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Pong Research is offering a silicone case for iPhone 3G/3GS that they say has “been verified by industry leading laboratory Cetecom to reduce SAR for the iPhone 3GS in the WCDMA 1900 by over 60%.” The case includes a gold PCB module that is placed near the iPhone’s antenna to attract energy radiating from the antenna and direct it away from the user’s head. The Pong iPhone case allows easy access to all controls and doesn’t reduce signal strength. The Pong case is available in green or black silicone for $59.95. (The picture shows the PCB module inside the Pong case.)
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This is nonsense on so many levels:
– gold does not “attract’ radio waves; at best it can partially block them
– the gold module can not “direct” the radio waves anywhere without some sort of receiver and amplifier and directional antenna
– and even if the above claims were true, the additional claim that none of this would have any effect on signal strength is impossible; the case claims to eliminate radio waves on one whole side of the phone; how could this possibly NOT effect signal strength and, much more importantly, the ability to use the phone without aiming it at the cell tower?
@David – Wired thought so too at first http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/09/pong-radiation-blocking-iphone-case-smells-fishy/
Then they tested it http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/10/cellphone-radiation-testing/
Just because it doesn’t appear obvious doesn’t make it true. I have one and personally consider it from the standpoint of “might as well, just in case” – and, given the Wired article, I at least know it’s not 100% snake oil.
Recent research in rats shows that radiation by cellular phones can reduce Altheimer disease (in genetical manipulated rats, that is)!
This outcome was not what the researchers expected to see.
They had rats with Altzheimer and control rats exposed to radiation a couple of hours per day. In the Altzheimer rats the Altzheimer plaques turned out much smaller then they were expected to grow in the time past.
So maybe we do not want such a radiation prevention device? 🙂
Thanks Ronald, I was unaware of that study on cell phone radiation, those results are quite surprising. As I am pushing 60, I’ll just hold my iPhone a little closer, maybe my short term memory will revive? lol
I still wonder if there are people actually concerned about SAR???
I wonder if a certain former Vice President is behind this one too? 🙂
SSS (sorry so sarcastic)
An interesting read on the subject is pasted in below…
http://www.gq.com/cars-gear/gear-and-gadgets/201002/warning-cell-phone-radiation?printable=true
I have a rock in my pocket that prevents me from being attacked by tigers. I’ll sell you one for $9.99 plus shipping and handling.