Articles by Kathryn Senior on Expert Advice on Mobile Phones and Staying Safe
Cell Phone Radiation: Facts and Figures
What we know and don't know about radiation from mobile phones and whether they're actually safe to use.
19th October 2010
Avoiding Mobile Phone Waste Mountains
Most of us keep old phones lying around instead of recycling them, creating a growing environmental problem that needs to change.
19th October 2010
Can You Avoid Paying for Freephone Calls on Your Mobile?
You can call 0800 numbers free from your mobile using 0800buster or by dialling the company's international number instead.
19th October 2010
Touch Screen Mobile Phones: How Do They Work?
Resistive and capacitive touch screens work differently, with capacitive technology now dominating phones for better durability and image quality.
15th October 2010
Mobile Phones and Farming Advice
Philippine farmers are using mobile phones to get personalised advice on fertilizer and crops based on their land conditions.
15th October 2010
Evolution and the Mobile Phone
Mobile phones went from a 1908 wireless patent to today's ubiquitous devices, with major developments in radio telephones and two-way radios along the way.
15th October 2010
Can You Use a Mobile as a Sat Nav?
Yes, mobile phones can work as sat nav systems using apps like Google Maps or built-in navigation software, though they differ from dedicated devices.
15th October 2010
What Happens if You Video a Cinema Film?
Recording a film in a cinema isn't technically illegal in the UK, but the real piracy problem comes from internet downloads, not phone cameras.
5th October 2010
Barcodes (2D) and Mobile Phones
How 2D barcodes on your phone camera can save you from typing out long URLs by hand.
30th April 2010
Can Mobile Phones Really Multitask?
Mobile phones try to do everything, but do they actually do any of it well, or is it better to pick specific features that matter to you.
30th April 2010
What's the Truth About Mobiles and Cancer?
Research into whether mobile phones cause cancer is still inconclusive, and scientists may need decades to find definitive answers.
29th April 2010
I Made Money Recycling My Mobiles: A Case Study
How one student earned cash by recycling old mobile phones from his family to fund a holiday and tech upgrades.
28th April 2010
I Was Mugged for My Mobile: A Case Study
A teenager's iPhone gets stolen after he's mugged on a night out, forcing him to rethink how he uses his phone in public.
27th April 2010
I Got Addicted to My Blackberry: A Case Study
A man shares how his new job and constant access to his Blackberry spiralled into addiction, forcing him to seek professional help.
27th April 2010
What Are the International Laws on SIM Locking?
Different countries have wildly different rules about whether phone companies can lock your handset to their network.
26th April 2010
Technology to Protect Your Mobile
Protect your phone from loss and theft with devices like i-migo that back up data and alert you when you're separated from it.
26th April 2010
I Use My Mobile Phone to Manage My Diabetes: A Case Study
Katie uses a wrist-worn glucose monitor and mobile app to manage her type 1 diabetes more effectively than insulin injections alone.
20th July 2009
I Got an Injury Texting! A Case Study
How a texting injury forced a high-flying stockbroker to completely overhaul her life and find a new direction.
17th July 2009
Mobiles and Weather Forecasting
Mobile phones are helping African farmers get life-saving weather warnings in areas where traditional forecasting stations don't exist.
16th July 2009
Mobile Phones Targeted at Toddlers?
Phone makers are marketing mobile devices to toddlers as young as three, raising concerns about health risks that researchers are still investigating.
16th July 2009
Can Mobile Phones Be Used in Hospitals?
Most hospitals now allow mobile phones in communal areas rather than banning them outright, though rules vary by location.
14th July 2009
Mobiles Improve Health Care Access in Developing Countries
Mobile phones help parents in rural Africa get quick medical advice for sick children without trekking hours to distant health centres.
13th July 2009
Environmental Impact of Mobile Phones
Manufacturing and discarding billions of phones yearly releases toxic substances into landfills and wastes valuable raw materials like gold.
13th July 2009
Mobile Phone Safety: Myth or Fact?
Common mobile phone myths like 112 being a worldwide emergency number and unlocking cars via phone aren't always true.
3rd April 2009
Watching TV on Your Mobile
How 3G networks and bigger phone screens are making it practical to watch BBC shows like Doctor Who on your mobile.
25th February 2009
Transforming Your Phone to Perform Different Tasks
Modern phones can do almost anything, here's how the Modu phone lets you change its look to match whatever task you're doing.
23rd February 2009
Using Your Mobile Outside the UK
Check your phone's frequency bands and contact your network before travelling abroad to use mobile data and calls without issues.
23rd February 2009
Mobile Phone Companies and Universal Broadband
The UK government wants universal broadband by 2012, but mobile phone companies are clashing over how to share airwaves to make it happen.
23rd February 2009
Mobile Phones and New Barcode Technology
How your mobile phone can scan 2D barcodes to instantly access detailed information about products and services.
20th February 2009
Mobile Phones: Roaming Hazards
Watch out for shocking roaming charges when you take your UK mobile abroad on holiday.
20th February 2009
I Was Cyberbullied on My Mobile: A Case Study
A teenager's account of how cyberbullying through messages and texts escalated to a crisis that forced her to speak up.
19th February 2009
Touch Screen Phones: Pro's and Con's
Touch screen phones offer sleek design and great multimedia viewing, but typing and texting come with real tradeoffs.
19th February 2009