Cell Phone Safety - Am I Really At Risk

It's a sad commentary on the way of the world today, when you stop to think about the fact that people will go out of their way to avoid radiation exposure - such as in the case of x-ray technicians who shield themselves within a protective booth or by donning lead aprons - and, yet, those same people will walk around, day after day, with a cell phone attached to their ears without concern. Cell phones, cellular phones, mobile phones, wireless phones...call them what you will - without proper precautions, they can still pose a significant threat to those who use them.

SAR Absorption

The CTIA - or, Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association - has defined SAR (specific absorption rate) as "a way of measuring the quantity of radio frequency energy that is absorbed by the body". In plain English, SAR indicates the amount of radiation that your body is being directly exposed to through the use of devices such as cell phones. Every time you use a cell phone, you're holding a machine to your head that sends electromagnetic waves directly to your brain. These waves, which are the equivalent of microwave energy, are transmitted to the brain through cell phone antennas and - depending upon how close that receptor is to your head, as much as 60% of that radiation is absorbed. So much so, in fact, that they can penetrate 1 ½" into the actual brain. That was the bad news...even worse is that many models exceed that limit. In effect, you're slow-cooking your brain in the very same way that a microwave oven cooks dinner on a busy day.

Through various studies, evidence has indicated that there's been a significant increase in brain tumor occurrences among cell phone users. In addition, researchers have also discovered that the impact of cell phone frequencies (which cause the brain to be bombarded by radiation or microwave energy) also appears to cause genetic damage within human blood. It's believed that the auto-immune system is negatively impacted, as well. The potential for long-term adverse affects, then, is astounding and may include diseases such as Alzheimer's, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

Children and Cell Phone Safety

If all of that concerns you - as well it should - then think, for a moment, about how many children are using these phones on a regular basis. You'd be hard-pressed in today's society to find a child or teen who doesn't, at some point in the day, have one pressed to their ear. The odds of developing something devastating are even more likely, since their skulls are thinner and their brains are still in the process of growing. Between that and the fact that, due to their age, the number of cumulative years in which they'd receive exposure to the harmful radiation that's associated with these phones will be greater than those of an older generation, it's a frightening prospect, indeed.

Although it's certainly a great convenience to be able to carry a portable phone around in your purse or pocket, and has - in some cases - helped to save the life of someone in jeopardy by enabling folks to dial 911 without having to search for a nearby phone, it's not an even trade-off and children should never use such devices, except in an emergency. One of the biggest problems that parents may face today is that, since cell phones are convenient - and popular among young people - keeping their children cell-phone-free may be next to impossible. Whether it's necessary to have youngsters stay in communication with family members when they're away from home or simply to use in the event of an emergency, many parents feel forced into providing them for their kids and don't give much thought to the possible dangers that their children may be exposed to, as a result.

Reducing the Risks

Cell phone safety must be made more of a priority by adults and children alike. Until such time when the dangers that are intrinsic to these types of devices have been nullified, there are certain steps that can - and should - be taken by those who find it necessary to use phones such as these.

Only use a cell or mobile phone when necessary
Limit the length of your conversations when utilizing a cell phone
Invest in a hands-free set-up so that the phone's antenna isn't near your head
Purchase a cell phone with an external aerial
Research the SAR for the unit that you're thinking of purchasing
Invest in a SAR Shield for your cell phone

Protecting Yourself with a SAR Shield

With a history of reducing radio frequency radiation by up to 89%, the SAR Shield offers significant protection against the damaging effects that are experienced by those who use cell phones on a regular basis. This attachment operates using the same principle as the technology used for the U. S. Air Force's Stealth Aircraft, which makes it invisible to radar systems. Due to its winged design, the SAR Shield is able to conform to any size cell phone. In the case of an external antenna, simply bend it around the antenna and you'll be protected from most of the harmful radiation waves for the lifetime of the phone. For those which house an internal receiver, the SAR Shield attaches directly to the phone's hard outer shell. For the best results, this should be attached on the upper portion of the cell phone's structure, so that it doesn't interfere with any other attachments, such as belt clips. For more information on how to purchase a SAR Shield, visit http://www.sarshield.com.

It's All About Choices

It stands to reason that people would prefer to keep a cell phone handy, whether for the purposes of emergency access or just to remain in touch with those who may need to reach them when a "land line" is unavailable. That being the case, the next best thing would be to exercise as much caution as possible when using a cell phone, including the willingness to invest in any device that might help to reduce the amount of radiation absorption in order to practice cell phone safety - for both you and your children. So, if you're determined to use that cell phone, consider purchasing a SAR Shield...and breathe just a bit easier when the phone rings.

