CELL PHONES

Tips To Finding A Replacement Motorola T720i Battery

2008-07-05T07:46:00.000-07:00

A replacement Motorola t720i battery should not be difficult to find if your old one is not holding its charge anymore. With so many retailers offering Motorola t720i batteries these days, the easiest way to buy a new one is to visit one of the numerous online sites. It is important you look into the different Motorola t720i battery retailers on the internet to ensure you are working with a reputable company that has a strong background dealing with customers and Motorola t720i batteries.

The best place to begin looking for a site that offers replacement Motorola t720i batteries is a basic search engine query. Typing in Motorola t720i batteries will bring numerous sites offering to sell you a replacement. This is the time where you will need to do a bit of work to ensure the Motorola t 7120i battery you are going to purchase comes from a reputable retailer. Many sites have a customer review section where you can read about fellow customers who have had to buy Motorola t720i batteries for their phones.

See if they had a favorable experience. Another thing to check in on is if all of their Motorola t720i batteries are brand new. There have been some problems with cell phone batteries being sold over the internet that were simply refurbished. By working with a reputable Motorola t 720i battery retailer, you will be assured your replacement battery is of a high quality and will perform as well, if not better, than the factory original.

When shopping for a new Motorola t 720i battery for your cell phone, you need to deal with a respected company. By doing so you will be able to feel comfortable that your cell phone will operate just like it did when it came out of the box.

Cell Phones Endanger Children

2008-07-05T07:38:00.000-07:00

If your child uses a cell phone, take note. A recent news report has prompted renewed concerns about the safety of cell phone use, especially by children.

In January, 2005, The National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB), an independent research organization in the UK, announced that they are now advising parents not to let children under the age of eight use cell phones. Evidence of the potentially harmful effects of cell phone use, the NRPB explained, has become more persuasive over the past five years.

The NRPB's parental warning is based on four recent studies, conducted in Europe, indicating that the potential hazards of cell phone use have been underestimated:
- A ten-year study in Sweden suggests that heavy cell phone users are more prone than non-users to develop non-malignant tumors in the ear and brain
- A Dutch study has suggested impaired cognitive function as a result of cell phone use
- A German study points to a probable increase in cancer around cellular base stations
- A project supported by the EU has shown evidence of cell damage resulting from exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) typical of those of cell phones

MALIGNANT AND NON-MALIGNANT TUMORS

While the tumors linked to cell phone use in the Swedish study were benign, other scientists suggest that the reality could be worse. They are concerned that prolonged contact with the radio waves emitted by cell phones could actually cause malignant tumors.

"Studies show there has been a 40 per cent across-the-board increase in the number of brain tumors in the past 20 years," explains Senator Lyn Allison of Australia, where brain tumor is now the leading cause of death in children under 15. Senator Allison, who spent a year listening to scientists to find out what the risks are, points out, "That 20 years has coincided with the use of mobile phone and many other radio frequencies."

In the U.S., Dr. George Carlo, a leading epidemiologist, was hired by the cell phone industry in 1993 to prove that cell phones are safe. After 6 years of revealing research, however, he found compelling evidence that cell phone use is NOT safe. Following his conscience, Dr. Carlo became a whistleblower.

“One by one, alarming signs appeared in Dr. Carlo’s research: that cell phones interfere with pacemakers, that developing skulls of children are penetrated deeply by the energy emitted from a cell phone, that the blood brain barrier which prevents invasion of the brain from toxins can be compromised by the cell phone radiation and, most startling, that radio frequency radiation creates micronuclei in human blood cells, a type of genetic damage known to be a diagnostic marker for cancer.”
~ from Cell Phones: Invisible Hazards in the Wireless Age by Dr. George Carlo and Martin Schram

Dr. Carlo proved, and shared in his book, that there is a significant risk of brain tumors for those who use cell phones. In many cases doctors who perform surgery on brain tumors and lesions can tell on which side of the head the patient holds his or her cell phone.

Children are more susceptible to cell damage because the tissues in their brains and bodies are still growing and their cells are rapidly dividing. Damage to the genetic material in growing cells can lead to disruption of cellular function, cell death, the development of tumors, and damage to the immune and nervous systems.

But it is not only long term use of cell phones that deserves concern; short-term use has also shown to have immediate adverse effects...

IMPAIRED LEARNING ABILITY

Scientists at the Spanish Neuro Diagnostic Research Institute in Marbella have discovered that a two-minute cell phone call can alter the electrical activity of a child's brain for up to an hour afterwards. This finding has raised fears among doctors that disturbed brain activity in children could lead to psychiatric and behavioral problems and impair learning ability.

As Dr. Gerald Hyland, a government adviser in the UK said, "The results of the Spanish study show that children's brains are affected for long periods even after very short-term use.... This could affect their mood and ability to learn in the classroom if they have been using a phone during break time, for instance. We don't know all the answers yet, but the alteration in brain waves could lead to things like a lack of concentration, memory loss, inability to learn and aggressive behaviour."

The implications are serious; even a slight impairment in learning ability, sustained over years of education, is likely to significantly impact a child's future potential and achievement.

PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN

The reports mentioned here are only the more recent of many years of studies indicating the serious potential health hazards of cell phone use. Numerous clinical studies reveal links between cell phone use and brain tumors, genetic damage, fatigue, asthma, heart disease, depression, impaired learning ability, and cancer. Yet parents are pampering children as young as age four with cell phones. In the U.S., 40 percent of children between the ages of four and eighteen use some kind of wireless device (such as a cell phone, PDA, pocket PC, or pager), and one in three U.S. teenagers uses a cell phone.

It's predicted that by the year 2006 there will be over 2 billion cell phone users in the world... and that 500 million of them will be children.

The dangers of EMF exposure from cell phones and other wireless/electronic devices are very real, yet the government and the cellular industry have been very slow to admit these dangers exist. Given the reluctance of the industry to acknowledge the implications of this research and to initiate improved safety standards, concerned parents are wise to take matters into their own hands.

Fortunately, you don't have to confiscate your child's cell phone. Increasing public awareness of the dangers of cell phone use has spawned a new EMF protection industry. Concerned scientists and experts in the fields of biophysics, bioenergetics, and material science have been developing new technologies and products for the end consumer. Backed by independent clinical testing, these simple high-tech devices offer real protection from these modern-age perils.

For most people, cell phones have become an essential part of daily living. They offer convenience, business and social connectivity, and a lifeline in case of emergencies. While health risks related to its use are a growing issue, with proper education and tools you can ensure safety for yourself and your family. And with that comes peace of mind.

BlackBerry

2008-07-05T07:36:00.000-07:00

Cell phone stores would soon hit a storm with the launching of the newest handset from Blackberry – the BlackBerry Thunder. Most handsets out in the market today features a touch screen display. BlackBerry has joined the touch screen craze and would soon offer its first handset with touch screen features. You may be used to seeing a BlackBerry phone with its bulky size and QWERTY keyboard, the BlackBerry Thunder would definitely set the trend in the new line of handsets from BlackBerry.

Just like the iPhone, you can glide your fingers on its touch screen and give out commands with just a few movements of your fingers. You don’t need a stylus anymore! The BlackBerry Thunder continues to live up to its reputation of making robust and durable cell phones that can last you a lifetime.

The BlackBerry Thunder would soon hit the United States and Europe with a big bang. Verizon Wireless would be holding the privilege of exclusively distributing the BlackBerry Thunder in the US and Vodafone would be heading the sales of the said phone in Europe.

To date, BlackBerry hasn't given away official details and specifications of this new handset. It would basically have a full touch screen display with four basic keys including menu, end, send and back. The Thunder is a hybrid handset that can support numerous web applications and carrier technologies. The BlackBerry Thunders is also referred as the BlackBerry 9500. If you are ready for this new BlackBerry phone, prepare for the Thunder!

Nokia 7500 & 7900 Prism Phones - Geometric Perfection

2008-07-05T07:34:00.000-07:00

The most unusual looking phones to be released by Nokia are the new Nokia 7500 and Nokia 7900 Prism collection, these handsets hide a wealth of technology and features below their futuristic casings and are both now released in the UK. The Nokia 7500 Prism has now been launched on Orange, Vodafone and more recently Pay As You Go and SIM Free whilst the Nokia 7900 Prism is currently only available on O2. Nokia 7500 Review:
A fashion phone with a difference, the Nokia 7500 Prism certainly stands out with its unique geometrical design.

The keypad is made up what can only be described as 3D triangular keys whilst the 240 x 320 16M TFT colour screen display gives a definite advantage when texting, emailing and online browsing.

The Nokia 7500 Prism is a Tri Band GSM handset with GPRS support and EDGE technology, for faster data transfers and downloads.

Multimedia features available include a 2.0 mega pixel camera equipped with 8xdigital zoom and built-in flash, video capture & playback, Music Player with support for MP3, AAC and eAAC+ audio file formats and Stereo FM Radio.

Memory expansion using microSD card included in the package, will enable storage capacity to be increased from the standard 30MB to 512MB, with further expansion of upto 2GB possible.

The Nokia 7500 which falls into the 'Fashion Phone' category of handsets, is available in Black and White.

Synchronise files with your PC via a USB connection, share DVD quality images and files with friends and family via Bluetooth wireless or simply share by sending photos via SMS with your own added text and sound.

With its high quality features and futuristic appearance, the Nokia 7500 Prism is likely to set a precedence for a new generation of fashion phones. Nokia 7900 Review: The Nokia 7500 and Nokia 7900 form part of a new collection of 'Prism' fashion hanndsets from Nokia.

Featuring the same unique design of the Nokia 7500 diamond-cut with 3D illuminated keys with 50 different shades, the Nokia 7900 has been completed with a black front and black anodised aluminium back covering.

Some other unique features of the Nokia 7900 Prism are the display lighting on the OLED screen that supports 16million colours, low on battery, signal strength or loss of daylight and the display colours change to signify the changes in conditions.

And if you miss a call or incoming messages, there are lights for this too.

A 3G version of the Nokia 7500, the Nokia 7900 likewise is equipped with a 2.0 mega pixel camera and high quality video recording capabilites and built-in flash but offers a boosted 1GB internal memory which has its added advantages when it comes to storing music tracks to play through the MP3 Player and essential for retaining images, video and other crucial files.

