Match.com user Jason Lawrance guilty of rapes and assault

A man has been found guilty of raping five women and attacking two more after meeting them on internet dating site Match.com.

Jason Lawrance, 50, of Liphook, Hampshire, used two profiles on the website to meet the seven women from five English counties.

Derby Crown Court heard the attacks took place between June 2011 and November 2014.

Lawrance will be sentenced on Thursday.

The court heard Lawrance, described by police as a "sexual predator", used his profiles keepitstraighttoday and straightmanlooking on match.com but was keen to talk to women offline.

He committed three sex attacks months after getting married to someone he met via the site.

Officers began investigating Lawrance after Derbyshire Police received a call in November 2014 from a woman who claimed one of her friends was raped by him.

During his defence, Lawrance claimed he had consensual sex with all of the victims.

A Match.com spokesman said it has the "most heartfelt concern" for the victims and that "the safety of our members is our highest priority".

Cardinal George Pell testifies to the child sexual abuse royal commission from Rome, day three – live

The Guardian’s correspondent in Rome, Stephanie Kirchgaessner, has filed some analysis on the request from survivors of child sexual abuse to meet with Pope Francis in Rome;

Will he or won’t he? It is far from clear whether Pope Francis will meet with a group of abuse survivors who have come to Rome from Australia to witness Cardinal Pell’s testimony. The pope has met with survivors of sex abuse twice since he was elected pope in 2013: once in the Vatican and once on his trip last year to the US.

He has been criticised at times for not meeting more frequently with victims: he did not meet with victims on his recent trip to Mexico and he did not respond to a demand by a survivor, Peter Saunders, when Saunders was in Rome recently to attend a meeting of the pope’s special commission to develop policies to prevent and address clerical sexual abuse.

The pope is often seen as a man who disdains being pressured into any decision or being forced into a meeting due to media pressure. But the Catholic church is facing new scrutiny on several fronts: from questions about the adequacy of the church’s policy on when to report suspected abuse, to damaging revelations that have emerged about Cardinal Pell - and the questions he failed to ask - in his commission testimony, to a new report out of Pennsylvania about decades of alleged abuse of hundreds of children and attempts to cover-up the abuse.

If Pope Francis feels he needs to more forcefully address the abuse issue, a meeting with the survivors could be a good way to start.

Testosterone Gel Has Modest Benefits for Men, Study Says

More than a million men have smeared testosterone gels on their bodies in recent years, hoping it would rejuvenate them, energize them, and increase their libido. But until now, there has never been a rigorous study asking if there were any real benefits to testosterone therapy for healthy men with so-called low T.

The first results of such research were published Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine. Although it found at best modest benefits, mostly in sexual functioning, it is a landmark study, said Dr. Eric S. Orwoll, a professor of medicine at Oregon Health and Science University, because it provides the first credible data on testosterone’s effects on some of the problems it is thought to resolve.

Some doctors said they hoped the modest results might bring some sanity to the testosterone frenzy of recent years. “Frankly,” said Dr. Sundeep Khosla, a dean at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, “there is a lot of abuse.” Men lured by advertisements seek the drug, and Dr. Khosla said he had heard of doctors who prescribed it without first measuring the man’s testosterone levels to see if they were low.

“What I hope is that this will bring a more conservative approach,” Dr. Orwoll said. “There is a lot of prescribing out there, and it doesn’t look like, for the average man, it will have a big effect.”

The study, led by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and funded by the National Institutes of Health and AbbVie, the maker of the testosterone gel AndroGel, involved 790 men 65 and older with low testosterone levels for their age.

Testosterone levels normally fall as men age, but these men had levels on the low end — below 275 nanograms per deciliter of blood. Some of the men said they had lost their sexual drive, others said they were walking much slower than they used to, and others said they just felt blah, as if they had lost their zest for life. The men were randomly assigned to use AndroGel or a placebo for a year.

