Cell Phone Makers Patent "Brain Shields"

CyberLeader writes: "An article in the UK Times is reporting that cell phone manufacturers have patented 'brain shields,' or components intended to reduce the stray EM radiation that might enter your noggin from your phone. This despite their consistent claims that cell phone radiation is harmless."

Comments

This isn't new!

[Anonymous Coward]

The paranoid have been using these for years ;-)

They'll patent anything that sells more phones

[Smack]

The argument was never that the phones didn't produce radiation. It was that the radiation wasn't harmful, and didn't cause brain tumors.

Does that mean you can't create something that will block the radiation? Of course not. Will it prevent brain tumors? Of course not. Will it sell more phones to people who are afraid of tumors? Yes. Is it better to have a patent on it so your competitors can't sell phones with the same feature? Of course.

It's all about the benjamins, baby.

Sheesh life is a risk

[sstrick]

Using a cell phone might be dangerous. It might not. Research seems to indicate that it is not dangerous but research has been wrong before. In other words by using a mobile phone you are taking a risk.

You are also taking a risk crossing the road, eating your meals (in case you choke) and performing basically any act in your life. Get over it. I like using a cell phone so I am prepared to take this risk. This reminds me about an email I received today about how Americans (I am American) are not prepared to except the consequences of taking risks anymore and feel that everything is someone elses fault. Enjoy:

(note: I don't take any credit for this)

Let's see if I understand how America works lately . . .

If a woman burns her thighs on the hot coffee she was holding in her
lap while driving, she blames the restaurant

If your teen-age son kills himself, you blame the rock 'n' roll
music
or musician he liked.

If you smoke three packs a day for 40 years and die of lung cancer,
your family blames the tobacco company.

If your daughter gets pregnant by the football captain you
blame the school for poor sex education.

If your neighbor crashes into a tree while driving home drunk, you
blame the bartender.

If your cousin gets AIDS because the needle he used to shoot up with
heroin was dirty, you blame the government for not providing clean
ones.

If your grandchildren are brats without manners, you blame
television.

If a deranged madman shoots your friend, you blame the gun
manufacturer.

And if a crazed person breaks into the cockpit and tries to kill the
pilots at 35,000 feet, and the passengers kill him instead, the
mother
of the deceased blames the airline.

Re:Well, wouldn't you?

[nick_davison]

Half of your customer base is completely paranoid that your product is crashing regularly, but they still insist on using your product.

Do you:

a) Do nothing, listen to them whine. b) "Fix" your product. Get sued when someone "discovers" that it isn't fixed. c) Create a New Technology version that will "protect" the people. If the harm still exists, you are now profiting TWICE on the paranoid people.

So, it looks like the IT industry is filtering in to the rest of the world then.

OTOH, the cigarette companies...

[The Monster]

...gave their customers the option of filtered cancer sticks decades ago.