology. If you have a device that is two or three generations old, the software may not work as well on the hardware, simply because your device is using older hardware that is not optimized for the software. That said, Apple has been pretty good about making sure that the software will work on older-generation devices.
Still, Parker recommends that you exercise patience when iOS 9 is out of beta and released to the public.
"Apple has shown us that it might be good to wait for reviews (from customers) before pulling the trigger," he said. "For the most part, a final version should be OK. But waiting just a couple of days for others to test it, especially if you have an older phone, is probably a good idea."
What if you simply can't wait? I understand that waiting is hard. You want new features that allow you to switch between apps more easily, as well as an improved keyboard and the new battery-saving mode right now. I get it. If you simply can't wait until the final version of the software is released, Parker suggests upgrading an iPad rather than your iPhone.
The reason is simple. You don't want a software bug to gum up your iPhone, which you use everyday to communicate. Assuming you don't use your iPad as often, it still offers a good place to check out the new updates in iOS 9 without risking the loss of critical functions like text messaging on a device that you need almost as much as the air you breathe. If you must upgrade early, do it on one of the two iPads you mentioned.
The bottom line:
iOS 9 isn't likely to break your phone and it certainly won't make it self-destruct. But dealing with buggy software is no fun, especially if you're not a geeky software developer. So I would wait to upgrade your devices to the next version of iOS until it's fully baked. And even then, I'd wait at least a few days or maybe longer to see if there are additional kinks that need to be worked out.
And if you completely ignore my advice and upgrade your iPhone 5S anyway and realize that it has broken something important, fear not. CNET's Dan Graziano offers some advice in his how-to-video on how to get back to iOS 8 from iOS 9.
Good luck!
Ask Maggie is an advice column that answers readers' wireless and broadband questions. If you have a question, I'd love to hear from you. Please send me an e-mail at maggie dot reardon at cbs dot com. And please put "Ask Maggie" in the subject header. You can also follow me on Facebook on my Ask Maggie page.
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