As expected, the men who used AndroGel ended up with markedly higher testosterone levels — those of men 19 to 40. But the question the researchers wanted to know was: Did they feel or act any differently?

Men who had said their sexual functioning had been flagging reported moderate increases in their interest in sex and in their performance, although when it came to erections, a drug like Viagra or Cialis would be more effective, the researchers reported. Those who said they felt blue reported a small improvement in mood. But the drug had no discernible effect on vitality or walking speed in men with those complaints.

The study was too small and short-term to address another longstanding question about testosterone gels: whether using them increases the risk of heart disease and prostate cancer and other conditions. And that, said Dr. Richard J. Hodes, the director of the National Institute on Aging, was deliberate.

Making a Murderer: 'gold mine' of secret emails on Steven Avery could turn case on its head

Lawyers acting for Steven Avery are to hit a 'gold mine' of potential evidence as 4,000 pages of secret emails are set to be released on his case.

Information contained within the documents could shed new light from behind the scenes offering up nuggets of information about the Making a Murderer Netflix series that have so far have been kept in secret.

The state of Wisconsin has agreed to release the information as Chicago-based lawyer Kathleen Zellner gets set to take her appeal case to court in Manitowoc County in the coming weeks.

Avery's existing bail application has been delayed after prosecutors once again asked for an extension meaning the case will not see movement until March 11.

Rex

Email: the Wisconsin department of corrections is set to release 4000 emails

But as Zellner gets ready to submit her own case - after being approved to represent him at court in January - thousands of new emails will be available at her fingertips.

The emails to be released in the coming weeks come after a request by US investigative reporter Keegan Kyle who has been battling with the prison service to get access to information on the Avery case.

Now campaigner Shaun Attwood says the case could be blown wide open thanks to the close ties the prison service has with the Sheriff's office.

Irish Daily Mirror

Prison: Steven Avery appears in the documentary Making A Murderer

He said: "With so many prison staff being related to key people in the Sheriff's department, that were part of the Avery investigation, all kinds of inside information could be revealed in these emails.

"Form internal communications released by the prison we already know that there are conflicts of interest so there could be explosive information in there that could blow the lid off this case.

"It's an exciting development."

Now a prison spokesman has confirmed they are "committed" to providing information.

Seal: the state of Wisconsin is coming under increasing pressure

While some of the information will be redacted or held back - the vast majority of information will be released allowing the public to pore over the documents as thousands of campaigners continue to back the campaign for a retrial.

A Wisconsin Prison Spokesman said: "Once the information has been appropriately redacted, we would be happy to provide the information either in hard copy, for which there is a per-page fee, or in PDF form on a CD. Once we receive your location fee payment, we will complete our work to process your request."

The news comes as it's revealed 1000 people arranging to march in London to protest at Mr Avery's innocence.

PA

Show of support: Hundreds of people are expected to turn out in Parliament Square for Steven Avery

The Making a Murderer series has captivated audiences in the UK and prompted countless Facebook groups.

Now up to 1000 are to campaign outside the US Embassy and Parliament Square in London.

AFP

Protests: campaigners are to protest outside the US embassy in central London

A Facebook post says: "For the hardcore of you who are able make it down early, we will start at the US Embassy with the vital task of showing the US just what we we think of their so-called justice system!!

"There will be bloggers, videographers and journalists in attendance. We will then break for lunch where we can enjoy some refreshment and discuss the case between us.

"At 2pm Our group will swell as we meet up with those travelling from further afield at Parliament Square.

"There will once again be a media presence, so we need to put on a show! We will take advantage of this busy area, to make ourselves heard and spread awareness of the case."

'Cheating husband' is caught by his wife 'when he tries to have sex with her best friend'

Caught out: The man was busted by his wife and her best friend

This is the awkward moment a ' cheating husband ' is caught out by his wife - when he allegedly turns up at her best friend's house to have sex.

The man was apparently caught out by the two women, who had been messaging him on Facebook to set up the meeting.

