There has been a controversy for some time on the health risks that cell phones pose to humans through their use. While many have claimed most studies to be inconclusive a new recent study has been conducted that claims to have proven and shown an increase in cancer risks through the use of cell phones.

In Stockholm, Sweden a recent study conducted by the Karolinska Institute found that there was an increased risk of brain cancer in certain parts of the brain through the regular use of cell phones. The study consisted of 634 subjects over a two year period. Of the subjects 209 already had brain tumors and 425 were completely healthy. This most recent study took place over a 2 year period and showed that increased microwaves from the cell phones did indeed pose a health risk to the brain. Due to the small amount of subjects however a larger study is being done with 3,000 subjects with results due out late in 2009.

While it is not good to fall into a hysteria over every study, enough studies have been done on microwaves to prove that microwaves themselves can indeed pose serious health risks. Cell phones emit microwaves, it’s simple as that.

The FDA claims that cell phones pose no real serious threat to the public however the FDA allows drugs each year to be administered to the public that later get recalled for their dangerous side effects. Common sense will show you that the FDA is not always right when it comes to our safety, so using the FDA as a reliable source for safety information is not my first choice. I prefer to listen to the scientists rather than a government agency that in my opinion is flawed.

Without going into a panic and trashing your cell phone there are some steps to help reduce your microwave exposure from your cellular device. Following these steps may not entirely eliminate the risks but can significantly reduce them.

Step One - Trash Your Analog Phone

Okay, so I said don’t go trashing your cell phone in a panic. All I can say is oops. If you are using an analog cell phone you are increasing your microwave exposure by up to three times the normal compared to digital cell phone usage. If you have a concern for your health you will want to switch to a digital phone which has been shown to have a significant decrease in microwave exposure compared to analog.

Step Two - Use an Ear Piece or Bluetooth

This step has an obvious benefit. By using an ear piece you are directing the microwave exposure away from your head where the vulnerable area of the brains have been shown to have the risk factors. Ear pieces are fairly inexpensive ($20.00) and are considered more acceptable for driving use as well. Many laws have been passed requiring the use of earpieces during driving due to safety concerns so you actually are getting two birds with one stone here. Your cell phone may have even came with an ear piece already so now is the time to dust that baby off and take it for a run. Bluetooth can be pricier but the quality of communication is enhanced for talking in respects to earpieces.

Step Three - Check Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

SAR is the amount of radio waves absorbed by your body through cell phone use. The FCC has a regulation standard of 1.6 watts or lower per kilogram of flesh weight. Cnet did some recent research on actual SAR levels with cell phones and these were the overall winners for the lowest SAR levels:

CELL PHONE LIMIT SAR 1.6

LG KG800 SAR 0.135
Motorola Razr V3x SAR 0.14
Nokia 9300 SAR 0.21
Nokia N90 SAR 0.22
Samsung SGH-G800 SAR 0.23
Samsung Sync SGH-A707 SAR 0.236
Nokia 7390 SAR 0.26
Samsung SGH-T809 SAR 0.32
Samsung SGH-E910 SAR 0.33
Motorola Razr2 V8 SAR 0.36

Step Four - Don’t Give Kids Cell Phones

With so many studies and controversy over the cell phone slash brain cancer issue it is best to not have a young developing child own a cell phone. This is somewhat problematic because a cell phone can actually increase safety in respect to emergencies and parent to child contact. I say if you must give a child a cell phone make sure they use earpieces, have a cell phone lowest on the SAR level, and limit their use to emergencies.

Step Four - Reduce Usage

We have become reliant on our cell phones and perhaps it’s time we start using them less. This of course is a personal decision and relies on how important this issue is to you. Some call the issue a media scare while others claim it’s an urgent health issue. As a free American it is up to you to decide from the facts if a cell phone is causing you harm. I always say better safe than sorry and you have to admit, how urgent are most of your cell phone calls?

VoIP has been marketed as the affordable alternative to traditional land line calling since it first started being advertised in commercials years ago. As a stand alone product the pricing seems too good to pass up, especially with the promise of quality voice communications for less but is it really an affordable option that anyone can afford?