About the Author

Samantha Goode is a freelance technology writer who loves to provide tips to consumers shopping for cellular phone reviews [http://www.a1-cell-phones.com/cell-phone-reviews.html], comparison of cell phones [http://www.a1-cell-phones.com/index.html] and new cell phones [http://www.a1-cell-phones.com/cell-phone-comparison.html].

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Smart Phones - Are They Really A Smart Decision

First, there was the standard land line phone system; then came the cell phone - a convenient little portable item that everyone adopted a "must have" attitude toward. Progress didn't stop there, however. Now, we have the Smart Phone - the answer to the on-the-go lifestyle that demands immediate access to whatever electronic needs that we happen to have, in addition to the ability to phone our family and friends for a chat whenever the whim presents itself.

To be sure, Smart Phones are capable of extraordinary electronic feats, but convenience - especially that of the technological variety - always comes at a cost, and this one comes with quite a hefty one. The bottom line is that, if you plan to buy a Smart Phone, then plan on paying a visit to the loan officer of your local bank on the way to the store. These electronic marvels are designed to bring true computer capability right to the palm of your hand, but most people will have to put some serious thought into the type of financial commitment that they'll have to make in order to become the proud owner of a brand new bouncing baby Smart Phone.

Pros and Cons of Owning a Smart Phone

Just like anything else, Smart Phones have their bright and dark sides and, depending upon how much you're willing to compromise, they'll either be a great investment for you, or not at all worth the money that you've invested.

Pros


For those who, until now, had been carrying around a mobile phone and PDA, this combines the two into one unit, without losing any of the capability of either format.

This is definitely a multi-media friendly device, offering the opportunity to enjoy both audio and video files - or both, if you prefer - without a lot of hoopla.

Cell phone software companies have taken quite kindly to the Smart Phone and are fully supportive of it when it comes to developing software that's compatible with these units - especially those in the game and entertainment industries.

If accessories are your thing, then you'll love the number of add-ons that you can purchase to go with your new Smart Phone - including those which utilize Bluetooth technology.


Cons


Unless you have very good vision, you might have trouble reading the screen on the Smart Phone - it's smaller and the resolution isn't as sharp as that of a Pocket PC.

Text messaging and other text-related capabilities are compromised as a result of the limited text-entry that's intrinsic to these devices.

Unlike the Pocket PC, Smart Phones are missing some applications that are critical to some users. Among these are Microsoft products, such as Pocket Excel and Pocket Word.

You may be told that you'll have nationwide coverage, but the reality is that coverage of that type only includes larger cities with higher populations. As a result, there's quite a menu of non-service areas.


Smart Phone Features

Much like a mini-computer with telephone capability, these devices are often seen as handy little items for meeting most or all of the needs of those who are on the run, but want to have access to their PC and phone service, regardless of where they roam.


Cell phone service is certainly one of the major perks of the Smart Phone - complete with voice mail. Just as in the case of mainstream cell phone varieties, specific service plans can be purchased for these, depending upon your particular needs and preferences.

Internet connectivity is also an available Smart Phone feature, allowing you to retrieve wireless e-mail messages and gain access to search engines and other online goodies. Just pop open your flip phone and jump onto the web.

If you're interested in games, the Smart Phone offers those, as well. A variety of computerized games can be played - either online or through special software - just as if you were using your home PC.

Office functions, such as certain Windows or other Microsoft programming, are also available, allowing you to create and store files for future use.

If you're bored and have a bit of extra time on your hands, you can even gain access to online movies through the video feature that the Smart Phone has to offer. Or, if you prefer, you can listen to your favorite tunes as a result of the audio features.

Photography is also an option when you invest in a Smart Phone. Just as with the mainstream camera phones, these devices offer instant pictures that can be viewed on-screen immediately after they're snapped. These units, however, are more than just cell phone cameras, so if you're looking for something more, think "Smart Phone".

Smart Phone Pricing

Although these have been compared to PDAs on a certain level, Smart Phones are definitely more sophisticated - and more compact. As compensation for these conveniences, however, you must be willing to pay a hefty price. Typically starting at about $600 and ranging into the thousands, Smart Phones may be all the rage, but if you're planning to buy one simply for the novelty of it all, then you should save your money and stick with something a bit less progressive.