As the man approaches the door, his wife opens it and immediately shouts: "Busted!" in his face.

But refusing to admit he has been caught out, the man insists he knew what the two girls were doing all along, and is unable to stop himself from laughing.

Facebook

Caught out: The man was busted by his wife and her best friend

The man's wife then accuses him of sleeping with several other women, although he does not confirm whether this is true.

It is thought the clip was filmed in Idaho as the woman reliably informs her husband that infidelity in this particular state is a felony.

Facebook

Plan: The pair had been messaging him on Facebook before asking him to 'have sex' with his wife's best friend

The argument starts to get messy when the woman tells him that he'll never see his children again, and he storms off back to his motorbike.

The video has been shared on Facebook by Rog.

It has the caption: "Cheating is bad enough, but when you're dumb enough to show up at your wife's best friend's house expecting to do the down and dirty with her, you should expect something bad to happen."

The footage has now gone viral , with more than 123,600 views.

Apple Doesn't Have to Help FBI in New York iPhone Case, Judge Says

A federal judge in Brooklyn says the FBI cannot force Apple to open a locked iPhone used by a suspected drug dealer.

The ruling is a boost to Apple in the public opinion war with the federal government over access to locked devices. Though it is not binding on a judge in California who is now considering the separate case of access to a locked iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino attackers, it gives the company a leg up, and Apple will be sure to cite it in that ongoing dispute.

The massacre in San Bernardino, Calif., left 14 people dead, and investigators searching for answers.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James Orenstein said the FBI could not compel Apple to unlock the phone in the Brooklyn case, because Congress specifically considered and rejected a bill that would require companies like Apple to make the data on a locked iPhone available to law enforcement.

"It is also clear that the government has made the considered decision that it is better off securing such crypto-legislative authority from the courts," Orenstein said, "rather than taking the chance that open legislative debate might produce a result less to its liking."

Orenstein wrote that finding a balance between the competing interests of the governments investigative powers and unwarranted intrusion was a debate needs to take place sooner rather than later.

MUST SEE!! Stephen Curry Shooting Form – The Secret to Becoming A Great Shooter

Today I wanna raise a subject that I’ve always struggled with as player – shooting the basketball. Shooting is the most prevalent way points are being made in the game, therefore it’s an extremely important skill to have.

But developing an effective jump shot is not an easy thing to do. Many of us struggle with the proper form and/or mechanics behind a successful jumper, but luckily, we have many NBA players in the spotlight in which to learn from.

One rising star that comes to mind is Stephen Curry, who set a single season record for most three pointers made. He has developed a reputation as a consistent and “pure” shooter, and it seems like every shot he takes is going to swish right through the net.

What sets his shot apart from everyone else?

Well, here are a few things I’ve learned from looking at this footage of him:

1. The Turn

An old mistake

“Square your feet to the basket, keep ’em shoulder width apart!”

I’m sure you all heard this expression too from a coach or a teacher. When I was a kid I was always told to do so. However, it plays out differently in Stephen Curry’s case.

While most players were taught to keep 10 toes pointed straight to the rim, Curry maintains an excellent balance and control by actually turning his feet about 10 degrees away from the basket to his wick side hand, aligning his hip and right shoulder to the basket which leads to a straight shot coming from his right arm.

This technique apparently also helps the problem of keeping the elbow in.

The ironic thing is Curry himself claims to square his feet but as you can see from the video above he clearly turns turns them. So there are 2 options here:

Either he’s not aware of the fact he’s doing it or he simply wants to keep it a secret :)

2. The Dip

When Shooting of the pass Curry dips the ball, dropping it a few inches below from where he caught it.

It turns out this dip is very important for power and rhythm and it also helps to make your shot go straighter based on Newton’s first law of motion (the law of inertia) which says: “An object in motion will stay in motion until it’s affected by an opposing force”.

