Category: Cell Phones

According to Meredith David and James Roberts (2017), “It is ironic that cell phones, originally designed as a communication tool, may actually hinder rather than foster interpersonal connectedness”. Even though this wonderful device was initially created for communication can create a communication gap among users. Hence, cell phones hurt as well as help friendships.

Relationships and technology are far two different concepts. One is emotional and requires feelings whereas the other is technical and more logical. The growth in technology has increased the usage of cell phones which as a result has increased human communication. These days most of us use our phones all the time, even during meals and family functions. Cell phone has become an indispensable tool in people’s life.

Cell phones help individual connection as well as disconnects us from the immediate surroundings. For instance, during weddings or family functions, individuals these days use their phones to the extent of annoying the people right beside them by not attending them. Besides that, children feel disregarded if their parents keep working and texting their workmates on their phones. Hence, the use of cell phones is enslaving because it often results in misunderstanding due to a lack of communication and interaction. It has become a natural human tendency to check phones every minute or two. ‘Phubbing’ is a term defined as when one is constantly looking at his or her phone instead of spending time with the people around.

Nowadays, everyone spends a lot of time on social media instead of working towards their goals and aspirations. Also, social media helps people get to know their friendships and relationship. The applications such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat etc. give notifications of people one might know. It makes people’s social circles bigger. We can get more information from social media about our friends. The social activities can be posted on the Internet which will let more people meet each other. It gives a chance for people to have freedom and talk through texting. For example, students on-campus should get into more and more conversations, because everyone has a different point of view. Talking and giving time to one and another builds creative ability. Hence, people use cell phones and social media to share their ideas to let more people know about it.

This topic is very relative to our real day to day life. Even though this seems to be casual, it is very much important to spread awareness. Moreover, it is very controversial, and each person has a different point of view. During the interview, the person interviewed could relate to his or her own personal experiences which made it much easier for him or her to answer the questions. A survey was conducted around campus. The interviews were conducted at the union, the residence halls and the library. The interviews were on random basis. People interviewed were staff and students (international and American). Fourteen individuals were interviewed. Views on topics such as the amount of time spent on cellphones, important aspects of healthy relationships, usage of phone during family time, notifications, face-to-face interaction were interviewed. Most of the students and adults spend about 4 to 8 hours on their cell phones each and every day. The interviewed folks believe that communication, trust, and mutual understanding are the most important aspects of healthy relationships. The impact of technology on relationships is both positive as well as negative. The effects are that it pulls away people from one’s direct life as well as brings distant people closer. Most of the people answered that they do not use their phones during family time. They believe that if they get an important call, they excuse themselves, apologize and then attend the call or message. Relationships can be strengthened if the counterparts keep their issues to themselves and try to understand one another’s viewpoints. The results of the survey were impressive and people related to things very deeply and explained well. Surprisingly, international students, as well as American students, had similar thoughts on this topic.

These studies show how distracted people are on their phones. This adds a lot of pressure and problems. Individuals who are addicted to their phones are leaving out on the most important things in life such as family and friends. Technology is no doubt beneficial, hence we need to understand tech for the future, manage time and not misuse the growth in technology. Quality time is very important for one and all.

Most of the people believe that cell phones cause a communication gap. International students believe that cell phones are a beneficial source as they help them communicate with their distant family and friends. It creates a link for them and connects them. Social media is very distracting as if one gets addicted to it and loses all their focus i.e. their own real life. Cell phones and social media create opportunities for introverts to interact and make friends. In our survey question, there is about the most important aspects of healthy relationship. We asked people, most people said it is communication. If we use the technology properly, it will give us more the maximum benefit. This project reminded people to spend more time in real life rather than on electronic devices. It also left some individuals in surprise when they realized that they aren’t living their present life and are addicted to their cell phones. This project also made us reflect ourselves because it gave us more insight and in-depth understanding of this issue.

In conclusion, the usage of cell phones has pros as well as cons on relationships. Cell phones help distant friendships to stay connected but harm the real friends who are right in the very immediate surroundings. Cell phones, a major branch, and growth in technology hurts and well as helps friendships. One should be responsible and know how to manage the two different worlds. Positive uses are entertainment and work which is convenient. Negative uses such as social media can lead to depression and anxiety due to misuse as well as false perception. Hence one should be very mindful while using these sources. We cannot get rid of the electronic devices because they have helped many major industries in growth and development. There is no going back and therefore we can try to balance our two worlds.

Most teenagers are obsessed with their cellular phones and as time passes the number of teenagers who are fully engaged with their phones are slowly increasing and it is very alarming. Back in the older times where life was simple the only means of communication are through the word of mouth and letters but as our society improved so did our ways of communication. In the present time, with the help of technology, communication is now made easier with the invention of cellular phones. On the downside the contribution of the invention of this device to society is not all just pros but it also has cons. The generation of millennials, also known as the ‘Generation Z’, are mostly exposed and dependent on technology and as time passed it is indeed noticeable that there is an over usage of cellular phones particularly in teenagers. In the modern days, most teenagers are somehow addicted to their cellular phones to the point where they would not like it if their cellular phones are not with them or even the thought of spending a day without using the mentioned device can spark an argument between parent and child with that said this is bad for the teenagers in many ways. The effects of the over usage of cellular phones to teenagers can be observed through the following: their health, social interaction, and education.