If you want to catch up on the latest score of the football game or news headlines, simply tune into the onboard FM Radio which will keep you solidly up to date.

Other standard features include GSM/GPRS/EDGE, Bluetooth 2.0, microUSB, web browser, email access, built-in handsfree and downloadable games, the list just goes on.

Some may say that the Nokia 7900 is strange looking slightly odd handset and some may say that its stunning in every way, but one thing is for sure its unique in its intriguing bold design and intelligent in its capacity as a mobile phone.

Two great mobile phones offering excellent new design ideas and the latest technology, the Nokia 7500 and Nokia 7900 Prism phones have set their own path through the mobile journey.

The Sony Ericsson K550i – Innovative Mobile Phone

2008-07-05T07:33:00.002-07:00

The Sony Ericsson K550i is an astounding phone which has great features . The phone gives you facilities to shoot amazing videos, play music and access the web. The phone comes with incredible music features. You can listen to your favourite tracks on the built-in music player that supports files in various formats. The phone has the PlayNow feature that lets you play music with great ease. The K550i comes with an advanced media player and Bluetooth stereo. The track Id software helps to populate the playlist and also gives information about the tracks like the album name, the artiste name and the title etc. The Phone comes with a internal memory of 64 mega bytes with the provision for expanding the memory upto 2 GB with the memory stick Micro. The Phone comes in a variety of colours and designs. It has a sleek and stylish design and is available in colours like black, pearl white and ruby. This stylish phone measures 4.0 x 1.8 x .6 inches and weighs only 3.4 once.

The phone has comes with a highly advanced 2 mega pixel camera with which you can click amazing pictures and shoot astounding videos. The phone comes with advanced features like a digital zoom, auto focus and photo light. With the help of the great internet features you can send your photographs to your friends by using the picture blogging facility. The multi media messaging facility helps you to send videos, music and photographs to your loved ones with great ease. You can type long messages with the help of the predictive text feature in the messaging facility. The phone has a special facility for Emails. Now you can send and receive emails right from your mobile phone. The Bluetooth 2.o feature helps you to transfer files and photographs over the wireless media with great ease. You can connect to a compatible Bluetooth device like headset, handsfree, etc. The phone also comes with an Infrared with which you can connect with other phones and devices. The Phone also has USB connectivity to connect with the personal computers.

With the help of the NetFront Browser can browse the internet and view various websites. the K550i is truly a world phone with all the necessary features incorporated.

LG Ks20 is an Incredible Phone

2008-07-05T07:33:00.001-07:00

The LG KS20 is an incredible phone that comes with an incredible touch screen interface, stylish design and wonderful connectivity with help of GSM andWCDMA . This truly amazing phone will simply elate you with its innovative features. This exclusive advanced phone from LG will make your personal as well as official work easy and give you best results every time you use it. Bundled with immense multimedia and other high end features, this phone will never let you down.

The phone comes with an integrated 2 mega pixel camera which comes with advanced features like digital zoom and automatic flash light and gives high quality pictures with a resolution of 1600 x 1200 pixels. The phone also has a secondary camera which can be used for video calling. The video calling VGA camera is fixed in the front of the phone . With the KS 20, you will never have a dull moment as its integrated music player can play music files inall the popular formats like MP3, WMV , etc. The phone has a built-in FM player with which you get the latest gossips, spicy rumours , great music and recent news updates.

You can view your important documents with the help of the built in document viewer on which you can open documents in word, excel,PowerPoint , acrobat and other file formats. The phone comes with an incredible TFT touch screen with which you can access the phones menu and applications with great ease. The KS20 gives you fast and reliable access to the internet with the help of the WAP andWi-fi . The WAP browser helps you to view websites. You can access you emails and also open attachments. The phone comes with the Bluetooth 2.0 ADP feature with which you can send and receive files locally to other Bluetooth enabled phones. Various accessories like Bluetooth headsets can also be used for convenient conversation. The LG KS20 is stunning in looks in too with its incredible Block form factor, the phone measures 99.8 mm x 58 mm x 12.8 mm and weighs 92 grams.

The LG KS20 is surely an incredible phone.

Touchscreens are the Future of Mobile Phones

2008-07-05T07:31:00.000-07:00

The world has suddenly gone touch-screen mad!

Ever since Apple launched the iPhone all the talk has been about its new touch-screen display. Then LG announced their iPhone rival, and Prada's entry into the mobile phones market, which also has an entirely touch-screen user interface.

Let's face it, the only feature that comes close to justifying Apple's claim that the iPhone is five years ahead of the rest of the mobile phones market is the screen.

It uses a new technology called Multi-touch, which, unsurprisingly involves the screen recognising more than one point of contact at a time. This allows for a greater range of commands than simply pressing and letting go with a single point device such as a mouse or a stylus. For example, on the iPhone it will be possible to zoom in and out of objects such as webpages or photos by "unpinching" and "pinching" them, that is drawing apart or closing together two fingers as if stretching or squeezing the image.

The touch-screen also enables the use of a virtual QWERTY keyboard which will appear on the screen whenever necessary, and which hopefully should provide greater comfort than typing using the dinky little QWERTY buttons on a Blackberry.

Samsung, meanwhile, are not to be left behind in the touch-screen race. They say their new W559 is the first screen to offer "tactile feedback". The VibeTonz system allows the buttons onscreen to feel more like mechanical ones, making the phones easier to use when the screen isn't clearly visible. It can also be configured to throb in different ways when receiving messages from different people!

The Japanese network DoCoMo have gone one better still. While launching the D800iDS, a new touch-screen mobile device that bears more a passing resemblence to the Nintendo DS, they also unveiled a phone that appeals to the senses in a different way. It gives off a relaxing scent! The Sony Ericsson SO703i comes with "replaceable scented sheets" to relax the user while making calls, and features nine different aromas!

So it seems that touch-screens mobiles are the future, and why the hell not, if it means manufacturers are going to be producing models like this one from Nokia. The Aeon, unfortunately is only a prototype at the moment, but there should be a worldwide campaign to get it into production. Its the best-looking mobile phone I've ever seen!

Sending Instant Messages Now Goes Mobile

2008-07-05T07:30:00.002-07:00

Distance is no longer an impediment to keeping in touch with friends and loved ones with the increasing popularity of instant messaging. With several service providers such as Yahoo!, MSN, and ICQ, instant messaging is now becoming a hit not only with computer users but for mobile phone users as well. These mobile phones are equipped with Java and internet connectivity that can make instant messaging quite real. The only hassle encountered with sending messages via the mobile phone is the small screen and keypad. Fortunately, mobile phone manufacturers have given solutions to this problem by providing phones with bigger screens or attaching a QWERTY keypad on it. Another downside of sending instant messages is that there is a fee for using the internet like the case of Agile Messenger whose Symbian operating system is not considered freeware.

Wireless Village or OMA IMPS is the technology giving these mobile phones the ability to send and receive instant messages. For phones by Sony Ericsson, it is the My Friends feature that is accessed; the Nokia has My Presence and Motorola, IM. A problem with this is the polling system since there is the need for server connection every couple of minutes to be able to get new messages or contact status online, a delay is seen between the messages received. The smaller the interval between connections means a lesser delay, and yet with higher costs on usage.

This technology has already been developed earlier and yet not everyone makes use of it probably because the service providers do not have a service assigned to it. Free websites such as www.smartvas.com and www.yamigo.com can be used over other methods which can be used as a background feature for sending messages. Unfortunately, all the names and numbers of contacts that you wish to contact via this website have to be added manually although there are now programs to do it automatically.

There is also another technology to make instant messenger simpler, the Jabber technology. It allows a user to be connected to several instant messengers at the same time, using a single server and a client. It stores usernames and passwords of all the network providers it is connected with. Login is through Jabber. It can be availed of using www.jabber.nu with a lot of builds for their client. A specific requirement of Jabber is a TCP socket support, which is not available on the older models.

For solely an internet capable mobile phone, the E-messenger may help. It uses a wap browser on the mobile phone via the mob.e-messenger.net although it is for MSN only at the moment.

The next step to this is the creation of a static IP internet connection that a mobile phone user can run to be able to connect to the internet. This is to lower down costs from the usage of internet as well as data transfer between them.

These methods do not charge anything for the service it provides although the experience that mobile chatting or instant messaging provides is quite different from using the computer for instant messaging.

Watching Your Favorite TV Channels on Blackberry

2008-07-05T07:30:00.001-07:00

Among other features of the Blackberry smart phone by RIM, it can also allow the user to watch television shows from it, wherever, whenever. This feature was announced during the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show by the American Company Sling Media.

With the new technology Slingbox, created by Sling Media, signals are transmitted from the home television to the mobile phone using the broadband service. Wherever you are, as long as there is a broadband service, you can watch television using your Blackberry. The ability of the Blackberry phone to be used as a television set has been present in the phone since it was introduced in 2005. Unfortunately, the capability of using broadband connections with the Blackberry phone is only introduced at present.

With the software SlingPlayer installed in the Blackberry mobile phone, downloaded from the website of Sling Media, TV viewing is made possible. There is no more reason to miss a favorite show because you were out and they didn’t have a television near you. The Slingbox is controlled by the SlingPlayer software in the phone which allows the user to record the shows at home via signaling the remote control to record. Another option is to watch the television show right on the mobile phone without having to miss it.

With this kind of technology available for mobile phones, more people are relying on their mobile phones to give them what they need. The mobile phone has evolved from a simple communications device where people can get in touch with you anywhere you are to a all purpose gadget with features ranging from taking pictures, video recordings, sending messages, and now, watching TV. Isn’t it possible that it may have more features in several months and years to come?

The Cell Phone Dilemma

2008-07-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

According to a recent study, in 2000 only 5% of 13-17 year-olds had cell phones whereas today, over 50% do. In fact children under 10-years-old often posess cell phones, and cell phone companies are making them specially-designed for young children. Whether your child wants a cell phone or whether you think she might need one, you might be struggling with what to do. There are pros and cons to kids having cell phones, and it really is a personal choice for you as a parent to make, based on the needs of your family. However, there are some important things you should keep in mind.