Be a Baller like a Bowler

A good example to demonstrate this principle is bowling. When a bowling player comes to throw the ball he first cocks his hand back and only then launches it forward.

This action of taking the ball back makes it much more accurate because when the ball is released it already has some energy going in the direction you’re sending it.

The same principle can be applied to basketball and dipping the ball increases the possibility of inertia, thus increases your chance to making the shot, so dip as long as you want.

And Just like in the first case, Stephen denies the fact he dips the ball. Again, is he really so unaware of his shooting form? Honestly, I doubt it.

Anyway Curry likes to take his shots of the pass, instead of taking it off the dribble. This allows him to set his form as he is catches the pass, which makes it easier for him to catch and launch in record time.

When he catches the pass, he very slightly lowers his arms and raises up over his head as he’s jumping, which gives him a steady release and more power for long distance shots.

3. The One Motion Shot

James Harden one motion jumper

Curry is a one motion shooter, which means there’s no hitch or stopping, he releases the ball in one fluid motion.

Some people will say this form is incorrect but the good thing about it is that the release is very quick when you shoot in a one motion shot. On the other hand, you can’t jump very high when shooting this way so there’s a big debate on whether you should use this method.

One thing for sure though, is that it’s working for curry, but it’s really up to you if you wanna adopt this shot or not.

I personally prefer the 2 motion shot because I’m more used to it and it gives me more control over the power I put into the shot when I need to jump high.

4. Little Knee Flexion

LOL, Take a squat if you’re already there, would you…

Stephen is using very little knee flexion as he shoots, his legs are bent just slightly just to give him enough power to jump, but speed is the main component here. Due to this, Stephen has been measured to have one of the quickest shot in the NBA.

When you bend you’re knees, the lower you get, the harder it is for you go back up. It’s like squatting in weight lifting, the lower you go with the squat the harder it is to come back up, and the time it takes is longer too, so try to use less knee flexion and don’t be like this guy —–>.

If you feel like you need more force in your jump try using your toes as well.

5. Breaking the Rules

Well, I hate to do that to you but don’t blame me, blame Curry, ’cause when it comes to his landing width he’s breaking the rule many times by landing wide as seen in the video.

Shooting narrow is important especially for guards because it enhances the speed of the shot and guards need to be quick with it.

Nailed another 3

Curry doesn’t always follow that but in his case he’s such a good shooter that he can break the rules and still score. The reason for that is that curry is very consistent with his upper-body so he can do whatever he wants with his legs and still release the ball the same way. This comes to show that the main component for his success is his consistent release.

BTW, if you noticed from watching the video Curry also lands forward from where he jumped, also allowing the momentum of his body to shoot from longer distances. This is called the Sweep & Sway and I’m gonna get into to that later in another post.

Hopefully these tips will help you in your jump shot, these are things you can start practicing right now and I will get into more of these shooting techniques later on.

Until then, Good luck!

MUST READ!! Guide to pretend you're an expert at the Oscars

Do not stay out of the conversation this weekend. We give some clues so you look like an expert at the Academy Awards, even if you saw all the films nominated this year. Here you can consult our guidelines for nominations for best director, best actor, best actress and best actor and actress side.

- Nominations Best Picture Oscar wing

"The Big Short", "Bridge of Spies", "The Revenant", "Brooklyn", "Mad Max: Fury Road", "The Martians", "Room" and "Spotlight" are the productions nominated in the stellar category academy awards.

- Nominated for the Oscar for best director

Adam McKay, George Miller, Alejandro G. Inarritu, Lenny Abrahamson and Tom McCarthy filmmakers are competing for the Oscar for best director. The big question is whether Iñárritu win for the second consecutive year.

- Nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor

A short guide to approach performances by Bryan Cranston, Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Fassbender and Eddie Redmayne. Will the year of Leo?

- Nominated for an Oscar for best actress

Cate Blanchett, Brie Larson, Jennifer Lawrence, Charlotte Rampling and Saoirse Ronan are nominated in the best actress category. A winning blend of the past and fresh faces.

