0:00:02 > 0:00:04I ordered an e-reader with an extra large font.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09I think I'm going to need to buy a bigger case.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26Never mind the function, feel the form.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29This week on Click we'll look at some of the device designs
0:00:29 > 0:00:32we could find in our hands, our homes
0:00:32 > 0:00:35and on our roads in the next decade.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38But whatever we touch, we definitely will leave our mark.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41We're with the police force using the latest technology
0:00:41 > 0:00:44to get much more from the scene of the crime.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46And if you really want to make that mark,
0:00:46 > 0:00:49why not use it to build an electronic circuit
0:00:49 > 0:00:51with some rather unusual paint?
0:00:51 > 0:00:55We'll also have a trip inside the world of The Game Of Thrones
0:00:55 > 0:00:57courtesy of virtual reality.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01All that plus the latest tech news and a chat about chat in Webscape.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08Welcome to Click, I'm Spencer Kelly.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Welcome to the Design Museum in London for an exhibition
0:01:11 > 0:01:15showcasing the finalists for the Design of the Year award.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17There are plenty of weird and wonderful creations
0:01:17 > 0:01:21including a machine which reads text, sends it into a website
0:01:21 > 0:01:24and prints it out using good old pen and paper.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27That is a theme we are seeing amongst some of the exhibits this year,
0:01:27 > 0:01:31this merging of digital with good old analogue.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35Take this Lego calendar, for example.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37Yes, that's right, a Lego calendar.
0:01:37 > 0:01:42You arrange your team's time using real coloured blocks but then,
0:01:42 > 0:01:45if you take a photo of it, an app analyses the image
0:01:45 > 0:01:48and syncs it with your digital schedule.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51Talking of blocks, here's a concept smartphone
0:01:51 > 0:01:54where the components are swappable and upgradable.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58Want more memory or a better camera? Well, just plug it in.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02And then there's the eye exam smartphone app that should help
0:02:02 > 0:02:05prevent the onset of blindness in the developing world.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08These awards are all about selecting products that take
0:02:08 > 0:02:11a fresh look at existing problems and solves them in a better,
0:02:11 > 0:02:13or at least, a unique way.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18Ever got the feeling you weren't getting enough from your piano?
0:02:18 > 0:02:21This one has gel keys to helps your fingers feel something
0:02:21 > 0:02:24closer to the sound that they produce.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27Sounds like Chopsticks, feels like jelly.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31Mm, squidgy. More from the Design Awards later,
0:02:31 > 0:02:35but now we turn our attention to crime, and specifically, solving it.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39For the last 100 years, one of the main methods
0:02:39 > 0:02:42to catching criminals has been the fingerprint.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44Although this is a fairly rudimentary technique,
0:02:44 > 0:02:48scientists are now hauling it into the 21st century.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51Rebecca Morelle has been finding out how mass spectrometry
0:02:51 > 0:02:55can tell you more about the owner of a set of prints than just who they are.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01As the night draws in, criminals start to go to work,
0:03:01 > 0:03:05and so too do West Yorkshire's Crime Scene Investigators.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08POLICE RADIO CHATTER
0:03:08 > 0:03:12Yeah, if you can show me the file to log 538, please.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14A break-in nearby has been reported.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Chris Barley is on his way to investigate.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21The burglars have forced their way into the house
0:03:21 > 0:03:24and it's upstairs where they've caused the most damage.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28We believe the suspects were probably looking for jewellery,
0:03:28 > 0:03:32that kind of thing, but they have torn open every drawer,
0:03:32 > 0:03:36suitcases have been opened, cupboards, contents thrown out,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39so we've had a very messy search.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43Amongst the chaos, it is the CSI officer's job to find any clues
0:03:43 > 0:03:46the suspects have left behind.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49Finding a fingerprint could be the key to cracking this case.