Promoting safety. One advantage of letting your child have a cell phone is that they do offer security and convenience. Unlike your parents, you don’t need to ask your child whether he has enough change to call home. Or, if you are caught in traffic and are going to be late picking your child up from a sport or activity, you can let him know. However, cell phones, like any technology, may not work on any given day for a variety of reasons, so you should have a back-up means of communicating with your child. For example, you should have the phone number of a coach, or the parent of your child’s friend who is in the same activity, and your child should have your number written down, in case either of you needs to get in touch with the other. If and when you choose to get your child a cell phone, this can be a good time to have a talk with him about safety and what to do in case of an emergency.

Setting limits. If you decide to get your younger child a phone, consider one of the phones designed especially for kids. These phones limit who can call your child, do not have internet access, may have a tracking system so you know where your child is, and make it easy for her to reach you and other emergency contacts by allowing you to program speed dial buttons. If you decide that your teen is ready for a cell phone, you might consider limiting the number of minutes and text messages that can be used, because these can quickly add up on your monthly bill. Also, these days the Internet can be easily accessed through cell phones, so you may want to monitor and limit what your child can access and download. If you have a teen that has recently started driving, cell phones can help in the case of a break down. However, they can also be a distraction for new drivers and should only be used while driving when there is an emergency and your teen has pulled over.

Teaching responsibility. Unless your child has a cell phone for emergency use only, a cell phone is a privilege and can be a good way to teach responsibility. Like Internet or TV time, taking cell phone privileges away for a period of time can be a consequence for negative behavior, like failing to do or turn in homework. Or, if your child wants a cell phone, you can have him contribute towards the monthly charge from his own earnings or allowance. This will teach him the concept of having to work for things. Also, if your child does have a cell phone, the same rules that apply to the home phone (if you have one) should apply, such as no talking on the phone during dinner time or after a certain time at night.

The Ten Commandments of cell phone etiquette

2008-07-05T07:22:00.000-07:00

There comes a time in any technological revolution when some basic guidelines need to be laid down. It happened when e-mail exploded on the scene and people started to learn some basic dos and don'ts around the new medium. For example, if you copy the boss in on an e-mail message to a colleague, it means that you are through kidding around. No one teaches these things in company training; they are just things that get learned.

Well I've reached the point with cell phones where I feel the need to lay down the law. There are some real abuses of wireless technology being perpetrated all around us, and the time has come to create some social order out of the cell phone chaos. This is by no means an exhaustive list simply because as the technology evolves, new annoying traits will surely emerge. But commandments usually come in tens, so think of this as the first Ten Commandments of cell phone etiquette, with amendments to follow:

1. Thou shalt not subject defenseless others to cell phone conversations. When people cannot escape the banality of your conversation, such as on the bus, in a cab, on a grounded airplane, or at the dinner table, you should spare them. People around you should have the option of not listening. If they don't, you shouldn't be babbling.

2. Thou shalt not set thy ringer to play La Cucaracha every time thy phone rings. Or Beethoven's Fifth, or the Bee Gees, or any other annoying melody. Is it not enough that phones go off every other second? Now we have to listen to synthesized nonsense?

3. Thou shalt turn thy cell phone off during public performances. I'm not even sure this one needs to be said, but given the repeated violations of this heretofore unwritten law, I felt compelled to include it.

4. Thou shalt not wear more than two wireless devices on thy belt. This hasn't become a big problem yet. But with plenty of techno-jockeys sporting pagers and phones, Batman-esque utility belts are sure to follow. Let's nip this one in the bud.

5. Thou shalt not dial while driving. In all seriousness, this madness has to stop. There are enough people in the world who have problems mastering vehicles and phones individually. Put them together and we have a serious health hazard on our hands.

6. Thou shalt not wear thy earpiece when thou art not on thy phone. This is not unlike being on the phone and carrying on another conversation with someone who is physically in your presence. No one knows if you are here or there. Very disturbing.

7. Thou shalt not speak louder on thy cell phone than thou would on any other phone. These things have incredibly sensitive microphones, and it's gotten to the point where I can tell if someone is calling me from a cell because of the way they are talking, not how it sounds. If your signal cuts out, speaking louder won't help, unless the person is actually within earshot.

8. Thou shalt not grow too attached to thy cell phone. For obvious reasons, a dependency on constant communication is not healthy. At work, go nuts. At home, give it a rest.

9. Thou shalt not attempt to impress with thy cell phone. Not only is using a cell phone no longer impressive in any way (unless it's one of those really cool new phones with the space age design), when it is used for that reason, said user can be immediately identified as a neophyte and a poseur.

10. Thou shalt not slam thy cell phone down on a restaurant table just in case it rings. This is not the Old West, and you are not a gunslinger sitting down to a game of poker in the saloon. Could you please be a little less conspicuous? If it rings, you'll hear it just as well if it's in your coat pocket or clipped on your belt.

Well, I'm all thou-ed and thy-ed out, so there you have it: the first 10 rules of using your cell phone. Most of these seem like common sense to me, but they all get broken every day.

Losses due to cell phones

2008-07-05T07:12:00.000-07:00

Increasing Danger From Cell Phones

More and more Americans are eliminating their land lines, and as such are having increasing exposures to cell phone dangers.

An NIH survey found that almost one in six households are now wireless-only. About 14.5 percent of adults, or 32 million Americans, live in wireless-only households, as do 10 million children. In 2006, less than one in eight adults lived in wireless-only households, and in 2004, only one in eighteen adults did.

Folks, this is a disaster in the making, especially for the next generation. Many children in the generation currently being born will be raised with no other type of phone except their cell phones.

Unfortunately, research has shown that children are particularly vulnerable to the radiation emitted by cell phones, which penetrates deeply into their young brains. Current evidence suggests that if this trend continues, it will contribute to an epidemic of brain cancer, autism, Alzheimer’s disease, and other serious health problems.

Play it smart and keep your land line. Save cell phones for emergencies.

Cell Phones Can Damage Your Eyes

A recent scientific study identified a link between microwave radiation of the kind emitted by cellular phones and two different kinds of damage to the eye. At least one type of damage apparently never heals.

When the eye is exposed for a prolonged time to microwave radiation, there is large-scale damage to the optical quality of the lens. But there seemed to be a maximum level to this kind of damage, and when the exposure stops, the damage begins to heal.

However, at the same time, a different kind of damage occurs at the microscopic level. Tiny "bubbles" appear on the surface of the lens. This kind of damage reaches no maximum level, but instead accumulates progressively, and it did not heal even after the experiment stopped. It was theorized that the bubbles were caused by friction between cells that were exposed to the radiation.

Next Generation Cell Phones May Cause Nausea, Headaches

Radio signals for the next wave of cell phones--third generation (3G) phones that transmit high-speed Internet data--caused headache, tingling sensations and nausea among participants in a research study.

The side effects occurred after participants were exposed to radiation from 3G base station signals. No side effects were noted from current mobile phone base stations.

Base stations transmit constant signals, exposing everyone within range, while cell phone handsets emit stronger levels of radiation to the user.

Government officials say further research is needed to confirm findings and explore long-term health effects.

Cell Phones May Harm Blood Cells

A study has shown that radiation from mobile phones may cause a substantial increase in the forces that living cells exert on each other. Experts said this research could be critical to providing answers to the question of whether radiation from mobile phones is linked to cancer and other health problems. Although several researchers believe this to be the case, they have been unable to come up with ways that radiation could produce this affect and harm biological tissue.

The conventional theory states the only way radio waves could harm a cell would be if they were powerful enough to break chemical bonds or heat the tissue, like microwaves. However, it was discovered the radiation given off by the handsets on mobile phones was too weak to result in either of these effects.

Research has shown that water molecules have poles of positive and negative electric charges referred to as van der Waals forces, which are known to produce attractive forces between cells. In a study using a very simplified mathematical model of two red blood cells, the effect of electromagnetic fields with different frequencies of radiation was calculated.

This study determined that the water molecules within the cells tried to reposition their negative and positive poles by altering the field created by the radiation.

The results of this study didn’t prove negative effects from mobile phone radiation, however if the effect could be proven based on experimentation, it could provide the basis of an explanation for tissue damage.

Future studies will be conducted to check the dielectric properties of various types of biological tissue during exposure to radiation across the range of frequencies normally used by mobile phones.

Radiation Dangers from Cell Phones

British researchers have just demonstrated that the same type of microwave radiation emitted by mobile phones can cause the production of substances known as heat-shock proteins (HSPs) in roundworms, even though there was no significant heat generated by the microwaves.

These results are significant because humans also produce these same proteins. HSPs are a family of proteins, which are produced in response to various stresses such as heat, cold, oxygen deprivation, hypoglycemia, and viral infections.

Current regulations governing human exposure to microwaves emitted by mobile phones are solely concerned with the radiation's heating effects. According to one of the researchers: "The telecommunications industry and regulators seem to regard non-thermal effects as either illusory or insignificant. Our paper shows that they are not."

A soil nematode, which is a type of roundworm, was used in the experiments, because like humans, then produce HSPs when exposed to heat or toxicants. The researchers subjected the nematodes to microwave radiation overnight; this caused them to produce HSPs but not to increase in temperature.

Are Cell Phones More Dangerous Than Smoking?

According to a study by a cancer expert, mobile phones could kill far more people than smoking or asbestos. Dr Vini Khurana concluded that people should avoid using cell phones wherever possible and that governments and the mobile phone industry must take "immediate steps" to reduce exposure to their radiation.

Growing evidence shows that using handsets for 10 years or more can double the risk of brain cancer. Since cancers take at least a decade to develop, earlier studies which included few, if any, people who had used the phones for that long are most likely invalid -- although official safety assurances are based on these earlier studies.

Professor Khurana reviewed more than 100 studies on the effects of mobile phones. He came to the conclusion that "there is a significant and increasing body of evidence for a link between mobile phone usage and certain brain tumors."

How Cell Phones Work

2008-07-05T07:04:00.000-07:00

Introduction to How Cell Phones Work

Millions of people in the United States and around the world use cellular phones. They are such great gadgets -- with a cell phone, you can talk to anyone on the planet from just about anywhere!