The technology of broadband phone typically allows for calls to be made domestically for one small monthly fee throughout the country on the most popular calling plans and usually has very low international rates associated with the plan as well. Technology has allowed for better voice quality so that you never even notice a difference between VoIP service and your old phone line. It is a great advancement for consumers and businesses worldwide looking to make calls for less, or is it?

VoIP is the abbreviated terminology for Voice over Internet Protocol. The keyword to look for in this definition of VoIP is Internet. The word Internet means that this technology cannot be accessed without an Internet connection and while it may not seem like much, the word Internet in relation to VoIP is everything.

The truth is, in reality it will only be as affordable as the Internet providers will allow. Your Internet connection or the lack of thereof is a pricing factor that must not be forgotten when considering the move from traditional phone service to broadband phone. You need a minimum of 90 Kbps upload and download speed to run VoIP from your Internet but if you use your computer for browsing the web with the service you may find you need a lot of bandwidth to function while talking over your service.

Some companies such as Packet8 use compression technology that better enable communications with less bandwidth usage meaning you may not need to beef up your broadband access to utilize the services. Some companies like Vonage however it is necessary to make sure you have the required bandwidth if not more to use services uninterrupted.

If you do not have Internet access then you will want to consider getting it and it is recommended you go high speed. The common problem with high speed is not usually the costs of Internet but what you have to purchase in addition to Internet.

Cable high speed Internet usually requires the purchase of television cable services as well. Do you watch much television or want cable television in your home? You might have to consider that option if you are wanting cable Internet.

With DSL the usual option requires a phone land line to your place of residency and that creates a whole new set of problems. You are wanting to replace your old service not combine it with VoIP. You end up paying for a land line and monthly broadband phone fees.

If you are a business and have many phone lines, you will find that if you previously subscribed to simple DSL services you may need to upgrade to a T1 or T3 line.

The costs can skyrocket dramatically when adding additional services to achieve the goal of just one. You will have to think it over before changing or you may find you are wasting extra money or paying more than you were before the switch. Gather your current bills together and do some price searching and find out if it really will make sense to switch to VoIP technology.

Cell phones are one of the fastest moving areas of modern technology; with all the functions available on the latest models, choosing the right one just becomes harder. Buyers need help with this problem so they make the correct choice and not end up with a phone they don’t need; some interesting buying facts are supplied in this article.

Many people use up every last drop of energy before they recharge and this really is to be avoided. Leaving the recharging to last minute like this, over an extended period means the battery will need to be replaced earlier than it needs to be, and these cell phone batteries are quite expensive.

While there are a number of methods that can help extend the life of your cell phone battery, one really easy way is to lower the brightness of the screen back light. It doesn’t normally have to be at full intensity for you to see what’s on the screen. When the phone is operational, it is constantly searching for a signal which is ok when there is good signal strength but if this is lost, it still tries to find a signal using more power and draining the cell phone battery in the process; the same way that long conversations do. The longer you talk the more power you will use; limit your usage of cell phone games or Internet browsing as these are high users of battery power even though you’re not actually talking.

You will often find that wallpapers, ring tones and images that are downloaded automatically will have a charge even though this is not mentioned at the start so be aware. As far as children are concerned, parents should look for a facility where they can disable this feature or ensure that only the parent can order them.

Cell phone plans are generally available where you pay only when it is used or through a contract that supplies a pre-agreed amount of minutes per month. It really does depend on the type of user you are as infrequent users benefit from the ‘pay per use’ plans. Users who make frequent calls will undoubtedly find a contact with a set amount of minutes the better of the two options available. Consider the features you want, as long-term plans often have more features for less money or even as a bonus, at no charge; so ask if all your features, such as caller ID, will work when roaming.

Some plans do not include roaming charges which is something to consider if you travel a great deal as it could dramatically increase the cost. Steer clear of a contract that does not supply the phone with an insurance warranty as you could be liable for any costs if it were stolen or inadvertently damaged.

If you decide to buy your cell phone on the Internet, make sure it is not an old or outgoing model unless you do not mind of course; otherwise you may find it doesn’t have all the features you want included.

