Apple iPhone-Ready Device Is the World's Smartest Hearing Aid

However, the new smart hearing aid from Resound Linx is that rare piece of wearable tech that is not only practical, but immediately usable by anyone with a hearing impairment. Officially launched globally on Monday, the wireless Bluetooth device was developed by Denmark-based GN ReSound.

Created to work seamlessly with the iPhone and iPad, the ReSound Linx allows the wearer to adjust the sound settings from their smartphone, an important feature that allows anyone wearing a hearing aid to be less conspicuous while adjusting their device in public settings.

"What makes the hearing smarter than other hearing aids is the direct connection between Apple's devices and the hearing aid," Lasse Sorensen, GN ReSound brand management director said. "Also, the hearing aid can exchange data with the iPhone using the ReSound smart app, which gives the user new ways to personalize their hearing experience."

One example of that functionality is the device's ability to remember specific sound experience settings from a particular location by tagging its GPS location and then offering the option to use that location-specific setting whenever you return to that location.

Another way the GPS function comes in handy is as a locator. If you lose one of the devices, you can search for it using the ReSound Linx app, which raises the volume level on the app's display as you get closer to the lost device.

Sorensen gave us an "ears-on" walkthrough with the device, and it lived up to all of the company's claims. Nevertheless, laying your hands on this device won't come cheap. According to Sorensen, the general price range for advanced hearing aids is around $2,900 to $3,500, and the final price for the ReSound Linx will be about 10% higher.

The company is currently accepting inquiries via its website, but as of this writing no final price or release date had been announced.

Image: GN RESOUND

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The YotaPhone Is Half Smartphone, Half E-Reader

The YotaPhone, a smartphone from Russia’s Yota Devices, has your run-of-the-mill screen on one side and an energy-saving e-ink screen on the other. But based on a new prototype we saw, the next iteration of YotaPhone is even better.

You still have a regular Android smartphone on one side, but you can send images, texts and other info to the e-ink screen on the back, which is easier on the eyes and uses a lot less energy.

The new version, which will be available in Q4 this year, is bigger and doesn't have that slightly unusual “lump” in the middle. It also gives you a myriad of new ways to interact with the e-ink screen on the back. It’s now a touchscreen — the original YotaPhone only had a touch-sensitive area near the bottom — giving you the ability to scroll through articles and even “like” them on Facebook.

This is the device's front side, with the same image as on the back (above). Barcelona, Spain, Feb 24, 2014.

The new screen also has an improved resolution, meaning you can send an image from the front of the screen to the back, and it’ll look surprisingly good.

Regarding the stuff you can send to the back of the screen, the new prototype seems nearly limitless. You can have live updates from a soccer game, weather information or notifications for missed calls, emails and SMS messages. You can even feed it data from a wearable device.

Though the concept needs a little time to get used to — spinning the phone around can cause inadvertent touches on the main screen — because it’s a drastically new direction for the smartphone. It does, however, have a huge number of use cases. Perhaps you just want to have your photo on the back of your smartphone. Or you’re out of battery and want to conserve as much as possible. Or you’re an avid reader who likes e-ink screens but doesn’t like to carry around an e-reader.

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How to Watch Mark Zuckerberg's Keynote at Mobile World Congress

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is scheduled to give Monday's keynote speech at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Tech journalist David Kirkpatrick, who will also appear on stage with Zuckerberg, will chair the keynote. The two "will explore the importance of extending the benefits of ubiquitous Internet access to the unconnected world," according to MWC organizer GSMA, a group that represents mobile operators.

Facebook's massive $19 billion acquisition of WhatsApp last week will likely play a big role in the discussion. WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum is also on Monday's MWC agenda. Koum is one of the speakers scheduled for the day's second keynote, "Mobile, Disrupted: Challenging the State of Play."

Zuckerberg's keynote will start at 12 p.m. ET on Monday. You can watch his presentation by visiting Mobile World Live, where all the keynotes will be streamed live online.

And be sure to return to this post on Monday for Mashable's own live stream of Zuckerberg's keynote address.

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LG Might Unveil the G Pro 2 This Month in Korea

LG will reveal its upcoming smartphone, the LG G Pro 2, at an event in Korea on Feb. 13, ZDNet.kr reports. The company sent invites for an event on that date, named "Knock-knock-knockin' on," probably referring to LG's Knock On feature which lets you wake a smartphone from its sleep with two taps on the screen.

Rumors claim the G Pro 2 will have a 6-inch screen, a quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, 3GB of RAM and a 13-megapixel camera.

So, if LG unveils the G Pro 2 in Korea, what's left to show at the Mobile World Congress, taking place Feb. 21 - 24 in Barcelona? Perhaps it will only be a European premiere of the G Pro 2 — LG actually did the same thing last year with the Optimus G Pro — but maybe LG has a surprise or two up its sleeve.

Phone Arena claims the G Pro 2 won't be LG's flagship for the year. In fact, the company's Galaxy S5 killer will be called the LG G3, and it might have a 5.5-inch screen with a 1440x2560 pixel resolution. That handset, however, is likely to come in May.

We'll be following LG's unveiling on Feb. 13, and we'll report on any news the company might announce during the MWC in Barcelona.

Image:JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

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