These days, cell phones provide an incredible array of functions, and new ones are being added at a breakneck pace. Depending on the cell-phone model, you can:

Store contact information
Make task or to-do lists
Keep track of appointments and set reminders
Use the built-in calculator for simple math
Send or receive e-mail
Get information (news, entertainment, stock quotes) from the Internet
Play games
Watch TV
Send text messages
Integrate other devices such as PDAs, MP3 players and GPS receivers

Cell-phone Frequencies

In the dark ages before cell phones, people who really needed mobile-communications ability installed radio telephones in their cars. In the radio-telephone system, there was one central antenna tower per city, and perhaps 25 channels available on that tower. This central antenna meant that the phone in your car needed a powerful transmitter -- big enough to transmit 40 or 50 miles (about 70 km). It also meant that not many people could use radio telephones -- there just were not enough channels.

The genius of the cellular system is the division of a city into small cells. This allows extensive frequency reuse across a city, so that millions of people can use cell phones simultaneously.

A good way to understand the sophistication of a cell phone is to compare it to a CB radio or a walkie-talkie.

Full-duplex vs. half-duplex - Both walkie-talkies and CB radios are half-duplex devices. That is, two people communicating on a CB radio use the same frequency, so only one person can talk at a time. A cell phone is a full-duplex device. That means that you use one frequency for talking and a second, separate frequency for listening. Both people on the call can talk at once.
Channels - A walkie-talkie typically has one channel, and a CB radio has 40 channels. A typical cell phone can communicate on 1,664 channels or more!
Range - A walkie-talkie can transmit about 1 mile (1.6 km) using a 0.25-watt transmitter. A CB radio, because it has much higher power, can transmit about 5 miles (8 km) using a 5-watt transmitter. Cell phones operate within cells, and they can switch cells as they move around. Cells give cell phones incredible range. Someone using a cell phone can drive hundreds of miles and maintain a conversation the entire time because of the cellular approach.

In half-duplex radio, both transmitters use the same frequency. Only one party can talk at a time.

In full-duplex radio, the two transmitters use different frequencies, so both parties can talk at the same time.
Cell phones are full-duplex.

In a typical analog cell-phone system in the United States, the cell-phone carrier receives about 800 frequencies to use across the city. The carrier chops up the city into cells. Each cell is typically sized at about 10 square miles (26 square kilometers). Cells are normally thought of as hexagons on a big hexagonal grid, like this.

Each cell has a base station that consists of a tower and a small building containing the radio equipment. We'll get into base stations later. First, let's examine the "cells" that make up a cellular system.

Cell-phone Channels

A single cell in an analog cell-phone system uses one-seventh of the available duplex voice channels. That is, each cell (of the seven on a hexagonal grid) is using one-seventh of the available channels so it has a unique set of frequencies and there are no collisions:

A cell-phone carrier typically gets 832 radio frequencies to use in a city.
Each cell phone uses two frequencies per call -- a duplex channel -- so there are typically 395 voice channels per carrier. (The other 42 frequencies are used for control channels -- more on this later.)

Therefore, each cell has about 56 voice channels available. In other words, in any cell, 56 people can be talking on their cell phone at one time. Analog cellular systems are considered first-generation mobile technology, or 1G. With digital transmission methods (2G), the number of available channels increases. For example, a TDMA-based digital system (more on TDMA later) can carry three times as many calls as an analog system, so each cell has about 168 channels available.

Cell phones have low-power transmitters in them. Many cell phones have two signal strengths: 0.6 watts and 3 watts (for comparison, most CB radios transmit at 4 watts). The base station is also transmitting at low power. Low-power transmitters have two advantages:

The transmissions of a base station and the phones within its cell do not make it very far outside that cell. Therefore, in the figure above, both of the purple cells can reuse the same 56 frequencies. The same frequencies can be reused extensively across the city.
The power consumption of the cell phone, which is normally battery-operated, is relatively low. Low power means small batteries, and this is what has made handheld cellular phones possible.

The cellular approach requires a large number of base stations in a city of any size. A typical large city can have hundreds of towers. But because so many people are using cell phones, costs remain low per user. Each carrier in each city also runs one central office called the Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO). This office handles all of the phone connections to the normal land-based phone system, and controls all of the base stations in the region.

Cell-phone Codes

All cell phones have special codes associated with them. These codes are used to identify the phone, the phone's owner and the service provider.

Let's say you have a cell phone, you turn it on and someone tries to call you. Here is what happens to the call:

When you first power up the phone, it listens for an SID (see sidebar) on the control channel. The control channel is a special frequency that the phone and base station use to talk to one another about things like call set-up and channel changing. If the phone cannot find any control channels to listen to, it knows it is out of range and displays a "no service" message.
When it receives the SID, the phone compares it to the SID programmed into the phone. If the SIDs match, the phone knows that the cell it is communicating with is part of its home system.
Along with the SID, the phone also transmits a registration request, and the MTSO keeps track of your phone's location in a database -- this way, the MTSO knows which cell you are in when it wants to ring your phone.
The MTSO gets the call, and it tries to find you. It looks in its database to see which cell you are in.
The MTSO picks a frequency pair that your phone will use in that cell to take the call.
The MTSO communicates with your phone over the control channel to tell it which frequencies to use, and once your phone and the tower switch on those frequencies, the call is connected. Now, you are talking by two-way radio to a friend.
As you move toward the edge of your cell, your cell's base station notes that your signal strength is diminishing. Meanwhile, the base station in the cell you are moving toward (which is listening and measuring signal strength on all frequencies, not just its own one-seventh) sees your phone's signal strength increasing. The two base stations coordinate with each other through the MTSO, and at some point, your phone gets a signal on a control channel telling it to change frequencies. This hand off switches your phone to the new cell.

Let's say you're on the phone and you move from one cell to another -- but the cell you move into is covered by another service provider, not yours. Instead of dropping the call, it'll actually be handed off to the other service provider.

If the SID on the control channel does not match the SID programmed into your phone, then the phone knows it is roaming. The MTSO of the cell that you are roaming in contacts the MTSO of your home system, which then checks its database to confirm that the SID of the phone you are using is valid. Your home system verifies your phone to the local MTSO, which then tracks your phone as you move through its cells. And the amazing thing is that all of this happens within seconds.

The less amazing thing is that you may be charged insane rates for your roaming call. On most phones, the word "roam" will come up on your phone's screen when you leave your provider's coverage area and enter another's. If not, you'd better study your coverage maps carefully -- more than one person has been unpleasantly surprised by the cost of roaming. Check your service contract carefully to find out how much you're paying when you roam.

Note that if you want to roam internationally, you'll need a phone that will work both at home and abroad. Different countries use different cellular access technologies. More on those technologies later. First, let's get some background on analog cell-phone technology so we can understand how the industry has developed.

Analog Cell Phones

Photo courtesy Motorola, Inc.
Old school: DynaTAC cell phone, 1983

In 1983, the analog cell-phone standard called AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone System) was approved by the FCC and first used in Chicago. AMPS uses a range of frequencies between 824 megahertz (MHz) and 894 MHz for analog cell phones. In order to encourage competition and keep prices low, the U. S. government required the presence of two carriers in every market, known as A and B carriers. One of the carriers was normally the local-exchange carrier (LEC), a fancy way of saying the local phone company.

Carriers A and B are each assigned 832 frequencies: 790 for voice and 42 for data. A pair of frequencies (one for transmit and one for receive) is used to create one channel. The frequencies used in analog voice channels are typically 30 kHz wide -- 30 kHz was chosen as the standard size because it gives you voice quality comparable to a wired telephone.

The transmit and receive frequencies of each voice channel are separated by 45 MHz to keep them from interfering with each other. Each carrier has 395 voice channels, as well as 21 data channels to use for housekeeping activities like registration and paging.

A version of AMPS known as Narrowband Advanced Mobile Phone Service (NAMPS) incorporates some digital technology to allow the system to carry about three times as many calls as the original version. Even though it uses digital technology, it is still considered analog. AMPS and NAMPS only operate in the 800-MHz band and do not offer many of the features common in digital cellular service, such as e-mail and Web browsing.

Along Comes Digital

Digital cell phones are the second generation (2G) of cellular technology. They use the same radio technology as analog phones, but they use it in a different way. Analog systems do not fully utilize the signal between the phone and the cellular network -- analog signals cannot be compressed and manipulated as easily as a true digital signal. This is the reason why many cable companies are switching to digital -- so they can fit more channels within a given bandwidth. It is amazing how much more efficient digital systems can be.

Digital phones convert your voice into binary information (1s and 0s) and then compress it (see How Analog-Digital Recording Works for details on the conversion process). This compression allows between three and 10 digital cell-phone calls to occupy the space of a single analog call.

Many digital cellular systems rely on frequency-shift keying (FSK) to send data back and forth over AMPS. FSK uses two frequencies, one for 1s and the other for 0s, alternating rapidly between the two to send digital information between the cell tower and the phone. Clever modulation and encoding schemes are required to convert the analog information to digital, compress it and convert it back again while maintaining an acceptable level of voice quality. All of this means that digital cell phones have to contain a lot of processing power.

Let's take a good look inside a digital cell phone.

Inside a Digital Cell Phone

On a "complexity per cubic inch" scale, cell phones are some of the most intricate devices people use on a daily basis. Modern digital cell phones can process millions of calculations per second in order to compress and decompress the voice stream.

The parts of a cell phone

If you take a basic digital cell phone apart, you find that it contains just a few individual parts:

An amazing circuit board containing the brains of the phone
An antenna
A liquid crystal display (LCD)
A keyboard (not unlike the one you find in a TV remote control)
A microphone
A speaker
A battery

The circuit board is the heart of the system. Here is one from a typical Nokia digital phone:

The front of the circuit board

The back of the circuit board

In the photos above, you see several computer chips. Let's talk about what some of the individual chips do. The analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion chips translate the outgoing audio signal from analog to digital and the incoming signal from digital back to analog. You can learn more about A-to-D and D-to-A conversion and its importance to digital audio in How Compact Discs Work. The digital signal processor (DSP) is a highly customized processor designed to perform signal-manipulation calculations at high speed.

The microprocessor handles all of the housekeeping chores for the keyboard and display, deals with command and control signaling with the base station and also coordinates the rest of the functions on the board.

