For people trying to stop smoking it may come as a surprise that a new patent to help quit the habit comes from Phillip Morris, the company behind Marlboro.

Since its inception the e-cigarette has made monitoring a smoker's habit a difficult task. The evidence usually seen by the quantity of stubs in an ashtray has been replaced by the number of puffs taken. Philip Morris's smart I-cig (Internet cigarette) patent allows the user to connect the cigarette to a computer or mobile device via USB in order to monitor the exact usage.

With the growing popularity in fitness trackers like Flex, it's not surprising to see another corporate enterprise jump on board, even if it is a tobacco giant. Much like fitness trackers such as Flex, which not only monitor performance but offer motivation to reach goals, this e-cigarette offers punishments such as giving the user the option of a pay as you puff system adding an extra cost to your habit. The tracked information can also be accessed directly by your doctor and users will also be given access to an internet support group.