- Nominated for the Oscar for best actor and actress side

The supporting actors enliven fundamental characters for the development of plots and enhance the actions of the protagonists. Here are the best of this year.

THE DARK SIDE OF DONALD TRUMP

Sometimes, in a particularly ugly presidential race, you tend to take more somber and cynical view of the candidates running for the position of greatest power in the world. And then you discover that you are overestimating.

Let's look at the positive side of Donald Trump.

Okay, it's not a big deal. Possibly not even the size of a nugget. But does not there a time when you thought he could get out of the conservative mold? Incidentally, the phrase thousand times repeatedly against the power of big political donors was just a boast that has money. And he has been very bad in ... many other things.

But occasionally, as Trump harangued against Republicans blooded, external status was revealed: Hands Off Social Security. Planned Parenthood is fine. In addition, everyone should have access to medical services.

Even in the beginning, it seemed that he supported the health care plan of a single payer, something like Bernie Sanders. Wow.

"I'll take care of everyone. I do not care if it costs me votes or not. Everyone will have medical care, "Scott told Pelley, CBS.

Now it is quite clear that Trump had not thought through their proposals. This happens so often that makes one wonder what he's talking him all those flights by plane. Does your agenda? ¿Golf Scores? Plans for dinner?

This month it seemed that Trump still held that position on health care. In a match between candidates organized by CNN, Anderson Cooper mentioned Obamacare as a program indicating that everyone should have insurance. Republicans hate this idea. They argue that all Americans have the divine right to refuse health coverage and entrust their fate, if they get sick, to the mercy of the very expensive emergency rooms of private hospitals.

"Well, I like [Obamacare]," said Trump. "Okay, here's where I'm a little different. I do not want people to die in the streets and constantly say ".

So low have we fallen. The leading candidate for the Republican presidential nomination brags that does not want people to die in the streets.

"Now, some will say: 'That's not a Republican comment,'" said Cooper.

Wow. Trump has a very low opinion of the Republicans. And insurers. Do you see why a desperate citizen could believe that he is the lesser of three evils competing at the head? Remember, the candidate of the wise leadership of the party is a person who does not want to allow abortions for victims of rape and basically believes that the only people who should have to pay taxes is the one that worked for the money.

Trump has said that the poor could receive care, "perhaps through programs such as Medicare. That is to have heart. "

Three days later, CNN Trump again, now to talk to Jake Tapper, and denies that he agrees with public health program.

Guess. After Donald Trump said that, after all, did not support public health programs also said he did not want ...

a) Another difficult question

b) People who die in the open

Matched!

The answer is B. And in case anyone has not noticed his big heart, Trump added that he did not want people "died on sidewalks."

One of the most popular aspects of Obamacare is that prohibits insurance companies from discriminating against people who have diseases that require frequent care such as diabetes or cancer. The issue is how to ensure that people before they get sick. You can create something like a Medicare for all, or requiring people to buy insurance and help those with low incomes to pay.

Trump has said he does not like the word "mandate" used to define the Obamacare, "because that means it's mandatory."

So what the hell do you want?

Well, I consulted with his campaign. What Trump wants is for people to be able to create savings accounts for health. It also seeks the possibility of allowing states pay Medicaid (health program for low-income people) with federal resources and also wants to make premiums health insurance are tax deductible.

People do not die in the streets because there are emergency rooms.

We'll overlook the part that Trump is the leader of the Republican race and has not yet developed a basic plan. The most important point is that your campaign has the same position on health care for Americans than Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz.

"If Republicans did not maintain the same positions on Obamacare, then you have a story. That match is not a surprise to anyone, "said Sam Clovis, chief strategist of the campaign Trump said in a telephone interview.

So, in short, Donald Trump is just another conservative Republican mailorder, with the difference that more rants against Muslims and Mexicans. Abandon all hope and try not to die on the street.