The microprocessor

The ROM and Flash memory chips provide storage for the phone's operating system and customizable features, such as the phone directory. The radio frequency (RF) and power section handles power management and recharging, and also deals with the hundreds of FM channels. Finally, the RF amplifiers handle signals traveling to and from the antenna.

The display and keypad contacts

The display has grown considerably in size as the number of features in cell phones have increased. Most current phones offer built-in phone directories, calculators and games. And many of the phones incorporate some type of PDA or Web browser.

The Flash memory card on the circuit board

The Flash memory card removed

Some phones store certain information, such as the SID and MIN codes, in internal Flash memory, while others use external cards that are similar to SmartMedia cards.

The cell-phone speaker, microphone and battery backup

Cell phones have such tiny speakers and microphones that it is incredible how well most of them reproduce sound. As you can see in the picture above, the speaker is about the size of a dime and the microphone is no larger than the watch battery beside it. Speaking of the watch battery, this is used by the cell phone's internal clock chip.

What is amazing is that all of that functionality -- which only 30 years ago would have filled an entire floor of an office building -- now fits into a package that sits comfortably in the palm of your hand!

In the next section, we'll get into the cell-phone networking methods.

Cell Phone Network Technologies: 2G

There are three common technologies used by 2G cell-phone networks for transmitting information (we'll discuss 3G technologies in the 3G section):

Frequency division multiple access (FDMA)
Time division multiple access (TDMA)
Code division multiple access (CDMA)

Although these technologies sound very intimidating, you can get a good sense of how they work just by breaking down the title of each one.

The first word tells you what the access method is. The second word, division, lets you know that it splits calls based on that access method.

FDMA puts each call on a separate frequency.
TDMA assigns each call a certain portion of time on a designated frequency.
CDMA gives a unique code to each call and spreads it over the available frequencies.

The last part of each name is multiple access. This simply means that more than one user can utilize each cell.

FDMA
FDMA separates the spectrum into distinct voice channels by splitting it into uniform chunks of bandwidth. To better understand FDMA, think of radio stations: Each station sends its signal at a different frequency within the available band. FDMA is used mainly for analog transmission. While it is certainly capable of carrying digital information, FDMA is not considered to be an efficient method for digital transmission.

In FDMA, each phone uses a different frequency.

TDMA
TDMA is the access method used by the Electronics Industry Alliance and the Telecommunications Industry Association for Interim Standard 54 (IS-54) and Interim Standard 136 (IS-136). Using TDMA, a narrow band that is 30 kHz wide and 6.7 milliseconds long is split time-wise into three time slots.

Narrow band means "channels" in the traditional sense. Each conversation gets the radio for one-third of the time. This is possible because voice data that has been converted to digital information is compressed so that it takes up significantly less transmission space. Therefore, TDMA has three times the capacity of an analog system using the same number of channels. TDMA systems operate in either the 800-MHz (IS-54) or 1900-MHz (IS-136) frequency bands.

TDMA splits a frequency into time slots.

TDMA is also used as the access technology for Global System for Mobile communications (GSM). However, GSM implements TDMA in a somewhat different and incompatible way from IS-136. Think of GSM and IS-136 as two different operating systems that work on the same processor, like Windows and Linux both working on an Intel Pentium III. GSM systems use encryption to make phone calls more secure. GSM operates in the 900-MHz and 1800-MHz bands in Europe and Asia and in the 850-MHz and 1900-MHz (sometimes referred to as 1.9-GHz) band in the United States. It is used in digital cellular and PCS-based systems. GSM is also the basis for Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (IDEN), a popular system introduced by Motorola and used by Nextel.

GSM is the international standard in Europe, Australia and much of Asia and Africa. In covered areas, cell-phone users can buy one phone that will work anywhere where the standard is supported. To connect to the specific service providers in these different countries, GSM users simply switch subscriber identification module (SIM) cards. SIM cards are small removable disks that slip in and out of GSM cell phones. They store all the connection data and identification numbers you need to access a particular wireless service provider.

Unfortunately, the 850MHz/1900-MHz GSM phones used in the United States are not compatible with the international system. If you live in the United States and need to have cell-phone access when you're overseas, you can either buy a tri-band or quad-band GSM phone and use it both at home and when traveling or just buy a GSM 900MHz/1800MHz cell phone for traveling. You can get 900MHz/1800MHz GSM phones from Planet Omni, an online electronics firm based in California. They offer a wide selection of Nokia, Motorola and Ericsson GSM phones. They don't sell international SIM cards, however. You can pick up prepaid SIM cards for a wide range of countries at Telestial.com.

CDMA takes an entirely different approach from TDMA. CDMA, after digitizing data, spreads it out over the entire available bandwidth. Multiple calls are overlaid on each other on the channel, with each assigned a unique sequence code. CDMA is a form of spread spectrum, which simply means that data is sent in small pieces over a number of the discrete frequencies available for use at any time in the specified range.

In CDMA, each phone's data has a unique code.

2G is a cell phone network protocol. Click here to learn about network protocols for Smartphones.

All of the users transmit in the same wide-band chunk of spectrum. Each user's signal is spread over the entire bandwidth by a unique spreading code. At the receiver, that same unique code is used to recover the signal. Because CDMA systems need to put an accurate time-stamp on each piece of a signal, it references the GPS system for this information. Between eight and 10 separate calls can be carried in the same channel space as one analog AMPS call. CDMA technology is the basis for Interim Standard 95 (IS-95) and operates in both the 800-MHz and 1900-MHz frequency bands.

Ideally, TDMA and CDMA are transparent to each other. In practice, high-power CDMA signals raise the noise floor for TDMA receivers, and high-power TDMA signals can cause overloading and jamming of CDMA receivers.

2G is a cell phone network protocol. Click here to learn about network protocols for Smartphones.

Now let's look at the distinction between multiple-band and multiple-mode technologies.

Multi-band vs. Multi-mode Cell Phones

Dual Band vs. Dual Mode
If you travel a lot, you will probably want to look for phones that offer multiple bands, multiple modes or both. Let's take a look at each of these options:

Multiple band - A phone that has multiple-band capability can switch frequencies. For example, a dual-band TDMA phone could use TDMA services in either an 800-MHz or a 1900-MHz system. A quad-band GSM phone could use GSM service in the 850-MHz, 900-MHz, 1800-MHz or 1900-MHz band.
Multiple mode - In cell phones, "mode" refers to the type of transmission technology used. So, a phone that supported AMPS and TDMA could switch back and forth as needed. It's important that one of the modes is AMPS -- this gives you analog service if you are in an area that doesn't have digital support.
Multiple band/Multiple mode - The best of both worlds allows you to switch between frequency bands and transmission modes as needed.

Changing bands or modes is done automatically by phones that support these options. Usually the phone will have a default option set, such as 1900-MHz TDMA, and will try to connect at that frequency with that technology first. If it supports dual bands, it will switch to 800 MHz if it cannot connect at 1900 MHz. And if the phone supports more than one mode, it will try the digital mode(s) first, then switch to analog.

You can find both dual-mode and tri-mode phones. The term "tri-mode" can be deceptive. It may mean that the phone supports two digital technologies, such as CDMA and TDMA, as well as analog. In that case, it is a true tri-mode phone. But it can also mean that it supports one digital technology in two bands and also offers analog support. A popular version of the tri-mode type of phone for people who do a lot of international traveling has GSM service in the 900-MHz band for Europe and Asia and the 1900-MHz band for the United States, in addition to the analog service. Technically, this is a dual-mode phone, and one of those modes (GSM) supports two bands.

In the next section, we'll take a look at 3G mobile-phone technology.

Cell-phone Network Technologies: 3G

3G technology is the latest in mobile communications. 3G stands for "third generation" -- this makes analog cellular technology generation one and digital/PCS generation two. 3G technology is intended for the true multimedia cell phone -- typically called smartphones -- and features increased bandwidth and transfer rates to accommodate Web-based applications and phone-based audio and video files.

Photo courtesy Amazon.com
Sony Ericsson V800 3G phone

3G comprises several cellular access technologies. The three most common ones as of 2005 are:

CDMA2000 - based on 2G Code Division Multiple Access (see Cellular Access Technologies)
WCDMA (UMTS) - Wideband Code Division Multiple Access
TD-SCDMA - Time-division Synchronous Code-division Multiple Access

3G networks have potential transfer speeds of up to 3 Mbps (about 15 seconds to download a 3-minute MP3 song). For comparison, the fastest 2G phones can achieve up to 144Kbps (about 8 minutes to download a 3-minute song). 3G's high data rates are ideal for downloading information from the Internet and sending and receiving large, multimedia files. 3G phones are like mini-laptops and can accommodate broadband applications like video conferencing, receiving streaming video from the Web, sending and receiving faxes and instantly downloading e-mail messages with attachments.

Of course, none of this would be possible without those soaring towers that carry cell-phone signals from phone to phone.

3G is a cell phone network protocol. Click here to learn about network protocols for Smartphones.

Cell-phone Towers

A cell-phone tower is typically a steel pole or lattice structure that rises hundreds of feet into the air. This cell-phone tower along I-85 near Greenville, SC, is typical in the United States:

This is a modern tower with three different cell-phone providers riding on the same structure. If you look at the base of the tower, you can see that each provider has its own equipment, and you can also see how little equipment is involved today (older towers often have small buildings at the base):

Here is the equipment owned by one of the providers:

The box houses the radio transmitters and receivers that let the tower communicate with the phones. The radios connect with the antennae on the tower through a set of thick cables:

If you look closely, you will see that the tower and all of the cables and equipment at the base of the tower are heavily grounded. For example, the plate in this shot with the green wires bolting onto it is a solid copper grounding plate:

One sure sign that multiple providers share this tower is the amazing five-way latch on the gate. Any one of five people can unlock this gate to get in.

Cell-phone towers come in all shapes and sizes, but I do believe this one in Morrisville, North Carolina, is one of the weirdest looking.

That is one tall, ugly tree!

Like all consumer electronics, cell phones come with their share of problems. In the next section, we'll take a look at some of the issues facing cell phones.