One of the effects of the over usage of cellular phones to teenagers can be evidently seen in their health, not only to their physical health but also to their mental health. The over usage of cellphones has a lot of effects on both their physical and mental health. Examples of the physical effects to their health are changes in sleep patterns or lack of sleep and losing interest in activities they once found enjoyable. As one who is prone to the over usage of their phone tend to use the device regularly or even till the break of dawn they are often experiencing lack of sleep and changes in sleep patterns which are not good for their health especially for growing teenagers. Lack of sleep for teenagers can cause shift in hormones and may affect both behavior and brain development. Self-control is also affected due to lack of sleep as your state of mind is not proper anymore because of your body not getting enough rest. As per losing interest in activities this can be from different reasons. One may lose interest in activities they once found enjoyable if they are either influenced with what they keep seeing on their cellular phones or since they are too focused on their mobile device that they spend too much time using it they tend to put using the device as their priority instead of the things that they used to often do which may cause lack of exercise which is really bad for their health. Examples for the mental effects to their health are experiencing anxiety or depression and experiencing ‘phantom vibration syndrome’. They may be able to experience anxiety or depression due to bad influences or judgements that they may get or receive from social media sites when using their cellular phones. Since social media sites are platforms for free expression anything can be posted there may it be bad or good and this affects the user of these sites. Phantom vibration syndrome is a syndrome which causes one to check his or her cellular phone due to the feeling that it has vibrated or rung when it actually did not, one may be able to experience this due to too much exposure or obsession towards their mobile device. Our health is the one of the most important things that we should treasure but experiencing such effects can take a huge toll to our health.

The social interaction that one has with other people is also affected by the over usage of cellular phones. Teenagers nowadays are focused on the different social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and many other applications that fulfills or supplies their social enjoyment. Statistically speaking, Amanda Lenhart, an author from a study from the Pew Research Center about the Internet and technology that was posted on the 9th of April 2015, states that 24% or nearly ¼ of all the teenagers go online ‘almost constantly’ or regularly. The mentioned applications also allow them interact with their friends and family, especially those who are living far away from them, however these applications that are supposed to help them interact with people are also the reason why they lack ‘real’ social interactions. Lack of physical or ‘real’ interaction with people can also cause psychological effects to one’s well-being as interaction with people is actually what keeps one sane. There has been an article that increasingly talked about the downside to one being constantly attached to a cellular phone, this is called phubbing or ‘phone snubbing’. Phone snubbing is a trend that is sadly evident to the modern world. Phone snubbing is basically described as looking at a cell phone or any mobile device rather than interacting people or the person that you are with. The problem may start when you check your cellular phone for texts and email every few minutes or several times an hour, as all these ‘just going to check my cell phone for a while’ moments add up to a large amount of time that one has spent on the mobile device instead of interacting with people and research shows that it can be the reason why there is a damage towards your relationship with other people such as your partner and may also possibly harm your bond with your family members (Legg, 2018). According to Lee (2019), using phones may cause an addiction that can make you lose time that you are supposed to be spending with your family, may it be your partner or your children, and you may not even realize it which means that it is indeed true that over usage of cellular phones can cause conflicts with other people since not only Legg (2018) has mentioned it, but also Lee (2019).

Education is also heavily affected with the over usage of cellular phones. Education is important as it serves as our guide to success in the future but the usage of cellular phones may be a hindrance to proper and high education. There are many negative effects of the over usage of cellular phones in the education of teenagers. Examples of negative effects of the over usage of cellular phones to the education of teenagers are loss of sleep, distraction and grades. The loss of sleep which was also discussed earlier does not only affect their health but also affects their education because the teenager who over-uses his or her cellular phone might be late in school the other day or even sleep during class discussions causing them to not understand what they are supposed to learn. Teenagers having their cellular phones with them during class hours may cause them to become distracted from the class discussion. Teens are prone to distractions with cellphones because even inside of the classroom students are prone to become distracted from the lessons due to the temptations to text, play games or check their different social media accounts (Heath Wright, n.d.). The grades are also affected due to over usage of cell phones as some of the teenagers who over-use their phones have grades that are mostly average. According to Hess (2019), students, who are enrolled in schools with phone bans, earned higher test scores than those, who are enrolled in schools without phone bans. It is not only due to the dependence on the cellular device but also due to the temptation of cheating by searching for answers during quizzes or examinations. The presence of phones during the times where one should study sure does have an effect on one’s effectivity to function properly.

It is indeed very alarming that most teenagers are obsessed with their cellular phones which causes bad things to happen to themselves through their health, social interactions and even their education. There are many more effects of the over usage of cellular phones, the effects mentioned where only some of the many effects, but this can serve as a warning to not only those who are involved or to the teenagers but to everyone else. Since it can be observed that the over usage of phones really does have a bad effect on one’s health, social interactions and education one should be responsible whether you are a teenager or a parent. One must be able to know how to regulate their usage of not only cellular phones but all the different devices to be able to have good health, enough social interactions and proper education. Everything, whatever it may be, that is too much can be bad for us so make sure to regulate and have self-discipline to avoid problems.

There is a problem that plagues our society, unresolved it could be our downfall, it challenges our future as a civilization. What is this problem? Our technology or rather our overuse of the technological marvels that we carry around with us every day, mobile phones. We’ve all heard the claims that phones can contribute to a reduced attention span but did you know that overuse can also lead to infertility and much more, or can they? Some would lead you to believe the answer is indubitably yes! But are they giving the full picture? Is it even possible that these issues are byproducts of our phones or are they really just the wonder and revolution in telecommunications that they seem to be?

