Your smartphone is more precious than your wallet, your keys and in some cases, your actual computer when it comes to sensitive information - but we all have that nagging guilt that we don't do enough to protect our devices beyond perhaps having a four digit pass code.

Thankfully we are here to help with some top-level tips to help make your phone more secure, protecting those all important messages and images that you don't want falling into the wrong hands.

With around 314 mobiles stolen a day on the streets of London, the risk of things getting out is extremely high.

Of course if you're looking to keep your phone safe from international spies, or snooping networks, you can always check out the BlackPhone... but if you're just the average smartphone user who wants to be a little safer, follow some of our tips below.

1. Update your software

Whether you are running iOS, Android or Windows Phone we will always advise you to grab the latest version of the OS available. This can be a little difficult with Android updates often taking a little while to go through manufacturer and network testing but is well worth it.

Part of the reason we suggest grabbing the latest OS is because it comes with all the added bonuses whether it's the Control Center of iOS7 or the clear bars on Android KitKat, but also because a lot of security loopholes will have been closed.

These updates don't just pop up in major iterations either; Apple is currently pushing out iOS 7.0.6 in order to close a problem associated with using Apple devices on an unsecured network.

Most manufacturers allow you to set your phone to check for updates automatically, so always make sure this box is ticked.

2. Use a secure lock screen

It seems almost nonsensical in this day and age to not have a basic password on your lock screen, even if it is a basic one. One of the first things we'd suggest is to navigate into your device's security settings and enable a pass lock.

There are obvious benefits to having even a basic lock, but whilst face lock of Android might seem fun it isn't the most secure system out there, with many Google devices rating the effectiveness of each security system so you can make an informed choice.

Pattern unlocks and pins are some of the most secure but if you can handle the hassle we'd always suggest a full alphanumeric password. Also ensure that any boxes that say "make passwords visible" are also unticked.

If you want to take it one step further then we'd also recommend changing your pass code regularly in case someone spots what you've typed in over your shoulder.

3. Install antivirus software

One of the biggest threats that could see data leaked is the less-than-humble virus. The problem isn't as widespread as on desktop computers, and if you don't download dodgy software chances are that within a 2 year contract you won't come across anything malicious, but there is still a credible threat out there.

The problem appears to be less hazardous for iPhones thanks to Apple's strict controlling of the App store. The open source nature of Android makes it a lot more vulnerable, as malicious apps can be sideloaded onto the device without being checked by Google. In both cases this is something that can be countered through the use of mobile Antivirus software.

The likes of McAfee, AVG and Lookout grace both the iOS App Store and the Google Play store for added security, but obviously be careful of any apps that seem a little suspicious.

If you're really worried check out the manufacturer's website as most will come with a link to their mobile app.

4. Disable apps from untrusted sources and don't root or jailbreak

Whilst it can often be a nice idea to download and install apps that aren't found on the App Store or Google Play Store, these apps tend to be the ones that are less secure. Google, Apple and Microsoft, as well as the likes of BlackBerry, keep tabs on the apps that are on their app portals.

This means apps that contain malicious code are likely to have been removed before you install them.

Rooting your Android phone or jailbreaking your iPhone can also prove really dangerous, especially if you don't know what you're doing. This is because it breaks down your OS and provides you access to the basic code within and if you can get access, malicious code has a much easier route to making changes too.

If you're more familiar with the world of rooting and jailbreaking then you'll have taken measures to ensure the security of your device - so make sure you're certain you know what you want when altering your handset.

5. Use lock code apps and vaults

One thing that can be particularly important for protecting vital messages and pictures is to add a second layer of security. If you've got a pass code that somehow manages to get into the wrong hands then all your data could potentially be at risk.

With another app you can then add another layer of security by protecting apps with a second code. Vault apps also allow you to be safe by storing all the files that you want to secure within a dedicated area of your device or on an SD card, as well as being able to wipe the data after unsuccessful log in attempts.

Samsung's new Galaxy S5 features a fingerprint scanner to hide certain parts of your phone too - it might not be the easiest thing to use, but at least you can be doubly secure that nobody can get into the places you want hidden.