So the cell phone industry has blossomed into a gigantic gorilla that instead of taking loads of bananas from the public seems to give them out. You are bombarded everyday with free cell phone this and free accessories that. These promotions always seem great and too good to be true much of the time but what really counts in the whole deal is your calling plan.

What calling plan you decide to sign up for will be the most important decision in all of your wireless purchases being you will be paying monthly for whatever calling plan you choose. While calling plans will vary in prices and minutes the real outcome of a good cheap calling plan will rely on you and how you choose to use your phone.

While thinking of calling plans for your cell phone(s) there is more to put into consideration than just calling. There was a time when calling plan meant making phone calls, but now technology has graced the consumer public with advanced usage options such as email, texting, Internet, walkie talkie, ringtone downloads, and more. If adding people to your plan, expect to see that usage utilized by the other parties involved.

When signing up for a plan you will want to ask yourself what kind of usage your lifestyle will put into your wireless calling minutes. Put some of these questions into consideration:

* How much do I need to talk on a mobile device?
* Do I have to commute great distances often?
* How many family members or business associates will be on the plan?
* What are the calling habits of the other members I will add to the plan?
* Will I need to do any text messaging?
* Will I need to access email away from a computer?
* How often will I need to talk to the members included in my plan?

In the questions you will notice I mention the word NEED not WANT. In your quest for a cheap cellular calling plan you will have to rely more on needs than wants. Wants can become a ravenous pig that consumes your budget and hogs up enough money to fund a spring vacation in one year alone in respect to wireless plans. You want to focus on bare minimums when considering your calling plan if going the route of cheap.

If you commute often or are in a bad reception area for your service you will have to put roaming charges into consideration. Many wireless providers offer free roaming in their pricier packages but if you think you will not end up accessing other networks while using your cell phone the gamble shouldn’t be too risky to opt out of a package with free roaming.

If you plan on adding other people to your wireless plan you will want to consider if you will be calling the involved parties frequently. If you will be then you might do better with an unlimited phone to phone calling plan to help reduce costs.

There are many calling plans out there with various pricing structures but the ultimate decision of cheap will rely on you. Focus on what you will need and not what you will want and you might find that you have created your own cheap calling plan for yourself without the help of a provider.

One of the more recent ways to personalize your phone is to have an individual cellular phone ring tone; I doubt if anyone could have predicted just how popular this would become. Of course this does make your phone just that little bit different from the guy next to you. The devices and software becoming available to ensure that you are able to install these ring tones is becoming numerous and easier to use.

Transferring files from one device to another was a problem at first but thanks to ring tone converters, that is no longer the problem it once was. Converters do more than just transfer the sound file because they also help to download them from sites.

To ensure no-one misses out the cellular phone ring tone converters can be used with phones from virtually all manufacturers. Some older or more basic models may not have a built in programs but it may still be possible for you to use the existing phones music creator. Over time, cable connections and even wireless free infrared are becoming obsolete with newer ring tone converters using other methods to transfer files between phones.

Cell phones with built in sound composers are becoming the new way to have that individual sound. This is not as gimmicky as you think with many really good ring tones having started out as a creation of someone with a ring tone composer. The latest software also has this capability so there is no need to worry about creating a cellular phone ring tone if it does not have a composer.

Sounds that can be sued on phones are also available at an ever increasing number of internet web sites which now cater for the almost insatiable desire for this new craze. Some sites download the ring tone via SMS, others with the converter and some still use the old fashioned way of downloading it to your personal computer.

Whatever you want to do, there is a great deal of choice now with Internet sites, friends or you can do it yourself. Having a cellular phone ring tone and wallpaper is a good idea; however, you may first check your phone before you even think of adding anything new because editing and downloading sound files may require software that your cellular phone model does not support.

One major online company that offers 100% free ringtones is Myxer. They allow you to browse songs over the Internet and decide which song best suits you. They have songs arranged by genre and while they are not from major artists you can find some great new music and have a ringtone of the new artist on your cell phone.

In order to use Myxer and other sites you typically have to just enter your cell phone number that you want the ringtone to be delivered to and they send it. You will need to be able to access the Internet from your phone so if you have an older phone then this type of ringtone downloading may not work for you.