The town where boys are 'groomed to become pimps'

Rosa was only 17 years old when she was approached in her small hometown in Mexico by a man claiming to sell clothing. Instead, he began courting her and she quickly fell in love with him.

Showered with affection, Rosa went with the man to another town in Mexico called Tenancingo, where he introduced her to his family. Showing her the stunning homes around the town, he promised she could one day have her own if she traveled to the United States with him to work. She agreed, and when Rosa turned 18, they left for New York City.

When Rosa (whose name has been changed to protect her identity), arrived in the United States, however, her situation rapidly changed. She learned that the job she was promised never existed. Instead, her "boyfriend" forced her into prostitution.

Rosa was just 18, but she was now selling sex against her will in brothels throughout New York and New Jersey, unable to leave the room she was in for weeks at a time.

'Powerful networks of traffickers'

I wish I could say Rosa's story was unique -- an aberration in America that likely won't happen again. But I can't. Rosa's story is one I hear about all too often.

We've operated the national human trafficking hotline for the U.S. since 2007, and in that time we have learned about more than 21,000 cases of sex and labor trafficking. It's safe to say that the sex trafficking cases we've handled involving survivors exploited through Tenancingo are some of the most heartbreaking and shocking cases we've learned about.

Tenancingo is a town with a foundation built on exploitation. Powerful networks of traffickers operate out of the region, where boys are groomed to become pimps from a young age. Women and girls are forced to sell sex on the streets, in residential brothels, online, and in cantinas across the United States and Mexico. They and their families are threatened through violence, deception, and intimidation. These women and girls are trapped in modern slavery, enslaved by criminal networks that have perfected human trafficking and exploitation into a sophisticated science over decades.

The depth and breadth of the modern slavery that is intricately woven throughout our global society is both shocking and daunting. In fact, the International Labor Organization estimates that 4.5 million people are victims of sex trafficking around the world in an industry that generates tens of billions of dollars in criminal profits each year.

But this is a fight we can win. Instead of becoming discouraged by the number of sex and labor trafficking cases, we are more hopeful than ever.

Who's fighting human trafficking?

Dismantling the trafficking networks

As the number of cases on the national hotline increases, so does the number of survivors who are connected to the help and services they need. We are witnessing more attention being paid to human trafficking by the public than ever before. This level of momentum from concerned citizens can truly have an impact in dismantling the human trafficking networks that are present in our communities.

In that vein, Polaris and Consejo Ciudadano partnered to strengthen the Mexico-U.S. cross-border safety net for survivors of human trafficking. Based on Polaris's experience operating the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) hotline for the United States, we helped Consejo Ciudadano launch the Línea Binacional Contra la Trata de Personas for Mexico.

For the first time ever, human trafficking hotline coverage now expands across two-thirds of the North American continent. Victims can call from both the U.S. (1 888 373 7888) and Mexico (01800 5533 000) to learn about their options, get connected to help, and begin the process of recovery.

YOU WONT BELIEVE IT!!! Type 1 diabetes 'could boost cancer risk'

Insulin-dependent, or type 1, diabetes may increase the risk of some cancers and reduce the chances of developing others, new research has shown.

The disease, marked by an inability to produce the hormone insulin, is associated with an increased risk of cancers of the stomach, liver, pancreas and womb, scientists found.

But it was also linked to reduced rates of some other cancers including two of the most common affecting women and men - breast and prostate.

Across all cancers combined, having type 1 diabetes had no impact on men but increased women's overall risk by seven per cent.

The study analysed more than 9000 cancer cases among patients with type 1 diabetes in five countries - Australia, Denmark, Finland, Scotland and Sweden.

Cancer incidence rates were compared with those for the general population.

The neutral finding for men with type 1 diabetes was largely due to a 44 per cent reduction of the risk of prostate cancer, the researchers say.