When Ransom Olds developed the modern assembly line (a little history lesson to liven up your day), it sparked a revolution of process that we still employ. Ford went on to perfect it, and since the early 20th century, cars and much more have been produced in a near-seamless fashion, all thanks to a change in manufacturing.

I don't know why, but Google's Project Ara has me excited in a way I haven't felt about technology in a long time.

No, scratch that, I do know why. The up-swell in my gut and tingling in my toes must have been what industrialists felt when the first four-wheelers started rolling out off assembly lines; this could change the way we do things forever.

For me, Project Ara isn't so much about the hardware, though there is magic in mixing and matching your phone parts, than it is about revolutionizing the way we produce and access means of communication.

Modern machines

In discussing Project Ara with someone whose opinion on tech I trust, he played advocate for the pre-fab phone, "Why not just buy something that has all the pieces right there [points to his iPhone], and that works?"

His point was fair and it's not like Project Ara and other modular gadgets will do away with integrated, self-contained smartphones forever. That'll never happen.

But the fact that we are so close to having choice, real choice, when it comes to what parts constitute the things that live in our pockets is undeniable. And undeniably exciting.

Google isn't the first or only company working on modular phones, but it's certainly the most prominent. The Advanced Technology and Projects group spearheading the project is quite serious about making modular phones work, and addressed many of the questions surrounding the tech in a recent Time profile.

For the questions it couldn't answer, like how do all the parts keep from scattering when someone drops their Ara on the train, ATAP assured that it's at least considering all the variables real life, not just lab tests, throws a phone's way.

Democracy, now

Still, innumerable question marks remain as to how this will all work, including making the components on a large scale and at a reasonable price. Google is working with a 3D printing firm to develop a system to crank out customized Ara parts, but developing and producing are two very different things.

Perhaps even more pressing, as a Fierce Wireless column from October 2013 addressed, is whether people want modular phones to begin with. Consumers were taken with the Moto X's Moto Maker, but then they were only picking out case colors and accents. Do consumers, not just enthusiasts, actually want to take the time and take on the stress of choosing their phone's nuts and bolts?

I can't answer that question, but I think once Google has a working model, it should sway many minds either way.

At the heart of Ara is the issue that has influenced some major moves lately; how to reach the next billion-plus internet users. Just as Facebook spent a ridiculous amount of money to acquire WhatsApp, Google seems to be going whole-hog on a solution to reach people it hasn't already with cellular technology.

What's more, Ara is about opening hardware in the same way Android has opened software - put it in the hands of the many as opposed to the grip of a few.

The assembly line of Industrial tycoons was about wresting control and turning greater profits for those in charge. Google will be far from a passive and non-profiting owner of Project Ara, but if it can bring more choice to consumers and more opportunity to get in the game to developers who want to make phone components, I say more power to you.

Power play

Of course, it can't be ignored that Project Ara phones would only further expand Google's reach, slipping its fingers into corners of the world still untouched by the technology prevalent in developed countries.

Gaining more Android, Gmail, Google Now, Google+, Google-whatever users would only stand to benefit Mountain View and its advertising partners.

The company thrives on hyping new tech may be years away from public release. Whether it's genuine good-will and enthusiasm or a way to keep antsy investors satiated or both, the fact that a company as big as Google dares put its name and money on the line bodes well for the modular phone future.

There's much bemoaning the lack of "wow" in today's smartphones, but from where I stand, a new kind of wow is right around the corner.

Can Google succeed where other modular phone makers have failed? It stands a better chance than most, though the hurdles are undeniable. Pieces are waiting to be fit, but Google has fit squarer pegs into rounder holes before.

• Our Google Glass review is ready for your eyes right now

There was a time when BlackBerry was the phone maker of choice for those who wanted the best security the market could offer. Work in Washington or run a multinational corporation? Then have we got the QWERTY phone for you.

It's no secret BlackBerry is no longer what it once was, yet even as the Canadian company's fortunes continue to fall, a new host of firms have begun making "secure phones" to take Waterloo's place.

And these companies are already making smartphone security tighter than it's ever been before.

Boeing and GeeksPhone, two very different contenders that are offering strikingly similar products, are leading this ultra-secure charge. They even have similar names; GeeksPhone introduced the Blackphone in January, while its main rival is the Boeing Black.

