20 highest radiation cell phones

[salvorhardin]

This is a hot topic around here, but CNET has published the twenty phones with the highest SAR levels. First, some context and editorializing though.

SAR stands for Specific Absorption Rate - the rate at which a body absorbs energy from an electromagnetic field oscillating at radio frequencies (RF). It's a measure of power absorbed per mass and is usually given in Watts per kilogram. In the U.S. the FCC requires phones to not exceed 1.6 W/kg.

When we're talking about RF energy, radiation is a loaded term since RF energy isn't ionizing radiation (it doesn't strip electrons out of their orbits) thus it can't cause genetic damage and/or cancer. Also, the strength of RF energy is subject to an inverse-square power law. That means the strength of the signal is inversely related to the square of the distance to the signal. Move the phone only 2 inches from your head and you're absorbing just a quarter of the RF energy as if it was only 1" from your head.

But even if the phone is held right upside your head, then only your scalp is getting the full SAR dose of the phone. Your bone, and body's fluids, will greatly reduce the power of the RF reaching your tissues and brain. Because it's not ionizing radiation, the only thing it can do is slightly heat up your body's tissues. Since the power levels are so low, and are further attenuated by distance from the phone to the affected tissues as well as by bone mass and body fluids, there's no conceivable mechanism by which cell phones could be harming you. That doesn't prove there's no harm, but without a verifiable mechanism it makes it extremely unlikely.

Finally the research, while sometimes contradictory, is voluminous and there is no scientific consensus that RF exposure from even long term cell phone use is any cause for concern.

Now, with all that being said, if you want to err on the side of caution (and I see nothing wrong with that), here are the top 20 highest radiation cell phones:

1 Motorola V195s 1.6
2 Motorola Zine ZN5 1.59
2a Motorola Rival 1.59
4 Kyocera Jax S1300 1.55
4a Motorola VU204 1.55
6 RIM BlackBerry Curve 8330 (Sprint) 1.54
6a RIM BlackBerry Curve 8330 (U.S. Cellular) 1.54
6b RIM BlackBerry Curve 8330 (Verizon Wireless) 1.54
9 Motorola Crush 1.53
9a Nokia E71x 1.53
11 Pantech Matrix 1.52
12 LG Rumor 2 1.51
12a RIM BlackBerry Bold 1.51
14 HTC SMT5800 1.49
14a Motorola Droid 1.49
16 Sony Ericsson W350a 1.48
17 LG Chocolate Touch 1.47
17a Nokia 2320 GoPhone 1.47
17b Palm Pixi Plus (Verizon Wireless) 1.47
17c T-Mobile Dash 3G 1.47
http://reviews.cnet.com/2719-6602_7-291-2.html?tag=page;page

You can find the phones with the lowest SAR values here: http://reviews.cnet.com/2719-6602_7-291-3.html
If you like pictures, there is a slideshow of the phones with the highest SAR values here: http://reviews.cnet.com/2300-6454_7-10002813.html

[BlueJazz]

1. I use one of those "High Radiation" phones and have not noticed any problems.

[salvorhardin]

2. Zombieism not a recognized outcome of frequent high radiation cell phone use.

I'm pretty sure I read that on the side of my mobile's packaging when I bought it.

[BlueJazz]

7. Zombieism ???...Well, that explains it. I was wondering why my Friends ....

...are starting to look...ah..."Tasty"

[frylock]

3. i wonder why the pixi plus would be on the list and not the pixi..

AFAIK, the plus just allows for the device to work as a wireless AP.

[Tesha]

4. The antenna design often varies even among "similar" models.

That affects the SAR rating.

Tesha

[frylock]

5. thanks..

nice to see that my palm pre wasn't on the list.

[Jamastiene]

6. Hey! Just cause I've had an overwhelming desire to smack flies and eat them

when I see them, ever since my mother gave me a Sony Ericsson emergency phone is no reason to call it some kind of genetic damage or health concern or something. *twitch*


:P

:evilgrin:

[salvorhardin]

8. That has nothing to do with the phone

That is a normal random genetic mutation. You are an Human Mutant. Unfortunately, you are also easily misled and will serve Max Eisenhardt's nefarious plans for world domination.

[Jamastiene]

9. Noooooooo, not Magneto!

:yoiks:

:P