One of the main reasons as to why some say cell phones are so harmful to our health is because of the emission blue light from the screens. Naturally blue light comes from the sun and it helps our brains regulate our circadian rhythms (our sleep and wake cycles). During the day blue light tells our brains that we should be up and about, increasing attention and energy levels. In this form blue light is harmless but it is when the light comes from an artificial source such as our beloved phones that it starts to cause real damage. Blue light reduces the melatonin in our brains, the hormone that regulates the amount and the quality of sleep we get each night. So, when we stare at a screen for hours, we force our body to cut back on the amount of good sleep we can get. So, when you’re staring at your phone at twelve thirty and say that you’ll go to bed in 5 minutes, then 5 minutes comes around and you just can’t manage to get yourself to sleep. This is because of the artificial blue light that is emitted off of your screens. now this doesn’t sound too bad, what’s a few rough sleeps in sacrifice of finishing that Netflix show? But when your body starts producing less melatonin over a period of time, it will then set these levels of as default naturally producing less, even if you stop using your phone trapping you in a sleepless cycle. This effect is greatly worsened if you’re a child as your body may never learn to produce correct amounts of melatonin if overexposed to screens. Another dangerous effect of blue light is that it can greatly reduce your levels of sight due to over exposure, a loss of central vision is a condition that is normally only linked to aging but the use of phones is contributing to increasingly poor vision at younger ages. It goes without saying that lack of sleep and loss of vision are both extremely harmful for the body so you have to ask yourself is that Netflix show really worth it?

Another reason as to why people call for the downfall of the cell phone is the effect that they can indirectly have on children and adolescents. Social media has become second nature to the world’s youth, with Instagram having over 500 million active users daily, 73% of people aged 13 to 17 having mobile phones and 24% of those saying they’re on them constantly. It has become somewhat expected that children will spend multiple hours just scrolling and scrolling. Now this does of course have effects on children physically that are somewhat similar to that of blue light but there are other psychological effects, deeper effects. Dr Donna Wick, a New York times best seller found that teens that are on their devices too much may be classified as ‘socially disabled’. This is because with adolescents being such a formative time in a person’s life, spending the majority of the interactions done by talking through their phones and being more comfortable communicating with emojis rather than sentences, it leads to some teenagers never learning the correct social skills needed to function in face-to-face interactions and not being able to pick up on certain facial expressions, body language or social queues. These effects are detrimental to the development of humans as this can render children paralyzed in fear in the face of situations that they find unfamiliar and uncomfortable.

Although others will put their reputations on the line claiming that phones should be eradicated completely others wholeheartedly argue that they are nothing but technological wonders of the modern world. It is true that technology has progressed so far that we are basically carrying little supercomputers with us every day, that have the ability to unlock unlimited knowledge with the tap of a screen, and people are taking full advantage of this with 51% of British phone owners over the age of 18 saying that they use their devices daily to access information quickly when they need to know something right away. Phones, if used in the correct manner allow us as a race to run as smoothly and efficiently as possible, as we are spending less time working something out or recalling information and more time being on the task at hand. Phones also allow us to not only gather other information but to share our own in real time, a revolution from the years gone by where it would take an upwards of days to get a letter sent or to keep in touch with family and friends, as we can now transfer Full HD videos in a matter of seconds.

Nobody can deny the convenience that cell phones bring and nowadays kids will always be reminded by their parents how easy they have it because of growing up in an age centred around convenience. With phones being able to connect with each other in nanoseconds they can make almost every aspect of life easier from navigation and photography to running a business and online banking. Imagine a world without the improvements brought by the cell phone. It’s a dull and dreary existence having to do all the mundane tasks that are completely avoided by the use of cell phones, want to check your bank balance? That will take a trip in the car to your nearest bank, want to send a message to your loved ones? You’ll need a stamp, want to listen to your favorite artist’s new song? Better get a CD player. Almost every task, both business and leisure, is made far simpler and can be done in a matter of seconds by the use of this marvel of technological advancement.

Overall, there are many benefits that the cell phone brings us, but as with all good things it comes with a price, a price of sleepless nights and children never growing up with the proper social lessons they need. Do I believe this price is worth the paying? I wish I could give a definite answer, but with both arguments being very complex I think the best solution would be a compromise, lessen the use of cell phones especially that of children and adolescents, but still allow people to make their own minds up on how much time then spend on their devices. But if I were to be forced to choose between eradicating cell phones all together or letting things continue on their current path, I would have to allow cell phones to have an increasing presence in our lives. The overuse of cell phones does slow down our progress, as the human race our progress would be completely halted and reversed if we got rid of our beloved pocket supercomputers.

Technology has made a huge impact on our society over the years. Numerous inventions have reformed how we work, live and interact with others but at what cost? Before cell phones came into existence many could testify that their social lives were more delightful. One might find it hysterical that a gadget which was supposed to foster communication between individuals from several part of the world only ended up putting more distance between people? Not only did it affect people’s communication but their norms and safety which brings us to the recent debate about the use of phones increasing one’s risk of acquiring cancer. Are there health issues associated with this technology? As much as we would like to believe that cellphones could cause no radiological harm to the human body, the truth isn’t what one would expect.

There are several articles which argues that phones in no way causes cancer, but can we take our time to explore if they are completely certain? Majority of these articles try to explain using physics and Einstein’s theory which debunked the notion that the energy of a wave was proportional to its intensity hence, “the more intense the light (or cell phone wave) the more their energy content, and the more readily they might break a chemical bond” (Cramer, 2011). Or they go on to blame the retrospective bias of case-control subjects. No one nor can any article firmly attest that there is no cause for alarm, this leads to the conclusion that the overuse of cell phone could indeed increase one’s risk of having cancer.