Keep in mind that additional costs will be incurred in order to establish phone service and gain internet connectivity. That equates to the price of the unit plus the additional charges for basic services and any special features that you choose to opt for - all of which can add up to an exorbitant amount of money.

The best way to keep down your expenses is to take the time and effort to do some online research before you make a commitment to buy a Smart Phone or specific service plan that you'll need in order to fully utilize all of the features that it offers. By simply typing "smart phone comparison" into the keyword area of any major search engine, you'll have cost and feature comparison information at your fingertips, which will help you to determine which one is right for you - if, indeed, any of them are. Is investing in a Smart Phone a wise decision? Only you can decide.

About the Author

Samantha Goode is a freelance technology writer who loves to provide tips to consumers shopping for smart phones [http://www.a1-cell-phones.com/index.html], pda phone [http://www.a1-cell-phones.com/cell-phone-reviews.html] and blackberry pda [http://www.a1-cell-phones.com/cell-phone-comparison.html].

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Top 10 GSM Phones that "Really" Matter

It started small, but today cellular phones have got the interest of nearly anyone in our society. With thousands of models to choose from and hundreds of different combination of features and price, it has become really tricky to spend money “properly” on buying a new phone. In this article I’ll go through top 10 phones based on my experience, surveys and reviews all around the globe.

#10: Nokia 6310i: Switch back to the days when people used to buy phones to use it as a phone; and still today there are plenty of people among us, who rely on solid performance of cell phones; and that’s why Nokia still manufactures this 4 year old gem. Its looks and performs like an 80’s muscle car. It comes with Bluetooth, IrDA, GPRS, 500 (x3 numbers) entries, Timed Profiles, 150 SMS Storage etc. But what makes it a must have is it’s extremely powerful Tri Band Antenna which gives you the best signal reception barely available even in the latest phones and an ultra slim Li-Ion 1050mAh battery, which has a stunning record breaking standby time of 17 days. The phone is purely meant for professionals seeking features related to a phone and staying linked to everyone no matter which part of the country or planet they travel to. The phone is very rare and uncommon, but sold widely abroad. It’s price seems a bit high for a Black & White screen phone – but regarding its reception and in-call performance, the price is still justified. You really can’t play games, use multimedia, watch video, or control your microwave oven with it – you do what you were supposed to do with a proper phone: talk without worries.

#09: Nokia 6101: Nokia 6101 evokes mysterious feelings in people. It is a middle-class phone with a brilliant equipment and attractive design – can be considered as the best charm-shell phone ever produced by Nokia. This moderately priced phone provides all the basic features of a color phone with a touch of a nice VGA camera and executive looks. The phone has Nokia’s renowned standards for good battery life, reception quality and excellent built quality. It also features EDGE, GPRS, polyphonic ring tones, short duration video recording, IrDA etc. The lack of Bluetooth is indeed shocking for this phone. Of course, the phone has a very formal outlook, and a fresh and clean design that’s rarely seen in phone these days, and could be more attractive to people who wants a nice built phone with a modest amount of extra features.

#08: Motorola MPx220: Can be considered as the best looking Windows Mobile OS powered charm-shell. Equipped with 1.3 mega pixel camera, mini-SD card support, GPRS, Bluetooth, IrDA, USB and 65k colors screen – this phone can be considered the best feature rich, and nice looking charm-shell phone. The phone also features MS Pocket Outlook, Windows Media Player, Internet, E-Mail and 25 MB built-in memory. The phone also features a good battery life and reception quality. The quad-band world phone priced around $300 is a perfect tool for fashion conscious business class people.

#07: Nokia N70: The best Symbian and multimedia combined phone ever created. The N70 is among the top of the lines in features and also has an attractive look. With its 2MP camera, excellent screen, good MP3 support, this can currently be said to be the best feature rich multimedia phone available from Nokia. However, its extremely high price tag doesn’t equal to the phones performance, as even being filled with features it doesn’t have best in class. For example, the over size heavy N70 doesn’t really boast the best in 2MP camera, neither doest it have the best sound quality in MP3 playback and sometimes irritating with some old unsolved bugs of firmware. Since Nokia is charging so much for the phone, they should have made it more perfect to justify the phone. Still in respect of overall quality, this should be the best made feature rich Nokia phone to date.

