Don't buy wireless e-readers

[Dulin's Books]

Originally Posted by snipenekkid

Not everyone can hear or sense these systems but a surprising number of people can. I can and do. Years ago I could not enter any of the old Thrifty Drug stores w/o hearing the ringing and the decreased hearing. That is how I know about the effects. It was and is soooo weird.

i've actually experienced that myself in various stores. not in many years not but for a long time there were stores i simply would not enter because of the noise. there was one store in a mall that i couldnt even stand directly in front of. friends would go in and i had to walk down the hall at least 20 feet to not hear it.

[Caltsar]

jabook, looking into radio frequencies causing tinnitus a bit further, I have found some studies confirming that, while rare, some people can "hear" certain radio frequencies and it is mistaken for tinnitus. However, this is usually limited to HF, VHF, and low UHF frequencies. This might bump up against frequencies used in Wi-Fi, but is strictly a temporary annoyance and would do nothing to cause any short term or long term harm. Certainly if this was the case, having the access point moved would be a reasonable step in reducing the symptoms.

Source: http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=15340808
(If you have access to a university or other source that can get the journal, there is some fascinating information inside, and also confirms that this is no cause for alarm)

[boxcorner]

Tinnitus bothers me too, but I find low-frequency noise most disturbing - infrasonic noise, particularly rumbling noise from traffic or aircraft that reverberates in a building. Some people are supposed have a hearing range that begins as low as 12Hz. Sometimes the sound that disturbs me the most seems to be on the borderline between hearing and feeling.

[doreenjoy]

Originally Posted by boxcorner

Tinnitus bothers me too, but I find low-frequency noise most disturbing - infrasonic noise, particularly rumbling noise from traffic or aircraft that reverberates in a building. Some people are supposed have a hearing range that begins as low as 12Hz. Sometimes the sound that disturbs me the most seems to be on the borderline between hearing and feeling.

I can hear higher frequencies than the average person, but like you it's the low frequencies that drive me crazy. During Fleet Week, when the jets fly overhead, I'm in agony.

[jabook]

Originally Posted by Caltsar

jabook, looking into radio frequencies causing tinnitus a bit further, I have found some studies confirming that, while rare, some people can "hear" certain radio frequencies and it is mistaken for tinnitus.

Source: http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=15340808

I have downloaded the paper and - although I still have to read it - the abstract and conclusion are promissing and quite informative alone (they also indicate frequencies up to 10 GHz are considered). Thank you very much for a useful reference. Although knowing possible health effects (or the contrary) might not feel all that important for me now (problems "solved" at the moment and I am not a heavy or even average user of "wireless" stuff), it will certainly be more important with higher and higher levels of penetration of wireless technologies.

Best,

Ja

[delphin]

Originally Posted by bill_mchale

I am going to play a slight devil's advocate . . .

The one risk that wireless ebook readers do pose is the possibility that Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, etc. are using it to track information about you. In theory they can not only track how many books you buy from them, but also books that you get from other sources and when you read (and what you are reading). In fact, Amazon and B&N push this last bit as a feature since it allows you to read the same book on multiple devices without having to find you place in the different books.

Given the fact that all cellphones are required by federal law to track the users location, and that most now include a silent monitoring feature where the mike can be activated without the users knowledge for surveillance, it's really interesting to note that the Amazon Kindle 3s have a little discussed feature - A BUILT IN MICROPHONE.

Amazon admits that it's there in the devices specifications, but says that they aren't using it for anything, and aren't even really sure why they put it there.

Not too hard to guess though

[Dava]

Originally Posted by Namekuseijin

my smartphone can actually pop corn. Not by radiation, just by its heat after long usage...

Even heat are radiation, Infrared radiation

[CyberSmoke53]

Originally Posted by Mortis

Umm so I should be worried that my microwave is going to come get me in the night while I sleep?

I have two microwaves - sometimes I hear microwaves chirping at night plotting mischief!

I seem to remember someone doing a study on this.. yes kinda like the tin foil helmet one above LOL but it was an actual study.

Microwaves leak out doors/vents on almost all microwaves ovens. The leakage doesn't travel very far so just stand across the room while the oven runs and don't let small children stand too close. Actually heat buildup on the sides is probably more dangerous than the leakage.

http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-Emittin.../ucm142616.htm

[Mortis]

I don't know much about microwaves, but I read yesterday that the FAA is allowing in cockpit use of iPads to store and display maps. Guess the FAA thinks less of all the tin foil talk than we thought.

[captkjaneway]

Originally Posted by delphin

Given the fact that all cellphones are required by federal law to track the users location, and that most now include a silent monitoring feature where the mike can be activated without the users knowledge for surveillance, it's really interesting to note that the Amazon Kindle 3s have a little discussed feature - A BUILT IN MICROPHONE.

Amazon admits that it's there in the devices specifications, but says that they aren't using it for anything, and aren't even really sure why they put it there.

Not too hard to guess though

Go on...............why? My guess is that they might have looked into the possibility of users being able to take voice notes as they read.....what is your ulterior motive?

[Mortis]

There's always a conspiracy lurking behind every decision any big company makes, didn't you know that they are controlling your thoughts via the Kindles built in thought changer, it's disguised as the mic!

[wyndslash]

Originally Posted by captkjaneway

Go on...............why? My guess is that they might have looked into the possibility of users being able to take voice notes as they read.....what is your ulterior motive?

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.

YOU KNOW WHAT GOES BUMP IN THE NIGHT?

YEAH, THAT LITTLE MIC O_O

[Shopaholic]

Originally Posted by delphin

Given the fact that all cellphones are required by federal law to track the users location, and that most now include a silent monitoring feature where the mike can be activated without the users knowledge for surveillance, it's really interesting to note that the Amazon Kindle 3s have a little discussed feature - A BUILT IN MICROPHONE.

I don't know....maybe I'm missing something but isn't the geo-locator there for when folks on cell phones call 911 so the nice folks in emergency services can find you? You know, so that when you're in a car accident and don't know where the heck you are because you're hurt and in shock they can find you and hopefully save your life rather than finding your dead body somewhere?

Or you're a tourist in need of medical services and don't know where you are or are kid calling for help for a myriad of reasons - lost, kidnapped, mom or dad is hurt etc?

I see more value in the offering than consipiracy myself.

[Mortis]

Originally Posted by Shopaholic

I don't know....maybe I'm missing something but isn't the geo-locator there for when folks on cell phones call 911 so the nice folks in emergency services can find you? You know, so that when you're in a car accident and don't know where the heck you are because you're hurt and in shock they can find you and hopefully save your life rather than finding your dead body somewhere?

Or you're a tourist in need of medical services and don't know where you are or are kid calling for help for a myriad of reasons - lost, kidnapped, mom or dad is hurt etc?

I see more value in the offering than consipiracy myself.

I have to agree, not everything is something sneaky, sometimes things are exactly what they say they are.

[wyndslash]

Originally Posted by Shopaholic

I don't know....maybe I'm missing something but isn't the geo-locator there for when folks on cell phones call 911 so the nice folks in emergency services can find you? You know, so that when you're in a car accident and don't know where the heck you are because you're hurt and in shock they can find you and hopefully save your life rather than finding your dead body somewhere?

Or you're a tourist in need of medical services and don't know where you are or are kid calling for help for a myriad of reasons - lost, kidnapped, mom or dad is hurt etc?

I see more value in the offering than consipiracy myself.

yeap. strangely enough i read a very recent news article saying that it was easier for EMS to track your location through a landline rather than cellphone. i think it had something to do with coordinates. darn, wish i could find that again...