It’s extensively known that today’s smartphones have more computing power than all of NASA did when it started sending astronauts to the moon. Mobile phones were made to work faster than human speed and perform several functions over a short amount of time. They could even search for data from several parts of the world within seconds of typing up questions in a search bar. However, how they accomplish these prodigious tasks is all due to its power source, lithium ion. Lithium ion can be very harmful to not just humans but the environment as well yet, it powers majority of our cell phones, tablets and even computers – we all have it on our hands! It is also useful to note that lithium battery failure and overheating could result in a process called ‘thermal runaway’, which is a reaction that occurs within the battery that causes its internal temperature and pressure to rise.

According to a recent article by Tufts School of Engineering, once one battery cell goes into thermal runaway, it produces enough heat to cause adjacent battery cells to also go into thermal runaway. This produces a fire that repeatedly flares up as each battery cell in turn ruptures and releases its contents. An enormous issue is that these fires can’t be treated like ‘normal’ fires and require specific training, planning, storage, and extinguishing interventions. While lithium battery fires might not be ‘more’ dangerous, they are very different and uniquely dangerous. This warning is enough to tell us that mobile phones might not be as safe as they might seem.

Incidents involving lithium battery fires are also everywhere especially during holiday seasons. The lithium batteries in hover boards were responsible for so many house fires that Amazon had to quit selling them for a while. In phones, Angelou (2018) points out that “in some cases, batteries would release hot gases, which were enough to cause burns”. Although this information is unknown to several individuals, the Department of Homeland security took it seriously and enforced a rule which placed a ban on device in airplane cabins. Instead, passengers were required to store their smartphones and laptops in their luggage.

The surprising fact is that no one else seems concerned about this issue. Nevertheless, one thing a lot of people can attest to is having their phones overheat while using them for an amount of time. A number of high-profile incidents have raised concerns about the safety of lithium-ion batteries like in 2017 when Samsung experienced significant complications as the batteries in the Galaxy Note 7 experienced severe overheating problems (Angelou, 2018). This cost the company billions of dollars and was caused by irregularly sized lithium-ion batteries. There have also been several reported cases of phones explosions. This sadly ended up taking the lives of some of the affected individuals.

Smart phones have been gaining popularity since its invention throughout the nineties. In America, there are over 400 million cell phone users and 5.15 billion cell phone users worldwide (Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, 2018). The arrival and widespread use of cell phones has piqued the interest of the health effects of radio frequencies in the human body. Various substances like radiation, asbestos, and tamoxifen in our environment have been identified as cancer-causing agent. However, none of these chemicals were actually acknowledged as carcinogens until numerous people contracted cancer after being exposed to them.

Cell phones are known to emit certain type of radiation even though their effects are still moderately known. When turned on, cell phones emit radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation continually, even if they are not being actively used, because they are constantly communicating with cell towers. Radio frequencies are a form of electrical waves used to transmit signals in telecommunications services like radios, television, cellular telephones, microwaves and radars.

Radio frequencies are emitted from a transmitter and are received via an antenna which restricts them geographically to small zones called ‘сells’. Each cell has a base station capable of sending and receiving radio waves. When a call starts, a signal leaves the phone heads to the closest base station. This station answers by allocating a specific channel to the unit. When this channel is established, regulated radio frequency signals are both received and transmitted. The head of the user is in the near field of use because the distance from the antenna to the head is a few centimeters (Blettner & Berg, 2000). The amount of radio frequency a person receives is related to various factors and just not the location of the antenna. Some factors which can increase the level of radio frequency are the number of cells, the distance to the base station and the obstacles between the caller and the station. The number of cell zones varies according to the population of the area the user is situated at. Heavily populated zones have more cells which allows for more communication traffic.

Recently, several researches have been carried out to give a definite on if cell phones can break bonds and cause genetic damage which would cause a cancerous tumor to grow.

Although some individuals believe that radio waves do not cause such harm to the body due to electromagnetic radio waves being weak, exposure to any kind of radiation is never safe. Radio waves might not affect the human body immediately, but after an extended duration of time the effects are bound to reveal.

Cell phones can increase the risk of cancer due to the effects of radiation on brain cells, which is also hazardous when absorbed by the tissues in the body. It starts when the phone is held close to the head, this in turn increases the activity of brain cells on that side of the head. And causes people to have symptoms that leads to uncontrollable health disabilities. The tissues in the body that absorb radiation can also pose a threat to the body. This is because the radiation can enable the formation of tumors to take effect in the body especially if they are constantly exposed to the radiation energy for a long period of time. This is why people should limit their usages on their cell phones throughout the day and keep their phone as far away from their body as possible when making a call to reduce any risk of cancer from the radiation.

To further understand how cell phone radiation can impact our health, researchers, had to work with organisms like mice and rats of both sexes and different weights. This $25 million experiment started about 10 years ago at the request of the United States Food and Drug Administration. The National Toxicology Program (2018) dosed rats and mice of both sexes with RF radiation at either 1.5, 3 or 6 watts of radiation per kilogram of body weight, or w/kg for 7 days per week continuing throughout gestation and lactation for two years. The exposures were reeled up steadily as the animals grew, so the absorbed doses per unit body weight remained constant over time. At the end of the study malignant schwannoma was detected in the male rats. This study provided the strongest prove that connected tumors in living organism to cell phone radio frequency radiation.