Writing in the journal Diabetologia, the authors led by statistician Bendix Carstensen, from the Steno Diabetes Centre in Denmark, concluded: "Our findings do not support changes in policy for cancer screening for persons with Type 1 diabetes.

"Recommendations for lifestyle approaches to reducing cancer risk such as avoiding smoking, weight management and physical activity apply to persons with type 1 diabetes as for the general population."

Previous research has suggested diabetics are 20 per cent to 25 per cent more likely to develop cancer than people without diabetes.

However, most of these studies involved people with type 2 diabetes, the much more common form of the disease which is associated with obesity and lifestyle.

ANOTHER ONE!! The Dress all over again: What colour is this jacket?

Divided opinion: What can you see, white and blue or black and brown?

It's The Dress debacle all over again, but this time an Adidas jacket has seriously divided opinions.

One twitter user, Mariam, posted a photo of her new jacket online but said some of her friends could see white and blue, while she sees black and brown.

Tumblr waded in after her friend, poppunkblogger, shared the picture saying: "I hate to make a new blue/black white/gold dress meme but my friend has this jacket and she says it’s white and blue but i see black and brown pls tell me what you see."

The jacket has started to divide opinion on Twitter.

It comes down that the way that human eyes have evolved to view colour in a world where the main source of light is sunlight.

We see the objects around us because light bounces off them and back onto our retinas.

The brain has learnt to register what colour the actual light source is and then subtract that colour from the actual colour of the object.

So imagine a yellow-y light on a white object - the brain understands that the yellow light is influencing the colour of the surface it’s landing on and will try and ignore it.

MUST SEE!! COMPANIES ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH DESIGN YOUR OWN SMART PHONE!!!

IF YOU could build your dream smartphone, what would it look like?

Now suppose you could put it together yourself. That’s the promise of modular design, a new concept in smartphones that would basically let you snap together different components like Lego blocks.

Say you want a great camera. Snap! A vivid screen and good sound because you watch a lot of video? Snap! But maybe you could live with a smaller battery because you spend most of your day at home or work. Snap!

Sure, phones now offer choices in colour and storage. Motorola goes a bit further in letting you choose custom backs made of wood or leather. But the rest of the phone is pretty standard. You’re stuck with the processor, battery and other hardware chosen by Apple, Samsung or any other tech company.

With modular design, you could just pay for the components you need instead of settling for whatever manufacturers put in their designs. And instead of buying a new phone every year or two, you could just upgrade individual parts as they wear out or become obsolete.

LG is dipping its toes in the modular-design concept with its upcoming G5 smartphone, announced this week at a wireless conference.

The bottom of the phone pops out to let you swap in new hardware. For starters, you’ll be able to attach a camera grip with physical shutter buttons or insert a high-fidelity audio system if regular MP3-quality sound isn’t good enough for you.

Google’s Project Ara, which isn’t making products yet, is also outlining a modular-design approach that starts with a structural frame and lets you add cameras, sensors and batteries. Google figures a phone could cost as little as $69 using the most basic parts.

A Dutch start-up called Fairphone is selling the $800 Fairphone 2 online. Though it comes assembled, you can replace the screen for less than $130, or the camera for $55.

An expansion port will let people add components — perhaps for wireless charging or mobile payments — that Fairphone or outside parties make in the future.

Chinese phone maker ZTE has circulated concept designs. Other start-ups exploring modular phones include Finland’s PuzzlePhone (as in the components fit together like a puzzle).

Modular phone design is similar to how hobbyists build their own personal computers or soup up their cars. But there’s no guarantee the idea will take off.

For one thing, modular design is itself a trade-off. Many consumers want phones to be thin, light and power efficient, and that means all the parts have to be tightly integrated. You give that up when you go modular.

Samsung, for instance, rejects modular design, preferring to offer “the best combination of features and functionality” in a compact and elegant design, says Justin Denison, Samsung’s senior vice president for US product strategy and marketing.