Problems with Cell Phones

A cell phone, like any other electronic device, has its problems:

Generally, non-repairable internal corrosion of parts results if you get the phone wet or use wet hands to push the buttons. Consider a protective case. If the phone does get wet, be sure it is totally dry before you switch it on so you can try to avoid damaging internal parts.
Extreme heat in a car can damage the battery or the cell-phone electronics. Extreme cold may cause a momentary loss of the screen display.
Analog cell phones suffer from a problem known as "cloning." A phone is "cloned" when someone steals its ID numbers and is able to make fraudulent calls on the owner's account.

Here is how cloning occurs: When your phone makes a call, it transmits the ESN and MIN to the network at the beginning of the call. The MIN/ESN pair is a unique tag for your phone -- this is how the phone company knows who to bill for the call. When your phone transmits its MIN/ESN pair, it is possible for nefarious sorts to listen (with a scanner) and capture the pair. With the right equipment, it is fairly easy to modify another phone so that it contains your MIN/ESN pair, which allows the nefarious individual to make calls on your account.

For more information about cell phones and related topics, check out the links on the next page and be sure to read How Buying a Cell Phone Works for loads of helpful consumer tips.

The Myth of the Cell-Phone Addiction

2008-07-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

Pundits and bloggers are addicted to decrying the supposed cell-phone addiction of Americans.
Calls for government to do something about it can’t be far behind, especially considering the other claims that cell phones give us tumors, gut our memories, and jackhammer our brains. There are even reports of second-hand damage from others’ cell phone use.

These articles go beyond merely claiming that cell phones are annoying—and truly people could learn some manners here, as in many other aspects of life. As regards this supposed “addiction”—this is a word attached to any habitual behaviors of others we do not like.

What’s interesting here are those who offer something like a Marxian-style critique of cell-phone use. We are alienated from society, we are told, and obviously tormented by loneliness, and thereby seek solidarity and community. But rather than seek out genuine connection to others, we reach for technology, the very thing that alienated us to begin with. We grow ever more dependent on our gizmos but they ultimately disappoint because they only cause addiction to machines and thereby increase alienation.

Also, we the oppressed long for empowerment and the ego-boost generated by the sense of importance granted by the idea of receiving and sending cell-phone calls. We can’t stop using our cell-phones and yet they only further entangle us in an artificial world of machines created via the money matrix.

Oh just look at the cell-phone people everywhere! Surely this is the final stage of capitalism in which we ignore our brothers and sisters walking next to us but instead talk through electronic means to some distant party, and talk about what? About nothing: “It’s, like, so cool to be on the phone!”

You can make this sort of critique up about anything, pepper the essay with references to Freud, Marx, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, and, to stay in good with conservatives, the insufferable T.S. Eliot, finish it off with a hymn to primitivism—even a wish to return to the Garden of Eden without the taint of technological sin—and you have a winning piece of commentary.

It’s all nonsense.

There is plenty wrong with this genre of criticism, as Tibor Machan points out (he found someone who regretted the invention of the mirror!). But let us address the cell phone in particular, because many people seem to have bought into the idea that it represents some sort of grave danger to the culture and an ominous sign of something or other.

Of course property owners are free to ban them or not. Burger King wouldn't, but a 5-star restaurant probably would. Whatever is profitable. Private property solves whatever "problems" arise but these are not any different from other problems of what dress, speech, and behavior is right for the time and place. Certainly there is no reason to ban cell phones on flights, as the FCC is considering; leave it up to enterprise itself to decide.

The critics, however, are not satisfied. They say cell phone addiction is a broader concern. To be sure, it's easy to defend the cell phone on grounds of its emergency services. With cell phones, people have never felt more safe and secure when driving or being out and about in potentially dangerous places. The critics will concede that. What drives them nuts is casual use, the whole middle-class casual culture of the cell phone, which seems to them wholly disgusting.

And yet it is the casual use of technology that makes its emergency use ever more economically viable. It is the demand for gab that has driven up the number of providers, driven down the prices, and made amazing technologies available to all, which then provides the spill-over benefit of making the emergency use of the same affordable and ubiquitous. A market of emergency-only cell service would not have become the mass phenom that it is today.

The appearance of addiction reflects a change in the use of public space made possibly by a new technology that was born into the marketplace only in 1994. Ten years ago, talking on the phone was a behavior that was tied to place, namely the home or the work station. Or there was the now-anachronistic phone booth.

In retrospect, it is obvious that a vast amount of productivity was being wasted by the requirement that we be strapped to a chair, or a room in our homes, or in a glass booth, in order to keep up with work duties, friends, and family.

Suddenly and almost like magic that changed. The cell phone made it possible to speak to anyone anywhere from any place. Think of it: what a dramatic transformation. For the first time in the history of everything, anyone can have direct personal contact with anyone anytime.

No more hiding out in the home, wiling away the hours with friends, or office, which used to be all about the phone but which is now all about email and instant messaging. Professional and personal uses of phone calls can take place anywhere. We can bluetooth our way through all informal life settings and get the most out of every minute.

Not only that: it seems obvious in retrospect that audio communications are an individual and not a community affair. When the telephone first came along, you had to walk to the post office or town market to use it. What a pain. Then there were lines shared by several homes. How tedious! Then there was one phone per household—owned and maintained by the government. Please!

The ability to completely privatize audible communication had been possessed by the private sector since at least 1947, but the government hogged too much of the radio spectrum to make it possible. It wasn’t until 1994 when the government deigned to provide private enterprise what it needed to create a revolution in communication.

For this reason it is useful to think of the cell phone as a freedom technology along the lines of the world wide web. It was developed by the private sector for the private sector. Both represent institutional revolts against the state’s presumption to own and control the “command posts” of society. Cells and the web are the mode and means of liberation that the state will forever resent.

But back to the supposed addiction we all have. We are only making the best use of our time. What better time to talk on the phone than when other tasks are prohibited to us? You can turn driving into a multitasked operation. Same with walking to and from places. So too with shopping at the mall. These are the very times to pull out the cell phone, not as an addiction but as a means of making the most productive use of a period of time. It is a simple matter of economizing, that is, directing resources toward their highest valued use.

But because our eyes see something new, something we haven’t been socialized to expect, and because the market is expanding and democratizing so rapidly, it creates the illusion of something having gone oddly wrong. Instead of seeking to understand it, the temptation is to reach into pop culture’s bag of ideological bromides and decry it as some sort of pathology.

The oddity of public phone use first dawned on the academic class several years ago when they would walk through campus and see throngs of students yammering away on the phone. Cell-phone addiction! Can these kids unplug themselves even for a minute to enjoy the scenery or talk to real people? Why should they be so very interested in their pathetic little materialist existence even after all the assigned readings from Veblen, Marx, and Derrida?

We need to realize something: these kids are walking to and from classes in which they must sit and listen and take notes for an hour or two. They are headed to another class where they will do the same. Or they might be headed to a library study session. Or they might be headed to the pool to meet friends.

In any of these cases, a phone call is not possible or desirable. But traveling from one spot to another? Shopping? Driving? It’s just the time to call, even if only to leave a message.

Why they hate the market: $8

Now, you might respond that these kids are not actually saying anything useful. They are engaged in conversational junk, punctuated by grunts of nothing. Well, productivity is a subjective concept. Meeting social obligations, making another person feel connected, letting someone know you care—these are all productive activities as understood by the individual speaking. Who are we to say what constitutes valuable or valueless conversations?

The pundit class has a penchant for judging the culture of freedom harshly. If ten years ago, these same critics had walked up and down the block peering into people’s windows, they might have spied people on the phone in every home. They might have decried this as a phone addiction but nobody would have taken them seriously. In fact, the response would have been readily at hand: mind your own business, bud, and get a life.

Actually that’s not a bad response to most everything that comes out of the carping class of intellectuals who try to make us feel guilty and oppressed for using products that improve our lot in life. Modern technology has us all talking to each other again. That can’t be a bad thing.

Bluetooth Cell Phones

2008-07-05T06:57:00.000-07:00

On July 17, 2002, Apple introduced iSync, an application that allows Mac users to easily synchronize their calendars and contacts. This functionality has eliminated the need for users to have two separate calendars and contact lists. I have discussed setting this up before, so we won't tread on covered ground. The purpose of this piece is to introduce you to some other resources that can make your mobile life a little easier.

My motivation for writing this article is two-fold. I have had a Nokia 3650 since August, but today just moved to a Sony-Ericsson T616. I still have intentions of using the Nokia, but wanted a smaller phone for certain occasions as well. When I got my Nokia, it was difficult to find a lot of resources for the phone. It seemed like I was living on Google. The same thing seems to be true with the T616. I hope to use this article to introduce you to some resources for your Symbian smart-phones and your SE cell phones.

Nokia 3650

The Nokia 3650 runs Symbian OS. The Symbian OS is owned, in majority, by Nokia and offers text messaging, multimedia messaging, multimedia (video/photo), data synchronization via SyncML, Java support, among others. The latest version of the Symbian OS is version 8.0. No phones have been released using this new OS, but I am sure they will be out by the end of the year or early next.

One of the many things that users are interested in is external modification of the phone: face plates, keypads, batteries, etc. The best resource I have found for this stuff is DayDeal.com. They have several third-party faceplates available, flashing keypads, a desktop charger for the phone, etc.

Visit Daydeal's Nokia 3650 Page

With the exterior of our phone pimped out, we need to customize the interface to make it our own: wallpapers, ring tones and themes. One thing you will notice about searching Google for this stuff is that finding anything free (read: useful) is nearly impossible. Never fear, I have compiled a nice list of places to get stuff.

Wallpaper

Wallpaper from LoGoGo. If you don't mind forking out some cash for some high quality stuff, these guys are great.
Wallpaper from MobileMedia. Free
36fifty.net. Along with wallpapers, 36fifty.net offers ring tones, games, applications and movies you can send to your phone. All free.
24 Wallpapers. If you are a fan of the television show 24, I have created a few wallpapers and posted them on my personal blog. They are free for the taking. :)

Applications

My-Symbian is the best resource on the net to find any application you want. Here is a list of the applications I find most useful on my phone.