The scientists also reported higher rates of lymphoma as well as cancers affecting the prostate, skin, lung, liver and brain in the exposed rats. They state that the cancers rate increased as the doses got higher. At the end the results of the study were reviewed by a panel of experts during a three-day meeting and they concluded there was ‘clear evidence’ linking radio frequency radiation with heart schwannomas and ‘some evidence’ linking it to gliomas of the brain which occur in humans.

Likewise, few epidemiology studies have stated that they observed higher rates of tumors inside the skull of people who use cell phones heavily for 10 years or more. Most of the cells they found are the benign Schwann cell tumors called acoustic neuromas, which affect nerve cells that connects the inner ear to structures inside the brain. Sometimes these growths of benign tumors can evolve to malignant cancer.

Some studies also enrolled individuals who already had tumors with suspected links to radio frequency radiation, like gliomas, meningioma, acoustic neuromas and salivary gland tumors. All the epidemiology studies, however, have troubling limitations hence most of them were ruled as inconclusive. The main issue was that enrolled subjects often do not report their cell phone use habits accurately on questionnaires which led to bias in the obtained results.

In conclusion, cancer can be triggered by radiation produced by cell phones. Even if majority of the experiments which were carried out to prove this observation were ruled as inconclusive there is still a need to be cautious of our cell phones usage. Also, stricter laws and guidelines should be implemented in the cell phone industries in order to prevent future overheating incidents like that of Samsung’s which could have been avoided with more efficient safety checks. This would also ensure humans remain safe.

With technology advancing rapidly than our ability to study its possible health hazards. It is important for individuals to be aware of the risks that are associated with a cell phone.

Introduction

In recent decades, mobile phones have become more and more important. The cell phone is a kind of communication tool with many functions. In this changing era, the advantages of mobile phones in some aspects even surpass other carriers such as newspapers, and it has become a prominent fourth media. More than 400,000,000 people in this world have a cell phone. People can do a lot of things easily through mobile phones like play games, call others, learn new things, etc. People are also more and more dependent on mobile phones while many people even have phone addiction. Due to cell phones become the part that we cannot abandon, are cell phones harm us in any way? The answer is positive.

First of all, cell phones may bring many bring much pain to us in various ways. The National Toxicology Program study found the radiation may damage our DNA which can change the composition or structure of chemical bonds in DNA. Although there are not 100% sure about cell phone radiation could possibly cause cancer believed by most physicists, it still better if we can pay more attention to it. According to the California Department of Public Health, “some laboratory experiments and human health studies have suggested the possibility that long-term, high use of cell phones may be linked to certain types of cancer and other health effects”. Excessive cell phones use may be associated with hearing loss, ringing in the ears, headaches, and increased symptoms of thumb arthritis. When we use phones, we will strain neck muscles and may lead to knots or spasms, and even lead to nerve pain that radiates to the back, shoulders, or down the arms.

Additionally, cell phones have countless germs which catty 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats (discovered by scientists at the University of Arizona). Some people do not care about the bacteria on the cell phone because they can’t see any dirty things on the phone. However, the virus is hard to see through our eyes because it is too tiny. They actually exist and we have to be careful about them. Cell phone harbors viruses and bacteria like E. coli that can make people sick and uncomfortable. A study found more than 17,000 bacterial gene copies on the phones of high school students. According to the survey, there are 120000 bacteria per square centimeter on the cell phone. According to this calculation, there are at least millions of bacteria in the whole cell phone. The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine conducted a sample survey of 390 people’s mobile phones and hands in 12 cities in the UK. It was found that 92% of mobile phones were contaminated with bacteria, and some even contained more than 1000 kinds of microorganisms. It is so horrible for us to live with these bacteria every day while they will harm us in every second.

On the top of it, the blue light emitted by mobile phones with shorter wavelengths can cause health damage. Blue light can cause heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and other health conditions. It may also damage the cornea and impact vision of us. Harmful blue light has very high energy, which can penetrate the lens to the retina and cause atrophy or even death of retinal pigment epithelial cells. The death of photosensitive cells will lead to the loss of vision, which is irreversible. When we play with phones, our eyeballs are in a state of tension for a long time, causing visual fatigue, which may lead to people’s myopia deepening, diplopia, concentration failure, and other symptoms, affecting people’s learning and work efficiency. Eyes are an important organ for us while it is the window we see this world, and we have to protect them.

To sum up, cell phones are dangerous to people and it will bring much harm to us. As I stated above, mobile phones may cause great harm to our body and mind in many ways. However, it is hard for people to leave the cell phone due to its importance. It will be better if we can take some precautions like limit the number of calls you make, limit call time, limit the length we use our cell phone, etc. Cell phone makes our life convenient and fast, but don’t forget that it is ‘dangerous’. Let use the cell phone properly and make it become a good tool instead of a ‘killer’ to us.

References

1. Zuckerman, D., Bravo, B. F. de, & Kalvin, H. (2020, March 9). ‘Can Cell Phones Harm Our Health?’ Retrieved from http://www.center4research.org/can-cell-phones-harm-health/
2. Davis, C. P. (2018, January 22). ‘Smartphone Dangers: Could Your Cell Phone Be Bad for Your Health?’ Retrieved from https://www.onhealth.com/content/1/dangers_cell_phone_health
3. MacMillan, A. (2017, December 18). ‘Cellphone Radiation May Be Dangerous, California Health Officials Warn’. Retrieved from https://time.com/5069317/california-mobile-phone-radiation/

The prominent areas, where impact of cell phones is obvious include business, education, health, and social life. Mobile technology has drastically changed the cultural norms and individual behaviors. The impacts are both on the positive side and also on the negative side.

