common mobile phone myths

Many of us often receive emails and SMSes outlining cellphone dos and
don'ts. Have you ever tried to find out if any of these tips hold water
in terms of scientific evidence and reasoning?
Here we explore the truth behind several common mobile phone myths that
are doing the rounds of the Internet:
~ Myth : Mobile phone use at a petrol pump can cause an explosion.
~ Fact : None of the incidents you read about in forwarded emails have
ever been verified as the truth. Moreover, the belief that a mobile
phone can ignite petrol is simply unfounded -- the elctromagnetic field
created by it and the current passed on by its batteries are both far
too weak to cause gas to ignite. So why the warning at both gas
stations and in cellphone manuals to cease and desist from using your
phone while you tank up? Simply because it's better to be safe than
sorry -- at the end of the day, the cellphone possesses flammable
properties.
~ Myth : Charging your cellphone every day will reduce the life of the
battery.
~ Fact: While this is true of older cellphone models, which use
batteries like NiCd and NiMH, cellphones which use newer batteries like
Li-Ion and Li-Ion Polymer can be charged every day without undermining
performance or battery life.
~ Myth: You get a free phone on a contract/ combined offer when you
subscribe to a particular telecom operator's services for a year or
two. (This is not for Qatar)
~ Fact : No free lunches. Read carefully before you sign -- a
cancellation of the network provider's services before the contract
expires may lead to a hefty penalty fee.
~ Myth : Since I don't get network coverage from my service provider
within my own home, the service provider is no good.
~ Fact : Mobile phones use radio technology. Just like your car radio,
your mobile phone may have poor reception in some places. You should
also check up on whether it's your handset that is causing the problem.
~ Myth : Mobile phones fry your brain.
~ Fact : While it is true that mobiles phones can produce a little
heat, your head is more likely to warm up from walking in the sun.
~ Myth : Mobile phone use can cause tumours on the side of the head and
lead to cancer, particularly in children.
~ Fact: There isn't sufficient proof of this as yet, because mobile
phones haven't been around for too long. However, a precautionary
approach is recommended (reduced usage, availing of speakerphone or
hands-free options, using the Bluetooth facility, opting for a low SAR
phone) especially for children. The most lethal risk of mobiles is
using them while driving
~ Myth : When your cellphone battery gets completely drained and your
phone switches off, you can punch in a code to dig into reserve battery
power. Your phone will then restart and your battery power will be
increased by 50 percent.
~ Fact: This is 100 percent false -- after a cellphone goes off from
lack of battery power, there is simply no battery power left in reserve
for it to start operating again. No code in the world can restore such
a cellphone's activity -- you have to recharge the battery. If you have
a hard time believing that, read your cellphone manual -- if it
possessed any such feature, the manufacturers would undoubtedly mention
it, especially to help customers cope with an emergency situation.