0:03:49 > 0:03:54Something's been thrown under the bed, there's two mobile phones.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57It's quite possible they've been handled.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59They've seen the model.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04This place has been completely ransacked.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07The CSI team behind me are searching for any scraps of evidence
0:04:07 > 0:04:09that they can find.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Despite all the advances in technology, central really
0:04:12 > 0:04:17for the last 100 years has been the fingerprint for identifying suspects.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21A new technology promises to bring this to a whole new level.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27These scientists from Sheffield Hallam University have joined forces
0:04:27 > 0:04:30with the police in the first trial of its kind.
0:04:31 > 0:04:36They say a fingerprint reveals far more than just a person's identity.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39It can provide vital clues about the suspect's activities
0:04:39 > 0:04:41hours before the crime took place.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46The samples are analysed here in the lab.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49They're looking for any trace, no matter how small,
0:04:49 > 0:04:52of substances hidden within or on the prints.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57They use a technique called mass spectroscopy.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59It helps them to find out what these chemicals are by seeing
0:04:59 > 0:05:02how they behave when they're fired through a magnetic field.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07To make it easier, let's imagine we have a ping pong ball,
0:05:07 > 0:05:11a football and a cannonball, and the field is a steady stream of wind.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13If you throw the ping pong ball,
0:05:13 > 0:05:17the gust will have a big effect on its path through the air.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20The heavier football's journey is less affected
0:05:20 > 0:05:24and the cannonball is pretty tough to move.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26By studying how these balls travel and where they end up
0:05:26 > 0:05:29can tell you a lot about what the objects are.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32It's the same for molecules and atoms.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35This was a crime scene mark found on a laptop.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37So we analysed it.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43The software enables you to see the molecules distributed on this mark.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48What we think it is here, is cocaine
0:05:48 > 0:05:53because the weight or the mass-to-charge, more technically,
0:05:53 > 0:05:55would correspond to that presented by cocaine.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02We can distinguish males from females or we can understand
0:06:02 > 0:06:06whether or not a person has dealt drugs or taken drugs.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10We can detect in just substances so we may be able to reconstruct
0:06:10 > 0:06:15what that person has been eating just before committing the crime.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21Back on the road and the forensic squad have been called to another break-in.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24This time, a television has been stolen.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28More prints have been left, helping the team build a profile
0:06:28 > 0:06:30of the person that's committed this crime.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34We've got to use all the tools at our disposal to try and identify
0:06:34 > 0:06:36and solve crime.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38Criminals are getting better at doing what they do
0:06:38 > 0:06:40and we need to keep up with them.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44This is just one way we might improve the way we use fingerprints
0:06:44 > 0:06:47and ultimately prevent and detect crime.
0:06:49 > 0:06:50POLICE RADIO CHATTER
0:06:50 > 0:06:54The calls from police HQ keep flooding in.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56The work is never done,
0:06:56 > 0:07:00and any new tools for this CSI team will of course be most welcome
0:07:00 > 0:07:03to help with their ongoing fight against crime.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07Rebecca Morelle.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11So at the sharp end, spectrometry can be used to detect fine details
0:07:11 > 0:07:14and chemical traces in things like a fingerprint.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17But just because you're not a member of the team at CSI West Yorkshire
0:07:17 > 0:07:20doesn't mean you can't do a spot of analysis on your own at home.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24In this envelope is one of the nominations here at the Designs of the Year exhibition
0:07:24 > 0:07:28and it is a Do It Yourself spectrometer for your smartphone.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34Step one - Take out, fold up and stick together the premade template,
0:07:34 > 0:07:37or you can download the PDF and print one for yourself.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39Note the slit, very important.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43Step two - Vandalise a DVD.