Today, cell phone reception has improved greatly due to the use of satellites and wireless services. As cell phones improved and became simple to use, the importance of cell phones increased accordingly. Cell phones are the perfect way to stay connected with others and provide the user with a sense of security.

Cellular phones have had a major impact on our lives and the way that we perform everyday tasks. Many of these changes are apparent, while others we may not even be aware of.

Cell phones have brought a whole new meaning to the term multitasking. Twenty years ago, it was not possible to talk to the office while you were at the grocery store picking up some necessary items. You could never have had a three-way business conference while you were fixing dinner or been able to deal with a business client from home while caring for a sick child. Cell phones have enabled us to do various tasks all at the same time.

Cell phones have also enabled families to keep in closer touch with each other. Children can contact you if they have missed their ride form soccer practice and your spouse can call while he is stuck in traffic to let you know that he is going to be late for supper. Teenagers are able to call to ask permission to go somewhere, and with GPS features that are now available on some cell phones, you are able to check to make sure that they are where they are supposed to be.

Many of these advantages we do not even notice. Have you ever arrived at the grocery store and realized that you have forgotten your grocery list? The first thing you would probably do is to call home and have one of your children read the list off to you. In the same situation in past years, you may have forgotten things or have had to drive all the way back home to get it. If your car breaks down, you automatically call for help instead of having to walk to find a pay phone. Cell phones have certainly made our lives much more convenient.

Cell phones have also changed the way that people interact with each other. When we call someone, we are actually calling the person and not a place. This enables us to be more spontaneous when making plans as you rarely get a busy signal and unlike a land line telephone, someone is always home. Cell phones also enable us to call if we are going to be late for an appointment, although this has led to cell phone users running late more often than those who do not have cell phones. These users seem to have adopted the attitude that appointment times are not concrete and use their cell phones to renegotiate their arrival time.

One of the greatest disadvantages of the cellular phone is the fact that we do not talk to strangers when traveling anymore. In the past, several people waiting for a bus would engage in a conversation while they were waiting. People who travelled the same routes every day might develop friendships along the way. This situation does not happen anymore. Today when people are waiting for a bus, they just pull out their cell phones and speak with old friends, missing out on the opportunity to make new ones. In large cities, many people do not know their neighbors, even though they may have lived in the same neighborhood for years. As a society, we are beginning to lose the face-to-face contact that was such an important part of our lives in the past.

Cell phones are a great asset in aiding in our everyday lives. You should remember, however, to hang up every once in a while, and pay attention to the world around you.

I always wanted to talk about the negative impact of cell phones and explain my thoughts and opinions about it. No one can deny that phones are the most used technology these days. Why is that? And why is it so addictive? Mobiles phones not only bring lenience in communication, but also have many negative aspects that affect our health, children, and the lives of others.

First, it has been proven that cell phones send microwave radiation, that is really bad for the health. This radiation alters the mind, then causes disturbance in your sleep, and can also cause headache, difficulty in concentration, exhaustion and rise in blood pressure. It has also been proven that cell phones are one of the causes of Alzheimer and cancer from the radiation. In 2002, Hardell and colleagues studied telephones and head tumor. They found out that people who used cell phones are two and half more likely to get brain tumor. Nomophobia is anxiety of being without a mobile phone, well as we know the phones are an enormously industrious tool, incontrollable use of this device can interfere with school, work, and relationships. When you spend more time on social media or playing games than you do interacting with real people, or you can’t stop yourself from repeatedly checking texts, emails, or apps, even when it has negative consequences in your life, it may be time to reconsider your technology use. By learning about the symptoms of smartphone and Internet addiction and how to break free of the habit, you can improve balance your life, off and online.

Secondly, children are more exposed to microwave radiation due to their thinner skulls and their nervous systems are still developing. A one-year-old child can absorb about twice as much radio frequency radiation (microwave radiation), and a five-year-old child can absorb about 60% more than an adult. One of the main reasons kids get depressed these days is that on social media they post photos with good intentions, but get bad reviews and a lot of hate in return. And the next day he goes to school and gets bullied, that even causes the kid to think about suicide. And one of the reasons kids and teens get depressed is because they compare themselves to their friends and that their friends have more fun than they do, which makes them feel lonely and depressed.

Third, as we know that one of the major causes of road accidents are cell phones. The National Safety Council has estimated that cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year. Nearly 390,000 injuries occur. Sending text messages while driving increases the amount of time people spend without taking their eyes off the road by 400%. The fact is that driving is not only risking your own life, but also risking the lives of others. Imagine killing yourself and a whole innocent family just because you wanted to see what your friend sent you it’s just absurd.

These are my thoughts and ideas on this subject, and this is how I see the matter. Well, as we know, cell phones have many other disadvantages, but the main thing is not to abuse the phones, because it will have a negative effect on you.

Mobile phones or cell phones are an essential piece of communication in an individual’s everyday life. In several countries, the use of cell phones is rapidly developing and over half the population owns a cell phone. They take pictures, record videos, play music, voice record and set alarms. Cell phones are a necessity for organizing your life, they have become a fundamental for everyday lives. This includes, being able to stay in contact with friends or family, being able to search up something on the Internet and keeping organized on a daily basis. In this generation, cellphones have evolved into a mini pocket computer with many additional features.