#06: Samsung X150: If a few phone calls are all that’s needed, and you’re on a tight budget, then this is exactly what’s needed. It can be said to be the best value phone currently available on market. Groups looking for a basic phone with simple features, and trying to avoid low build quality should definitely look for this model. Priced around $80-$90 the Samsung X150 is a justified entry level phone. The received signal strength and sound quality is average, the vibration is good enough if kept in pocket, and it ads a sophisticated appearance. The phone features a nice color screen, monophonic ring-tones, SMS, calendar, voice memo, calculator support, and a simple yet nice looking design. It’s a quality phone and it doesn’t look low-priced. People really can’t ask for more at this price range.

#05: Sony Ericsson K700: This phone is the best bargain for its price. The phone has the finest VGA camera, and a very top class display. It also features flash, 42MB of internal memory, MP3 support, GPRS, Bluetooth, IrDA, Email, tone composer, 40 channels polyphonic ring tones, extra theme support and gorgeous designer class looks. It’s a small sized, fashionable phone with good features.

#04: Nokia 8910/8910i: There are some objects in this world which set a class of their own. The highly durable titanium made Nokia 8910/8910i is such a phone – which is a legend itself. Undoubtedly the best looking phone ever designed – is a sign of elegance and pure passion. The phone is still rare in our crowd which gives a pride in carrying this phone. But, looks are not all that matters – even in reception quality and in call performance it equips itself with the best in class. The phone uses same receiver performance as found in the Nokia 6310i. Camera, games, multimedia – these are excluded to make this phone exclusive for people with choice and attitude – who wants to stand out form the crowd, and carry gadgets that defines the pinnacle in rank.

#03: Motorola RAZR V3: Less in features, more in performance and design – the slim is definitely in fashion: the most popular phone in world, “Moto RAZR” came in market with a never before seen or expected design and slimness. Don’t be deceived by looks, the phone has the best reception among all GSM phones in the world. With its excellent quad-band powerful antenna and good call quality, it easily ranks among the top of every list. It’s also equipped by a fine looking screens you’ll hardly see in a phone at this range; however the quality is not good under direct sunlight. The limited edition versions of these phones (which are not quite limited anymore anyway) also feature ability to record videos. The recent price drop to less than $200 of this phone makes it a must have. I myself have tested the phone among one of the worst reception areas, and where all other phones failed, it did kept it signal good enough. But the extremely limited memory space as well as too much popularity makes this phone stop from going to number one. The RAZR lacks in features, but boasts in call quality. The phone can be a marvel for style conscious budget limited teenagers and older people who are less interested in extra features and more into design and performance. Although the phone’s not exactly easy to use but don’t be confused with its durability because of the slimness, beauty isn’t really skin-deep: the aircraft grade aluminum body is a very muscular metal which protects the phone well as well as adds a special feeling in skin while holding it.

#02: Sony Ericsson K750i: You just can’t beat Sony Ericsson in price-feature comparisons. Can be said to be the best camera phone in the world (until their K800 comes out); its 2MP camera beats the quality of any other camera phone with auto focus, excellent lens, and flash. The phone’s MP3 player’s sound quality no less if not better than any MP3 player, and can be compared to the quality of iPod. If you want more music features, simply get the W800i (with better battery life for playback, 512MB card and higher quality headphones). It comes with 38MB internal memory and support for 2GB of memory card (64MB provided for k750i), the K750i simply can’t be beaten. It even has a FM radio with RDS tuner. K750i also features display superior than any other phone on market and a solid build quality. The phones fast in response, good in call quality and justified in current price. Only its outlook (although are not bad) doesn’t make it look like a phone of this high class, and that’s why may be it can’t be the number one phone in the list. Users looking for good camera, video recording, MP3 should absolutely go for this remarkable phone. This phone is also enormously parallel to W800i and D750i.

#01: Sony Ericsson P990: The apex of all phones, in both killer looks and wide range of applications. This is the best smart phone that ever entered the GSM market. It’s big, but its heavy duty looks, speaks of its quality and smartness. Equipped with high quality touch screen, state of the art Wireless LAN (with VoIP support) as well as all standard smart phone support and a stunning 2MP camera, this phone is built with only a sole purpose on mind – to be on top of everything else. The tri-band phone has 80MB internal memory with memory card support of 4GB, and standard office application as well as support for download and installation of tens of thousands of Symbian applications, MP3/video player, FM Radio, Email, Opera 8 browser, handwriting recognition and 3G UMTS support. The P990 is posh but not overpriced. This phone is made for industry leading professionals who need every tool and best communication capability regardless of the price tag.

Hope this review will help you get your next cell phone and happy shopping!

(By M Saquib Hussain)

M Saquib Hussain 031 060 044 saquib.h@gmail.com

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