Mobile phones may be treated
like playthings these days. However, these flashy gadgets can prove
dangerous if not handled with care. Several instances have been reported
about the phones blasting off suddenly, the latest victim of which was a
14-year-old child of daily wage workers from Seoni. The blast was so
bad that the boy narrowly escaped death and ended up with severe
disfigurement to his jaw, nose, mouth and face. TOI tells you the do's
and don'ts of handling mobile phones.
What are the things to be kept in mind while buying mobile phones?
Buy a branded phone as far as
possible. Ensure that the phone has a proper IMEI number, which is a
code that identifies each phone. Check that the number on the phone
corresponds to that on the box and receipts.
It is considered wise to check the accessories such as earphones, battery
and charger. Make sure the battery description such as voltage value
matches with that of the charger to avoid overcharging which sometimes
lead to explosion of handset.
How and why do mobile phone blasts happen?
The most common reasons for a cell phone
to explode are using it while the phone is being charged and 'call
bombing'. Charging puts pressure on the motherboard of the phone, using
it during charging increases this pressure manifold. This causes the
cheap electronic components in
some mobiles to explode. Call bombing refers to calls or missed calls
received from international numbers. If one receives or calls these
numbers back and the call exceeds a certain amount of time, the phone
will blast. There is also a malware, or bug, found in some Android-based
smartphones, that can also cause explosion by exerting extra pressure
on the motherboard during charging.
What care should be taken to ensure not much pressure is put on the phone?
Avoid using the phone while the battery is being charged. If you wish to
receive a call during this time, disconnect the phone from charger
before connecting the call. Ensure it is not over-charged by removing
the electric supply when the battery is fully charged. If your battery seems to have swollen, replace it immediately.
Why is it dangerous to buy cheap phones?
Most cheap models, like those of Chinese make, use hardware and
components that are not branded and often substandard. The quality of
vital accessories such as battery and earphones are compromised
which can have disastrous outcome. Such components cannot be used
continuously for as long as their high-quality substitutes. Their shelf life is also shorter.
Is it more harmful to surf internet or download anything on mobile phones?
Yes, because the anti-virus softwares for mobile phones are not as effective. That is why one should avoid downloading anything from a third party vendor,
ie directly from the internet browser. Instead use the in-built store
or market application provided by the operating system. Malware, which
is software that creates a bug in the operating system of the phone,
often gets downloaded with third party tools. The sites that you visit
using the phone must start with an https (which means they are encrypted
or safe sites).
Avoid using public or unsecured Wi-Fi connections. A hacker could access
the mobile device through a port that is not secured. Make sure the
Bluetooth connectivity is not switched on in public places as it can be
used to send malicious files which corrupt the operating system.
Are there certain precautions that must be practiced while using a mobile phone?
While communicating using your cell phone, try to keep the cell phone
away from the body as this would reduce the strength of the
electromagnetic field of the radiations. Whenever possible, use the
speaker-phone mode or a wireless blue tooth headset. For long
conversations, use a landline phone.
Avoid carrying your cell phone on your body at all times. When in
pocket, make sure that key pad is positioned toward your body so that
the transmitted electromagnetic fields move away from you rather than
through you. Do not keep it near your body at night such as under pillow
or a bedside table, particularly if pregnant. You can also put it on
'flight' or 'offline' mode, which stops electromagnetic emissions. Avoid
using your cell phone when signal is weak or when moving at high speed,
such as in car or train.
How to deal with a wet phone?
After removing the phone from water, dismantle it by removing battery,
SIM and memory cards and switch it off (only SIM card in case of an
iPhone). Dry each component thoroughly (but gently) with a towel until
the phone is dry to the touch. Then put all components in a bowl of
uncooked rice in a way that all components are totally covered. If you
have any silica packets (the ones that come with products like new
shoes), put them in to the bowl too. Leave it there for 12-24 hours.
Never use a hair dryer to try to dry the phone quicker. Drying it with a
heated hair dryer can cause important parts to melt, while forcing
water further into the phone. Drying it will a cold hair dryer will just
force water deeper into the phone.
Why you shouldn't hold your mobile in your mouth?
Using mobile phones too close to your mouth regularly or holding cell
phone in your mouth frequently could lead to malignant salivary gland
cancer and tumors in mouth. Regular cell phone users who speak with the
phone held too close to the mouth face the problems of sleep
disturbance, migraine and headache.
Source
: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-news/Why-do-cellphones-explode-and-how-to-prevent-it/articleshow/32100765.cms