SeleQ is a file browser that makes it insanely simple to change the operator logo for your phone. The operator logo is the located between the clock and battery meter. It will usually say T-Mobile, Cingular, AT&T Wireless or whatever other carrier you happen to be using.
Palette Extender allows you to enable all six color palettes for your 3650. For some reason, Nokia has a few of the palettes disabled by default.
Salling Clicker is the award-winning remote control for your Macintosh. Version 2.1 added support for Symbian phones. With Salling Clicker, you can control iTunes, Keynote, and several other applications. The application is also a proximity sensor so that when you walk in and out of a room, you can set certain actions to happen (play/turn off music for example). Very cool.
Veta Universal is like Salling Clicker in that it allows the control of a Mac remotely. It is used in association with Romeo.
Romeo is Salling Clicker's little brother. For a little less money and a little less functionality and elegance you can control iTunes, Keynote, DVD Player and other apps.
Putty for SymbianOS is an SSH client for your phone. If there is ever a need to remotely connect to your Mac or a Web server, this is your tool. Don't mind how geeky you feel doing such a task. Sometimes I am sure it is useful. Typing commands in the application is somewhat tiresome, in my opinion.
Doris Browser is an upgraded web browser for the SymbianOS. It supports cookies, SSL, bookmarks and has a 500 kB cache so that you won't use nearly as much of your internet allocation (the amount you get varies with your service plan).
Kablog is for the bloggers reading this. I use this application to remotely post an entry to my MovableType weblog.
Nokia 3650 Video Recorder Update is very useful if you ever use the video recorder included with your phone. One thing you have probably noticed is that there is no sound included with the video. This update fixes that.
mReader is an RSS aggregator for your phone so that you can remotely parse the MacZealots RSS feeds. :)

Miscellaneous

Talk-Mobile's forums are some of the best for discussing Nokia smart phones. You should also check out HowardForums. They offer information for several phone brands, service providers and PDA forums.

Sony Ericsson T616

The T616 runs Sony Ericcson's proprietary OS. While not as feature packed as the 3650, it is still easy to use for the medium to advanced user. The T616 doesn't come with any sort of video playback capabilities like the 3650, for example. Like before, if you want accessories, the best place to go is DayDeal.

Visit Daydeal's Sony Ericsson T616 Page

Without a doubt, the best resource for customization is myt610.net. T616 is the North American specific version of the T610. The T610 works on 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz bands, of which only the 1900MHz band is used in the US. On the other hand, the T616 uses the 850, 1800 and 1900 MHz bands. Thus the usability of the T616 outside North america is limited to places that utilize the 1800 MHz band. Anyway, myT610 offers software, wallpaper, ringtones, games, themes and screen savers. Did I mention it's all free? Better yet, there are a lot of Apple stuff when it comes to themes, screen savers and wall papers.

Software

MobileSync is from Salling Software and lets T616 users synchronize Microsoft Entourage with their Sony Ericsson cell phones.
MacMedia's PhoneAgent lets you manage contacts, SMS messages, MMS, Themes and bookmarks. It also other things from your Macintosh desktop. The application makes it simple to create your own theme to customize your cell phone.

An excellent resource for everything T616 is this thread on HowardForums. It lists links to ringtones, games and even more theme/wallpaper sites. This is a definite bookmark and reference. I have not had the phone long enough to recommend any games, so anyone that has had this phone for awhile, I invite you to offer any game recommendations in the comments.

Miscellaneous

Again, HowardForums is your friend. Seriously, if you are a phone freak, you need to frequent these boards.

Conclusion

Like I said above, this is by no means an exhaustive list of resources for cell phone stuff. Feel free to post your favorite resources in the comments below. I hope to update this in a few months with resources for the Nokia 7610, my next cell phone. :)

Cell Phone Safety

2008-07-05T06:54:00.000-07:00

As of the end of 2005, there were 207.9 million wireless subscribers in the United States. Every day, more than 224,000 emergency calls to 9-1-1 are made using wireless phones.
—CTIA–The Wireless Association, “Wireless Quick Facts,” April 2006

Benefits

Cell phones can make communication within families a lot easier, especially for older children who may need rides to and from extracurricular activities or friends’ houses.
Cell phones can be extremely helpful in emergencies. Make sure your children keep their cell phone batteries charged, and make sure they know how to use their phones to dial 9-1-1.

Risks

The features available for cell phones and other hand-held devices are rapidly becoming more and more sophisticated. Many cell phones now provide access to the Internet, allow short text messages to be sent without a sound, and even take pictures that can be sent electronically from the phone.
It is very easy to rack up enormous charges on cell phones by using too many minutes or by accessing certain features (such as text messaging and the Internet).
The mobility of cell phones makes them much more difficult to monitor. Cell phones can be used at the mall, in friends’ homes, or other places where there are no adults to monitor the interaction.
Cell phones’ advanced features can be used to bully peers. For example, a child can use a camera phone to take an embarrassing photo of a peer then send the photo to others or upload it to the Internet. Children have an overabundance of ways to communicate with their peers, which means that bullies have multiple ways to harass their victims.

Resources

What you can do

Learn how to use the phone with your child. Make sure your child knows how to dial emergency numbers, how to keep the phone charged, and what certain actions (such as text messaging or accessing the Internet) might cost. This is also a great time to talk to your child about any cell phone features you don’t want him or her to use.
Monitor your child’s cell phone bill. The bill should give you an itemized record of any calls made or received. If the list contains unfamiliar numbers that appear regularly, ask your child whom the numbers belong to. You should also show the bill to your child and point out the places where he or she is using extra minutes or incurring additional fees.
Establish a Media Use Contract with each child in your family. It is important that you have a conversation with each child to set rules and limits that are appropriate for him or her. In your conversation, be explicit about how you intend to monitor your child’s cell phone use and what the consequences will be if the contract is broken. Once the contracts have been signed, post them in a prominent place in your home as a reminder.

Mobile Phones Causing Cancer are not

2008-07-05T06:52:00.000-07:00

In 1993, a man filed a lawsuit against the cell phone industry, claiming that his wife died from a brain tumor caused by her repeated use of the cell phone. The tumor was on the same side of the head where she held her cell phone and was shaped like the cell phone antenna. The case got widespread media attention and was featured in CNN's Larry King show.

Although the claim was dismissed by the court due to lack of sufficient evidence, it was a public relations nightmare for the wireless industry. It also marked the beginning of the global search for a definitive answer to the question: are cell phones safe or not? Does it cause cancer and other degenerative diseases? Brain cancer is up 25% since cell phones became popular. Every year, there are 183,000 more cases in the US alone. Some health experts say there's a link with cell phone use, but is there proof?

In an effort to diffuse the negative publicity from the high-profile lawsuit, the cell phone industry itself funded a $25 million dollar research program to prove that cell phones are safe. After 6 years of intensive research, however, the results were not what they were looking for. Dr. George Carlo, the chief research scientist of the program, found evidence that cell phones pose some health risks, possibly even cancer.

The first evidence of cancer link that shook the cell phone industry came in 1997. Dr. Michael Repacholi and his colleagues from the Royal Adelaide Hospital in South Australia reported that long-term exposure to the type of radiation that comes from digital cell phones caused an increase in the occurrence of lymphoma in mice. The study received widespread international media attention because it was the first time that cancer has been linked to the cell phone in a well-conducted study.

In order to show a link between cell phone radiation and cancer, let's look at several studies Dr. Carlo investigated that made him blow the whistle, so to speak. These red-flag findings provide the pieces that fit together to form the cancer picture:

- DNA Damage in Human Blood Studies
- Breakdown in the Blood-Brain Barrier
- Studies of Tumors in People Who Use Cell Phones
- Studies of Cell Phone Radiation Dosage and Response

DNA DAMAGE IN HUMAN BLOOD
All tumors and all cancers are the result of genetic damage. Most often that damage includes the formation of micronuclei--fragments of chromosomes that form membranes around themselves and appear under a microscope as additional nuclei in blood cells (which normally have just a single nucleus). The relationship between micronuclei and cancer is so strong that doctors around the world test for their presence to identify patients likely to develop cancer. The presence of micronuclei indicates that the cells can no longer properly repair broken DNA. This deficiency is considered to be an indication of an increased risk of developing cancer.

- In December 1998, Drs. Ray Tice and Graham Hook of Integrated Laboratory Systems in North Carolina have shown that blood cells exposed to cell phone radiation suffer genetic damage in the form of micronuclei. In their studies, DNA and chromosome damage in human white blood cells occurred when exposed to signals from all types of phones--analog, digital, and PCS. Damage was shown even from signals occurring at a SAR level below the government's "safety" guideline.

- Using different methods, the above finding was confirmed by Dr. Joseph Roti Roti of Washington University in St. Louis in 2000. His research showed that human blood cells exposed to radiation at wireless phone frequencies did indeed develop genetic damage, in the form of micronuclei. This finding received a lot of notice because Dr. Roti Roti is a prominent scientist who does hiw work under funding by Motorola Inc.

This has a very serious implication. If cell phone radiation encourages the formation of micronuclei in blood cells, and micronuclei are said to be "biological markers" for cancer, then based on these studies alone cell phone use could be said to increase the risk of cancer.

BREAKDOWN IN THE BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER
The blood brain barrier is a special filter in the blood vessels of the brain that keeps dangerous chemicals from reaching sensitive brain tissue and causing DNA breaks and other damage.

- In 1994 and again, in 2002, Dr. Leif Salford from Lund University in Stockholm, Sweden found in his studies that rats exposed to cell phone radiation showed a breakdown in the blood brain barrier, as well as areas of shrunken, damaged neurons.

The micronuclei studies of Tice, Hook and Roti Roti and the blood-brain findings of Salford provide a two-step explanation for how cancer could be caused by cell phone radiation.

Step One: A leakage or breakdown in the blood brain barrier would provide a pathway for cancer-causing chemicals in the bloodstream (from tobacco, pesticides, air pollution, etc.) to leak into the brain and damage sensitive brain tissue that would otherwise be protected. These chemicals could break the DNA in the brain or cause other harm to reach those cells.

Step Two: While a number of studies showed that cell phone radiation by itself does not appear to break DNA, the micronuclei findings suggest that they do impair the DNA repair mechanisms in brain cells. Micronuclei result from a breakdown of the cell's ability to repair itself. If the brain cells become unable to repair themselves, then carcinogenesis--the creation of tumors--induced by chemical toxins could begin.