A phone is included with a useful application to access the web browser. Safari is the main Internet browser for iPhones. Almost everyone uses the Internet at least once a day to search up something. Since I am a student, I use the Internet to keep track of assignments for my classes and to do research. It is also convenient and fast when looking up directions to reach a certain destination. In my free time, I like to watch Netflix and in order to do that, I have to use the Internet to stream it.

As life goes on, you make connections with people who come and go in your life. If I were to meet a new friend at a social event or school, I would want to stay in touch with them so we would exchange numbers and be able to contact each other whenever we are able to. Depending on the phone, Facetime is an application where you can video chat face to face and enjoy visual company of the person you are talking to. In case of emergencies, having a phone on you is an important factor. The authority or a friend can be contacted right away within a second.

As years go by, the expansion of applications that are incorporated on mobile devices continue to become more advanced and beneficial. On most phones, they have the ability to capture photos of amazing moments, play music, play games on spare times or a long car ride, set alarms and reminders, and many more. Being able to organize my life in the calendar application is very neat. I am capable of putting in appointments I have, or test days and I am able to set a reminder notification to remind me either hours or days before.

In conclusion, cell phones enlarge more possibilities to make our lives easier. They have created applications that allow people to communicate with each other from anywhere around the world, permitting individuals to search anything on the Internet whenever and wherever and to keep yourself organized using specific applications. Nowadays, no one has to carry around maps, a GPS, disposable cameras or a notebook since all of these essentials are included in a cell phone. With all this being said, I find myself to be very dependent on cell phones in my everyday life.

Introduction

In the last 40 years, technology has progressed in ways no one could have imagined. The cell phone is conceivably one of the most optimal inventions known to man. Continuously integrated with technological advancements, the cell phone has had a major influence on the lives of people from numerous lifestyles. Even in the last few years, there have been changes to the hand-held device that have unlocked a myriad of windows to events happening all around the world. Cell phones have become an integrated piece of people’s everyday lives, and that connection only grows stronger with every update produced. The cell phone has undergone a large-scale evolution throughout the years. What was once a bulky hand-held device at its origin has been transformed into a sleeker, more accessible mobile device. However, while its appearance is of great importance, is there a difference between the cell phone in its early years, and the cell phone of today? Most people would agree that the cell phone has become a necessity, which, when viewing just how much the device has evolved, has more to do with its capabilities rather than its appearance. The cell phone was an intimate technology (Agar, 2013) upon its creation, so what makes today’s cell phones that much more intimate than the previous versions?

In 1947, the concept for the cellular device emerged at Bell Labs in a proposal composed by Rae Young and Douglas Ring (Frenkiel & Schwartz, 2010). They planned to create a car phone that could be operated if a mobile radio system was nearby to carry the frequency. The initial attraction of cellular systems was their ability to reuse channels multiple times in a local area (Frenkiel & Schwartz, 2010). They were also able to provide service over very large areas with low power radios, but a cost-effective cellular system required many channels (Frenkiel & Schwartz, 2010). According to Agar, for the cellular concept to function properly, “a whole fixed infrastructure needed to be in place: base stations, a mobile switching center constantly interrogating a database of personal and geographical information, and connections to the old public switched telephone network”. Though it took quite a bit of time for technology to catch up with their combined concept, the first cellular system in the U.S. was developed between 1971 and 1983 (Frenkiel & Schwartz, 2010).

In the early years of the cell phone, memory was limited solely to the storage of phone numbers and text messages. This was due in part to the original purpose behind the creation: communication. As the cell phone evolved and became equipped with a camera and microphone, it began offering more space to store a limited number of photos, music, and recordings. Features, like voicemail, were gradually incorporated, but required more storage space. As a solution, MicroSD cards were introduced in the early 2000s. MicroSD cards are tiny removable flash memory cards used to expand the amount of storage allotted on a device. Once their popularity was established, a market was designed for downloadable applications and content to fill its space. Today, many cell phones offer adequate memory storage for videos, photos, music and more. Expanded storage space for cellular devices are still sold today, but they are not as much of a necessity as they were when cell phones were just beginning. Today they are regularly purchased for other devices, such as computers and cameras.

Amongst the things that took up space in the early version of the cell phone were applications, commonly referred to as ‘apps’. However, the applications were not nearly as advanced then as they are now. In the early 2000s, gaming applications could be downloaded via Wi-Fi. The application store itself did not officially launch until 2008. Cell phone applications have generated interest among marketers, primarily because of their high level of user engagement (Bellman, Potter, Treleaven-Hassard, Robinson, & Varan, 2011). Today’s applications range from health and fitness to calculators and tutors in nearly every subject. Modern-day cell phones have begun replacing various household gadgets with each new advancement. Stopwatches, alarm clocks, and even computers have all been placed inside of the cell phone. The catch, however, is that the more applications one has on a cellular device, the quicker their battery life will drain. The early version of the cell phone had a longer-lasting battery life in comparison. While battery life is slowly improving amongst modern-day cell phones, it may be a couple of years before it is nearly as revolutionized as the cell phone.

The evolution of mobile data goes hand-in-hand with the evolution of the cell phone. Today, unlimited data is a popular plan offered by most phone companies. However, there was a time when most mobile plans offered limited data per month. This means the customers had to pay for their data in advance; that was all the data they could use until the following month. To prevent using up all of one month’s data, cell phone users were constantly reliant on Wi-Fi for use of the mobile web and anything else that required Internet for use. When cell phones first gained access to the mobile web, it took a few minutes to open a webpage. Those few minutes were still counted against the data plan, regardless of whether the phone ever opened the page. Today, web surfing and video streaming are nearly instant. Unlimited messaging and talking were also unsubstantial in the early years. Pay per minute phone plans, which limited the amount of talk time one could utilize in a month, were what nearly all cell phone users had. Advancements to today’s mobile plans are in the making with talk of only paying for what is used, rather what can be used. Essentially the same as limited data plans, only without the limit.