0:07:43 > 0:07:49Taking just the transparent layer, you can create a quick and dirty diffraction grating,
0:07:49 > 0:07:52perfect for splitting light into its constituent parts.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56Step three - Stick the whole thing onto your phone's camera,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59point it at a light or shine a light through something,
0:07:59 > 0:08:03and you'll get a spectral fingerprint that unique to its chemistry.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07This was developed to help identify environmental pollutants,
0:08:07 > 0:08:10which means step four, where you upload the image
0:08:10 > 0:08:13to the online spectral workbench, will then attempt to analyse
0:08:13 > 0:08:17the object's chemical composition and spot contaminants like crude oil.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22How illuminating, chemically speaking at least.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24Next up, a look at this week's Tech News.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27Another month, another shopping splurge.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30Facebook has announced it will buy Oculus VR,
0:08:30 > 0:08:33a start-up specialising in virtual reality head sets
0:08:33 > 0:08:35for a cool 2 billion.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38But not everyone's happy about the kick-starter success
0:08:38 > 0:08:39selling to Facebook.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41Minecraft creator, Markus Persson,
0:08:41 > 0:08:44donated to the kit's development back in 2012
0:08:44 > 0:08:47alongside more than 9,000 other crowd funders.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50Following the news, Persson cancelled plans to create
0:08:50 > 0:08:55a special VR version of his game, saying Facebook creeps him out.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58The US Department of Justice has made the first convictions
0:08:58 > 0:09:01against distributors of pirated mobile apps.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04The two Americans have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit
0:09:04 > 0:09:06criminal copyright infringement in the case
0:09:06 > 0:09:08that involves more than one million downloads
0:09:08 > 0:09:11worth more than 700,000.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13The Appbucket Group offered its own version
0:09:13 > 0:09:16of the Android market place which could be installed
0:09:16 > 0:09:19on a user's smartphone until it was seized in 2012.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23Apple has said it wants more ethnic diversity
0:09:23 > 0:09:26in the basic range of text messaging emoji icons.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29While dozens of icons appear to show white faces,
0:09:29 > 0:09:33only two are specifically Asian and none are black.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35The icons are based on a standard list agreed
0:09:35 > 0:09:37by a consortium of tech companies.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40Previous petitions have lobbied for the addition of everything
0:09:40 > 0:09:42from hot dog to tacos.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46And for tech-savvy fashionistas, one company, Iconomy,
0:09:46 > 0:09:50has developed a smart mannequin that can tell you what it's wearing
0:09:50 > 0:09:52via a transmitter and an app.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Inside the model is the so-called VM beacon which works
0:09:56 > 0:09:58even when the store is closed.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01Shoppers who've opted into the system are given the must-have
0:10:01 > 0:10:04item's location in-store or a link to the online shop
0:10:04 > 0:10:07if they can't be bothered to carry their bags home.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14One of the reasons I never do any gardening
0:10:14 > 0:10:17is because I can't use my tablet while I'm wearing heavy-duty gloves.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19The touch screen doesn't work.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22But fortunately, my azaleas need suffer no more,
0:10:22 > 0:10:24because I have discovered this.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28It's a tube of conductive paint.
0:10:28 > 0:10:34What you do is just slap a dollop on each fingertip like that.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39Whip out your hairdryer, give it a couple of minutes...
0:10:42 > 0:10:43And then...
0:10:45 > 0:10:47The magic should happen.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51This is not the only use for this kind of paint.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54In fact, it could have some pretty serious implications
0:10:54 > 0:10:57for the future of electronics.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Dan Simmons has been getting hands-on and hands off again
0:11:00 > 0:11:02with some of the latest inky innovations.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09Getting kids interested in the classroom can be a tricky business,
0:11:09 > 0:11:12but to be able to paint instruments and then play them,
0:11:12 > 0:11:15that suddenly makes things much more fun.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20PIANO NOTES
0:11:20 > 0:11:23By hooking up painted circuits to a single Arduino board
0:11:23 > 0:11:27and speaker, a range of instruments can be created.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30You don't even have to touch it to play it.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35Each of these circles has its own electro-magnetic field.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39When my hand comes close enough to each one, it breaks that
0:11:39 > 0:11:42and sends a signal back to the circuit board.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44That then plays the appropriate sound.
