That electronic device in your palm has become more than your best friend. Half the adults around the world have become so addicted to their smart phones that wags say we are a new species: Phono sapiens.

Can our phones work medical miracles too? To be sure, no smart phone, for now anyway, can detect cancerous moles, boost vision, or treat acne, some of the bogus claims already shot down by health regulators. But there are thousands more apps that claim health-boosting properties, and it's time to take a closer look.

This much-touted tech trend may not be all that it’s made out to be, yet. Wise skeptics, please advance to the head of the class.