Cell phone evolution was moving at a steady rate after the device was released into for purchase. The market and pace for development didn’t truly change until the iPhone was put on the market in 2007. The moment this device was released marks the moment that the cell phone began evolving from its intended role as a device for communication into a tool relied on daily. Apple’s iPhone introduced touchscreen functions, access to the Internet through Safari, a virtual keyboard, and offered access to email in the palm of a hand. In 2008, Apple launched an official App Store containing hundreds of applications. Two years later, the iPhone 4 was released with the ability to video call. In 2011, the iPhone 4S made its debut with the first personal assistant, Siri. The progression only took four years, and that is what makes the cell phone one of the fastest advancing devices. Today’s cell phones have so many amenities that they keep the consumers wanting more: durability, facial recognition, water-resistance, and wireless charging features. iPhone has even gone as far as to place all of these gadgets and perks in a watch. Apple is providing its customers with what they think they want, but do the customers know what they want?

When looking at the differences between the early version of the cell phone and today’s version, one cannot exclude the reason(s) why people use(d) them. It has already been determined that the reason why most people used the early versions of the cell phone was because it provided a more convenient way to communicate with friends and family. The reasons listed by the youth are that cell phones promote feelings of belongingness and social connection (Oconnor, et al., 2013). While the modern-day cell phone offers the possibility of maintaining constant contact with one’s social network, the main reason people use them is to feel as if they were among family and friends (Kardos, Unoka, Pléh, & Soltész, 2018). According to both sides, the use of the cell phone has helped people feel a better sense of connection to those around them. Cell phones have somehow evolved into a device that promises instant gratification of social desire, by allowing immediate access to social networks (Kardos, Unoka, Pléh, & Soltész, 2018). How much further will they go in the next few years?

Cell phones have quickly become an integral part of many people’s lives. They have become such an extension of people that, when without them, they feel as though they’ve been disconnected from the world around them. It wasn’t always this way. There was a point in time when people were more connected to each other through simple conversation than they were through today’s technology. Cell phones built a bridge into another world of communication; what was once used only for talking and texting is now used for messaging, video calls, social media, gaming, shopping and entertainment. These changes are what have transformed the cell phone into the advanced, intimate device that it is today. With technology and phone companies continuing to compete, the cell phones that are being created will continue to evolve. The problem, however, is that, due to its social functions, the mobile phone has become associated with the meaning of social relationships. It’s hard to say what the next cell phone upgrade will be, but it is even harder to know how the fast-approaching changes will affect the way humanity communicates with each other. In the end, the question is how technology is going to change humanity.

Cell phones are everywhere these days. We see people of all ages — from toddlers in strollers to their grandparents — using cell phones, particularly the ubiquitous smartphone. We use cell phones to indulge in leisure activities and to work. It certainly seems to me that most people nowadays cannot, or dare not, imagine life without a cell phone.

Among those who can afford it, the smartphone has become a status symbol, and for those who are concerned about projecting an affluent image, the smartphone has become a necessary part of themselves. Like branded clothing, the cell phone can be used to signal to others that we are ‘civilized’ or at least fashionable. It is no longer enough for some to own a functioning cell phone. There are, in fact, functioning cell phones on the market now that have very much the same capabilities as branded, more prestigious smartphones. Branded cell phones can cost up to five times more than their cheaper, less prestigious counterparts, but you will never catch certain image-conscious consumers with non-branded cell phones. It is not about functionality for these people — it is about projecting an image that says that they are up to date with the latest fashions and equipment, and that they can afford such toys for themselves.

Another two groups of people rely on the functionality of cell phones. One group would not mind using cheaper equipment if it can help them send emails, access research material, and aid them with other work-related tasks. This group of people values the cell phones for the portability it affords them. In the past, workaholics had to stay in the office or in front of a computer to do their work. Now everyone can take our work anywhere we go – on public transport, to social events, to dinner, and even to the toilet. Another group closely mirrors the first, except that instead of being addicted to work, this group is addicted to entertainment. We can see this type of cell phones user watching videos, playing games, and so on. Just like the workaholic who is able to carry work with them anywhere they go, entertainment addicts can take their entertainment anywhere they desire.

The smartphone as status symbol, and as a vehicle for addiction – these are two uses of the mobile phone that have a negative sheen to them. However, it is my view that we cannot do without cell phones today simply because with them, we can engage more with life away from them. Instead of having to sit down with pen and paper, or in front of a computer, people can now write essays on their phones. It is a good practice, for example, for students to train themselves to write essays quickly by giving themselves only an hour to write essays that are given as homework. Students, especially those who take an hour to get home from school, can simply spend an hour typing an essay out on the way home, and then print the essay for submission. Office workers, instead of having to rush to the office to send that last-minute email, can simply send it from wherever they are, saving the time they would have spent traveling.

Of course, we can do without mobile phones in the sense that we can do without clothes or baths, but there is a danger that civilization as we know it might just fall apart. In that sense, we cannot do without mobile phones today. Our heroes these days are users of technology; our heroes are more like Iron Man (a great user of technology) than Hercules. Iron Man probably would not want to go without his smartphone, but let us also not forget that he used technology well — to save the world.