0:11:47 > 0:11:52This prototype only plays certain MP3 sounds all at the same volume.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55But by turning the paint into a sensor,
0:11:55 > 0:11:58the different levels of resistance can be measured
0:11:58 > 0:12:01so you could alter each note's volume or pitch.
0:12:01 > 0:12:06You've got to remember to take your hands away.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09The company behind the paint, Bare Conductive,
0:12:09 > 0:12:11says music isn't its only forte.
0:12:11 > 0:12:16It could also be fine tuned for interactive books, door bells,
0:12:16 > 0:12:20hidden sensors and everyday light switches.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25These could be covered with wallpaper or painted over with regular paint,
0:12:25 > 0:12:27so you don't even have to see them.
0:12:27 > 0:12:32One of the exciting things is giving it to a much wider audience
0:12:32 > 0:12:35and they come back and say, actually it's really amazing
0:12:35 > 0:12:39for this application, or I really want to make this book or a poster
0:12:39 > 0:12:44or something else, that we would never think of, because we are doing
0:12:44 > 0:12:48other things, but also it's just collective brainpower, effectively.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53You do need to wait for each circuit that you've painted to dry
0:12:53 > 0:12:56before you can test it out.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Painted circuits is all well and good for amateur enthusiasts
0:12:59 > 0:13:03but for professional engineers, much faster and more precise use
0:13:03 > 0:13:06of conductive ink is being investigated.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10At the University of Tokyo,
0:13:10 > 0:13:14researchers are using desktop printers to do something similar
0:13:14 > 0:13:18which, they say, could revolutionise the electronics industry.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22Traditionally in a lab, prototype circuit boards are sent for centring
0:13:22 > 0:13:26and take a number of days before being returned for testing.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29But Professor Kawahara and his team have printed out
0:13:29 > 0:13:34working flexible circuit boards in a matter of seconds using photo paper
0:13:34 > 0:13:38and a special ink that contains silver.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43The fact that all this is flexible and can be printed and folded
0:13:43 > 0:13:48means we could create our own 3D objects using a 3D printer
0:13:48 > 0:13:50and put those paper circuits inside
0:13:50 > 0:13:53so they can be a little bit more interesting.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55Here's a torch that we made
0:13:55 > 0:13:58and sensors, this one for example, has an antenna built-in,
0:13:58 > 0:14:02and this detects how much rain is falling on it.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05These could be, perhaps, planted across an entire field,
0:14:05 > 0:14:07hundreds of them, and then they'd biodegrade
0:14:07 > 0:14:10so they wouldn't be around after they were needed.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15Once the circuits are printed, the electrical components,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18like a battery or LED light, can be attached by hand.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21It's fiddly and takes a while.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26And that could be a problem for more complex prototypes.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32So, this research has been taken further by Microsoft's R&D centre
0:14:32 > 0:14:34in Cambridge.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38These stickers make things easy by combining components
0:14:38 > 0:14:42with adhesive to cut down production time.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45The simple and instant fusion of stickers with the circuits
0:14:45 > 0:14:50means that components can be easily recycled, perfect for prototyping.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53Making electronics this simple
0:14:53 > 0:14:57could lead to a new era of product creation.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01You can print out the functionality a working circuit,
0:15:01 > 0:15:04print out the form factor and combine the two.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07So you can imagine in future there being a machine, a printing machine,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10which prints working devices, it doesn't just print empty shells
0:15:10 > 0:15:14of space invaders but maybe a space invader with interactivity.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18Whilst you can buy electronic devices that have already been imagined
0:15:18 > 0:15:23from the high street, these new DIY circuits open the door
0:15:23 > 0:15:28to anyone with a printer to create simple gadgets, unique to each of us.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35Dan Simmons there, always on the lookout for new toys.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37As we heard earlier, the big news story of the week
0:15:37 > 0:15:41has centred on Facebook's purchase of virtual reality company, Oculus.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44It's certainly left a lot of people wondering
0:15:44 > 0:15:46what the future of VR might be.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49In the past, we've associated it mainly with gaming,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52but virtual reality could change the way we view
0:15:52 > 0:15:54other forms of entertainment like TV and movies,
0:15:54 > 0:15:58as LJ Rich experienced recently in Texas,
0:15:58 > 0:16:02or should that be on the North Wall of the Kingdom of Westeros?
