Mobile phones: a direct line to the grim reaper?

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Wednesday, 15 June 2011 11:35

Your IT - Mobility

With all the controversy having been rung up over the safety of our mobile phones, should you put your smartphone usage on divert, or is the controversy just a missed call in a telephone-shaped teacup?

Mobile phones can cause cancer, say some scientists and some studies, while others point out that all the hoopla is little more annoying than a Crazy Frog ringtone.

Of course, while there's also concern about Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, nothing stirs up the cellular emotions like a good story on mobile phone radiation scares, with some accusing brain surgeon Dr Charlie Teo of being too ready to take up the smartphone-cancer-causing cause.

A detailed article on the 'for and against' of mobile radiation has appeared in this morning's Sydney Morning Herald, with reporter Asher Moses presenting all sides of the story, including some standard tips on reducing mobile phone exposure - whether you believe the risk is real, or not.

The article even looks at those supposedly radiation-reducing smartphone cases, such as one called the 'CellSafe' for the iPhone 4, with its creators naturally swearing that the devices work and are a worthwhile endeavour, while others say they're just gimmicks designed to separate fools from their money.

There's even conflicting evidence, with some pointing to glands in the brain that definitely can get affected, while others dismiss the evidence virtually out of hand.

It almost sounds like the debate over climate change, but without the vitriol spewed forth by those who blindly accept the views of climate changers and blindly accuse those who simply ask for more rigourous scientific debate as being deniers.

Ultimately, moderation in all things is the natural and obvious answer.

Why overexpose yourself to the chance of mobile phone radiation, when you can take some simple steps, whatever the risk?

The phone continues ringing on page two, please read on and answer it!