DNA carries the genetic material of an organism and its different cells. Any damage that goes unrepaired affects the future generation of cells. The change has procreated and this mutation is seen as a possible cause of cancer.

TUMORS IN PEOPLE WHO USE CELL PHONES
Epidemiological studies, performed by different investigators using different methods, show some evidence of an increased risk of tumors among people who use cellular phones.

- In 1998, Dr. Ken Rothman of Eidemiology Resources, Inc. in Newton, Mass., did a study showing that users of handheld cell phones have more than twice the risk of dying from brain cancer than do car phone users--whose antennas are mounted on the body of the car, far removed from the users' heads.

- In 1998, Joshua Muscat, a research scientist from the American Health Foundation, showed in his study a doubling of the risk of developing neuro-epithelial tumors on the outside of the brain among cell phone users, particularly on the side of the skull where cell phone antennas are held during calls.

- Muscat also showed in another study that people who have used cell phones for six years or more have a 50-percent increase in risk of developing acoustic neuroma, a benign tumor of the nerve that controls hearing and extends from the ear to the brain. Acoustic neuromas can cause hearing loss and can be life-threatening if untreated.

This was confirmed in a separate study in Stockholm, Sweden by Anders Ahlbom in 2004 and sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO), which finds that people who have used cell phones, this time for at least 10 years, may have an increased risk of developing acoustic neuroma.

- In a study also requested by WHO, researchers headed by Dr. Lennart Hardell of the Orebro Medical Center in Sweden examined 1,617 patients aged between 20 and 80 who had been diagnosed with a brain tumour between 1997 and 2000. They were then compared to healthy people. Those who used cell phones for less than 10 years faced a 20% higher risk of developing brain cancer. But for those who used them for more than a decade the risk was 80% higher. The study also found that tumours were 2.5 times more likely to be on the same side of the head as the phone was held. The cancer of the auditory nerve, accoustic neuroma, showed a larger increase--3.5 times greater risk.

CELL PHONE RADIATION DOSAGE AND RESPONSE
All studies mentioned showed that an increase in cell phone radiation exposure also increases the likelihood of the adverse effect occurring.

In Repacholi's study of mice, the risk of lymphoma increased significantly the longer the mice were exposed to the radio waves.

In the research work done by Tice, Hook, and Roti Roti, the risks of genetic damage as measured by micronuclei formation increased as the amount of radiation increased.

In the three epidemoiological studies--two by Muscat and one by Hardell--the risk of tumors was greater in the areas of the brain near where the cell phone was held.

In Salford's study, the higher the radiation exposure level the rats were exposed to, the more damage was apparent in the blood vessels in the brain and the neurons.

THE BIG CANCER PICTURE
The test tube studies by Tice and Hook; the mouse study by Repacholoi and Selford; and the epidemiological studies by Rothman, Muscat, and Hardell all agree in that they suggest an increased risk of cancer among cell phone users. They fit together to form the beginnings of a picture that everyone can see. They perhaps don't form the complete picture yet, but there are enough already in place to see that there is cause fo genuine public health concern about cell phone safety.

According to Dr. Carlo, "The big picture is disturbingly clear. There is a definite risk that the radiation plume that emanates from a cell phone antenna can cause cancer and other health problems. It is a risk that affects hundreds of millions of people around the world. It is a risk that must be seen and understood by all who use cell phones so they can take all the appropriate and available steps to protect themselves--and especially to protect young children whose skulls are still growing and who are the most vulnerable to the risks of radiation."

SO WHY ARE CELL PHONES STILL AROUND?
Now with all the mounting evidence, the cell phone industry still maintains their position that cell phones are safe and have even begun marketing towards children. The governments have been slow in stepping in to warn people of any danger from using cell phones. Fortunately, health officials and experts in several European countries are taking the first steps, having issued public warnings to parents urging caution about kids and cell phones,

If the previous environmental issues involving tobacco, asbestos, and lead are any indication, it takes years and even decades to accumulate the amount of evidence that would produce a definite ruling. In the case of cigarette smoking, it took two decades of study and 100 years of consumer use to gather enough data to meet research standards to demonstrate the need for the U.S. Surgeon General's warning label on cigarette packs. Some experts say that in the case of cell phones, it will not take that long as data are coming in at a faster pace. But at the present the authorities can only urge people to exercise caution.

Replication of research is another problem. A study that comes out with a new finding generally does not gain immediate acceptance in the scientific community or the wireless industry unless another research lab has been able to replicate the work and the findings. The industry has cleverly perpetuated their position by creating an illusion of responsible follow up by always calling for more research.

When Dr. Salford published his study in 2003 showing that rat brain neurons were dying from exposure to cellphone radiation, he warned there might be similar effects in humans that over time could lead to degenerative diseases of the brain. His study was written off by the industry as a "novel" finding that needed to be replicated.

But achieving the scientific standard of replication can be complicated. Salford says if studies aren't absolutely replicated, providing an apples-to-apples comparison, there's wiggle room to dispute follow-up findings. Research studies require funding, and the wireless industry, after Dr. Carlo's revelations, have been reluctant to put money into more comprehensive research. As for governments, again many European governments are taking the responsible course by funding research, but the U.S. and Canada are lagging poorly.

In 1999, CNN's Larry King once again featured a man who brought a multimillion dollar lawsuit against cell phone manufacturers. This time the man, a Maryland neurologist, was himself diagnosed with brain cancer--again located on the side of the head where he held his cell phone. The suit was yet again dismissed, however, and the man died not long afterwards.

According to WHO report, 0.1 billion people have died from tobacco use in the 20th century, and 10 times as many will die in the 21st century. No one is suggesting that cell phones could cause as much casualties, but do we really want to wait and find out?

AIMING FOR RESPONSIBLE TECHNOLOGY
Unlike tobacco, the cell phone has become as an indispensable part of our lives as television and computer. It has enabled us to make a gigantic leap in the way we communicate with one another and has been credited widely with saving people's lives in emergency situations. Cell phones are here to stay, and perhaps rightly so.

The question is not how to stop people from using this ubiquitous device but rather how to make it safer. The first step always is to admit there is a problem, hence the industry and the government have to acknowledge the health risks inherent with the present technology. This way we can all find the proper solutions that we may more enjoy the benefits of its use without sacrificing our health and wellbeing.

BlackBerry 8700g Review: Middle-of-the-Pack Email, Web Phone

2008-07-02T04:31:00.000-07:00

For me, home sweet home for email is my computer. It’s not my cell phone.

Make sure you’re ready for the pros and cons associated with this way of life before you allow email to invade your pocket. It’s there with you at dinner, in the movies and everywhere else. You should ponder vigilantly and gravely if it’s the life for you.

Some everyday consumers choose to welcome it with open arms because they enjoy email coming to them everywhere. Others – such as realtors and on-call IT people – are forced into it because of the nature of their jobs. BlackBerry devices have the menacing nickname “CrackBerry” for this addictive reason.

In order to keep sane, I personally spend so much time emailing that I need it to wait for when I’m on my laptop (and that’s too much time as it is!). Amid the ever-confusing sea of email phones, the BlackBerry 8700g stands squarely in the middle of pack and gives you what you need.

It doesn’t get the job done perfectly, though, and does come with its fair share of quirks.

Design:

Pro: The BlackBerry 8700g fits comfortably in your hand. It’s not on oddball, awkward size.
Con: Con: At 4.3” by 2.7” by 0.77,” though, some newer models of email phones are thinner and smaller. Its weight is 4.7 ounces with the battery installed, which flirts with the ceiling of how heavy a phone should be.

Software:

Pro: Email and Web surfing are the sole reasons why you’d select this phone over other devices not designed for the serious, on-the-go emailer. You can theme it to your heart’s desire, which means you can customize its overall look and feel with the “skin” of your choosing.

Popular file formats attached to emails (i.e. Adobe’s PDF files) can be viewed by default. You can also combine text and images on a single message using multimedia messaging.

Con: In several trials during my review of the 8700g, the phone took about 45 seconds to power on. That’s too long. Also, you might find the default BlackBerry Web browser to be underwhelming with problematic Web scripting. This means what you get isn’t always like what you should see.

For my review, I upgraded to the default browser to Opera, which renders much better.

I experienced some disconcerting technical glitches in my trials. It randomly flickers and spontaneously reboots itself. There’s no Microsoft Office unless you use plug-ins to access Office applications through the Web. Also, reading certain file formats (i.e. PDF files) don’t render exactly as they should.

Hardware:

Pro: Its full, 35-key keyboard is a major perk that affords familiar typing. The keys are far enough apart that you can type easily and swiftly. It doesn’t have half keys like some other devices and the keys aren’t too close together.

Even when I Web surfed the phone like a madman and emailed and texted more than necessary, its rechargeable Lithium battery does the job. It’s rated at four hours of talk time and up to 16 days of standby time.

The dedicated “send,” “end” and “mute” keys are a nice addition and there are also user-definable convenience keys. Thank you for the bright, high-resolution screen and the speakerphone comes in handy, too. The thumb-operated “trackwheel” translates into easing scrolling and the MP3 ringtones are fun.

The phone also offers Bluetooth technology for short-range wireless communication with other devices.

Con: The 8700g only comes with 64 megabytes of on-board memory, which you may need to upgrade if you want more software applications. There’s no camera.

Data Speed:

The 8700g runs on an advanced data network that’s enhanced by a technology called EDGE, which allows for high-speed surfing. The phone also gives you international roaming.

Newer networks (i.e. 3G networks) are even faster than EDGE, though, which said simply is being used by T-Mobile to speed up its base data network. Superseding 2G, 3G is the third generation of mobile phone standards and technology.

Simplicity:

It’s sometimes stupidly simple – like for emailing – and at other times exceedingly complicated. You may need help setting up corporate email and navigating the sometimes perplexing realm of software applications and plug-ins.

Price:

For an email phone, it’s priced relatively economically by T-Mobile from $100 at the cheapest to a list price of $250 without any of the rebates or instant discounts.

The Bottom Line:

When buying the 8700g, you’re clearly not just purchasing a phone.

Most delve into the BlackBerry world for email just as much if not more so than its use as a phone. BlackBerry offers a wide array of models for the beginner all the way up to the tech guru. This one ranks in the middle and suffices happily for the layperson.