0:16:06 > 0:16:09This is a virtual experience that promises to put viewers
0:16:09 > 0:16:13into one of the world's most popular television shows.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18The Oculus Rift visor allows you to see what many characters
0:16:18 > 0:16:23in the show would see and there's even a wind machine to create
0:16:23 > 0:16:26the breeze that you would experience if you were to look over
0:16:26 > 0:16:28the seven kingdoms.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32Facebook says its acquisition of Oculus will change the way we work,
0:16:32 > 0:16:36play and communicate, but I don't like strangers poking me
0:16:36 > 0:16:39in the real world, let alone the virtual one!
0:16:39 > 0:16:42I found the whole thing rather convincing.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45Not surprising really as it's backed up by serious processing grunge
0:16:45 > 0:16:50from the same company who produced the Oscar-winning effects in Gravity.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53We've literally got ridiculous-sized power machines
0:16:53 > 0:16:55which we've custom-made,
0:16:55 > 0:16:583.3 gigahertz monsters feeding each machine.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02You're seeing stuff being rendered at 4K at 60 frames per second.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06There's no latency as you look around which make it super smooth.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10Given the average life expectancy of a character in Game Of Thrones,
0:17:10 > 0:17:13it's no wonder the experience is quite short.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17And even though you follow a selected path rather than explore the world
0:17:17 > 0:17:22freely, it's impossible not to feel impressed at this simulated world,
0:17:22 > 0:17:26particularly when looking over a cliff edge that drops 700 feet.
0:17:27 > 0:17:32I feel like I'm just on a tiny platform at the top of a cliff.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38It's quite vertiginous even though I know this isn't real.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42It is a little worrying.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46It's an odd experience, because of course I know
0:17:46 > 0:17:48I'm not ascending the wall at Westeros,
0:17:48 > 0:17:52but the feedback that you're getting from at least three of your senses
0:17:52 > 0:17:54feels pretty real.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58It's cold, it's sort of rattly and you're looking at something in 3D.
0:17:58 > 0:18:03I'm glad I've done it but I don't think I want to do it again.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05Now the thing is, we take this to directors that we work with
0:18:05 > 0:18:08in the film world and say, fill your boots.
0:18:08 > 0:18:13This is for you to write now, it's a whole new set of tools
0:18:13 > 0:18:16about nonlinear storytelling for you to learn.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19I don't think we're too far away from starting a project where
0:18:19 > 0:18:22it will be a properly led film directorial effort.
0:18:28 > 0:18:34LJ Rich. And despite what you may think, winter is coming.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37That's a Game Of Thrones reference, although a bit pirate if you ask me.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41Never mind. Anyway, Facebook isn't just buying goggles.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44It also recently forked out 19 billion
0:18:44 > 0:18:47for the instant messaging app, WhatsApp.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49Which chat client is best for you?
0:18:49 > 0:18:52That's one of the big topics of the year so far,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55and here's Kate Russell with her thoughts in Webscape.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02With so many chat apps vying for your attention,
0:19:02 > 0:19:04how do you choose the right one?
0:19:04 > 0:19:08You'll obviously be swayed by how many of your contacts you can reach
0:19:08 > 0:19:13with a platform, and smart voice mail service Libon just added Open Chat
0:19:13 > 0:19:17to its free apps which lets users send text messages, pictures,
0:19:17 > 0:19:22audio, location data and more to any of their contacts
0:19:22 > 0:19:25no matter what messaging service they use.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29# Did you get my text..? #
0:19:31 > 0:19:34This open system has the big bonus that your contacts
0:19:34 > 0:19:37won't be plagued by sign-up requests from the service
0:19:37 > 0:19:39in order for you to message them.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43They can even see it in a web browser if they don't have a smartphone.
