The best and worst cellphones in terms of radiation output

Here's a post that caught my eye from Engadget, pointing out a list of best and worst cellphones based on the amount of radiation they put out. A quick glance at the list made me jump, as my cellphone -- the Motorola W385 -- is among the worst. Great. However, nothing in the list indicates anything about the quality or performance of the phones. My phone works extremely well in terms of sound quality and reception, and I'm not sure I would trade it in for one that emitted less radiation but had crappy reception and sound quality. And seriously, how much radiation are we talking about here?

It would take some work to dig out all the studies about the health effects of cellphone radiation that are out there, but so far, the conclusion is... inconclusive. Research is still on-going. But until then, it might be wise to not chat for hours with the cellphone next to your head. Or chat while driving -- this is a little off-topic as it has nothing to do with radiation, but it's probably more dangerous. I guarantee that if you see someone driving erratically on the road, weaving and driving much slower than the speed limit, it's not because they're intoxicated. It's because they're talking on their cellphone.

Getting back to the list of phones... If you pay closer attention to the source of this list, it's from the Environmental Working Group, an environmental advocacy group. While their website is nice in that it compiles a lot of useful information, be wary that this group tends to sensationalize science to suit their agenda. Do your research and use your common sense.

Boy, I feel old...

Check out this funny BBC News Magazine article. Makes me feel old... A 13-year-old boy exchanges his iPod for a Sony Walkman portable cassette player for a week. Here are some choice quotes:

• My dad had told me it was the iPod of its day.
• When I wore it walking down the street or going into shops, I got strange looks, a mixture of surprise and curiosity, that made me a little embarrassed.
• It took me three days to figure out that there was another side to the tape. That was not the only naive mistake that I made; I mistook the metal/normal switch on the Walkman for a genre-specific equaliser, but later I discovered that it was in fact used to switch between two different types of cassette.
• Another notable feature that the iPod has and the Walkman doesn't is "shuffle", where the player selects random tracks to play. Its a function that, on the face of it, the Walkman lacks. But I managed to create an impromptu shuffle feature simply by holding down "rewind" and releasing it randomly - effective, if a little laboured.

I had a Walkman back in the day. But I'm not that old!!! I wonder what Jessie will think of all of today's cool high tech stuff when she grows up?