Devices like these were once reserved for the rich and powerful, but now the conversation about security is louder than ever and consumers are bit by bit gaining super-secure smartphone access.

Security as a selling point

One need only look at Apple, arguably the industry's most prominent trendsetter, taking advanced security mainstream by adding a fingerprint sensor to the iPhone 5S. It's not exactly perfect, but it shows that smartphone security that goes beyond a simple passcode is a common concern.

And given the events of the past year or so - what with the NSA and other governments' spy agencies apparently checking your phone, hacking into your webcam and reading your diary - it's not hard to understand why the stakes seem higher than ever.

Just compare the language we used to describe the company Trustonic's efforts to make phones more secure back in 2012 with how the Blackphone was described this week.

Back then we wanted phones to be "as secure as your bank," now they need to compare to Fort Knox itself.

But can these new secure phones really help protect your personal info and private data from prying eyes?

The Boeing Black

In the black corner, we've got the Boeing Black. With a name like that and an introductory video with music like something out of a 007 flick, you've got to assume that this thing means business. And you'd be right - it will literally self-destruct if you try to tamper with it.

The Boeing Black is not winning any contests when it comes to specs, with a 4.3-inch 960 x 540 display and a 1.2GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor. But what it lacks there it makes up for in security.

That's what we've been led to believe, at least. We can't really know, since Boeing wants its secure phone to be so secure that no one actually knows how secure it is.

Boeing has been working on the Black for three years, the aerospace company told Reuters, and it's already offering the phone to select government agencies and contractors.

The Black runs a custom version of Android that Boeing told The Wall Street Journal it built from scratch. And it has dual SIMs, though Boeing won't say who manufactures the phone or what carriers it's compatible with.

It can even connect with biometric sensors and satellites, and attachments give it extra battery and even solar charging.

The company hasn't outright stated that the Boeing Black won't become widely available, but there's also no word of a commercial release date or pricing. Perhaps these questions aren't ready to be answered (which seems likely), or perhaps it's all part of the plan - shroud the Black in mystery, leaving would-be identity thieves and other nefarious types in the lurch.

Unfortunately, this also means consumers are left with a phone that may be harder to find than an America's Most Wanted suspect.

Playing iPhone creator Steve Jobs in a film doesn't qualify you to design actual smartphones yourself, but don't tell that to Ashton Kutcher and Lenovo.

The actor who "Punk'd" people in the early oughts teamed up with the tech company in 2013, and now he's helping it design a line of smartphones that will come out later in 2014, Lenovo has announced.

Lenovo Chief Marketing Officer David Roman dropped this unlikely news on Re/code, telling the site that Kutcher is actually the real deal.

"I know on one level, it sounds corny, but it is real," Roman said. "He not only sees himself as an engineer, but he is an engineer. If he sees a problem, he wants to solve it."

If you say so

Kutcher signed on as a product engineer with Lenovo in 2013, appearing in ads and helping the company develop and promote its Yoga Tablet line.

When it comes to the new Lenovo phones Kutcher will have a heavy hand in designing the user experience, Roman said.

The actor who played Kelso on That '70s Show may not have any design credentials, but in fact he has been involved in the tech world for a number of years, having invested in start-ups like Foursquare, Airbnb and Uber and co-founder the venture capital group A-Grade.

He even gave a rousing speech about social media and tech investments at CTIA 2013.

Does that mean he can help design a decent smartphone to follow up Lenovo's Vibe Z? For that we'll just have to wait and see.

• At least Kutcher isn't designing the iPhone 6 (as far as we know)

The new HTC One is the next big anticipated phone of 2014, and the price of the handset might have just been leaked online.

Mobile Fun is pricing the phone at £579.99 (around $968, AU$1080), however the validity of this pricing is unfounded beyond the claims of the site itself.

A spokesperson from Mobile Fun told TechRadar that the price had been confirmed by one of the site's suppliers who will be shipping the phone the moment it goes on sale.

Less than a month to go

Given the lack of any other source information, we'll remain cautious about this one for now.

The HTC One went on sale for about £500 when it launched last year, so this price is a little higher than expected although not ludicrous enough to be totally unbelievable.

Not long to go now, anyway. The new HTC One will be revealed on March 25.

• Everything else you need to know about the new HTC One right now