0:19:43 > 0:19:48For contacts also using Libon, you'll get free HD voice calls on 3G, 4G
0:19:48 > 0:19:51and wireless, although do remember your service provider
0:19:51 > 0:19:55might charge you for data when not on Wi-Fi.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58There are so many other options in this space
0:19:58 > 0:20:01we could be here all day, so I'll just pick out the highlights.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05With Facebook forking out over 19 billion for it recently,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08WhatsApp has to get a mention.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12It lets users send free text, image, voice, video
0:20:12 > 0:20:15and location data to other WhatsApp users.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17As with all of these app-to-app services,
0:20:17 > 0:20:20it will trawl through your contacts to identify people
0:20:20 > 0:20:23you can connect with when you first install it.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26# Will you follow me to London...? #
0:20:26 > 0:20:31The king of the multimedia chat apps in Asia is Wechat,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34with around 250 million users.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38Again, free on all leading platforms with similar features to WhatsApp,
0:20:38 > 0:20:41but including voice and video calls already.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45This app also uses QR codes to add contacts
0:20:45 > 0:20:49and set up group chats which is an important feature for those
0:20:49 > 0:20:53writing in Chinese languages, which use thousands of characters
0:20:53 > 0:20:56rather than the Latin alphabets the Western QWERTY keyboard
0:20:56 > 0:20:57is optimised for.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09Another popular cross-platform service is Kik, with features
0:21:09 > 0:21:11similar to WhatsApp and Wechat.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13One big difference, though, is you don't need to
0:21:13 > 0:21:17share your personal details to send a message,
0:21:17 > 0:21:19like phone number or e-mail address.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22Instead, you create a username, so it's perfect for connecting
0:21:22 > 0:21:26with people you might not want to be in contact with for ever,
0:21:26 > 0:21:29like on holiday or through a dating site.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33# A message to you, Rudy... #
0:21:33 > 0:21:36For an alternative in the private messaging line-up,
0:21:36 > 0:21:41there is also BBM now available on IOS and android
0:21:41 > 0:21:43as well as BlackBerry handsets.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47You share a PIN number rather than your personal information.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49As well as the privacy benefits,
0:21:49 > 0:21:52you might also find a lot of your friends are using this app
0:21:52 > 0:21:58as it had over 75 million users before BlackBerry ran into troubles
0:21:58 > 0:21:59a few years ago.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07If you're a total privacy freak then Telegram Messenger
0:22:07 > 0:22:10is one app that's been gaining a lot of traction lately.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13Messages between users are free and private,
0:22:13 > 0:22:17and because of the distributive server setup, they're fast too.
0:22:17 > 0:22:22# Hear a secret message to you... #
0:22:24 > 0:22:29It's early days for this app, so only the IOS and android versions are official,
0:22:29 > 0:22:33and the likelihood is none of your contacts will be on it yet.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35But as it is an open API project,
0:22:35 > 0:22:39meaning the source code to build compatible apps and add-ons
0:22:39 > 0:22:41is freely available for other developers,
0:22:41 > 0:22:45there are a lot of unofficial builds coming online for other smartphones
0:22:45 > 0:22:47and even a desktop client.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53You can also initiate a secret chat which heavily encrypts messages
0:22:53 > 0:22:57user-to-user with the unique key to avoid interception
0:22:57 > 0:23:00by hackers or government snoops,
0:23:00 > 0:23:03and prevents the other chatter from forwarding messages.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07# Me and you... #
0:23:09 > 0:23:12Thanks for those wise messages, Kate.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16And you will find all of those links on our website as normal
0:23:16 > 0:23:18along with various bits of this week's programme
0:23:18 > 0:23:21and your regularly updated feast of tech news.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24If you would like to get in touch with us on e-mail, we're -
0:23:24 > 0:23:28And on Twitter we're -
0:23:28 > 0:23:31That's it for now. Thanks for watching. See you next time.