Tech Wellness Pop Quiz

Q: What do Anna Wintour, Rihanna,  Kate Beckinsale, Scarlett Johansson, Kim Kardashian and Iggy Pop all have in common?

A: They all use flip phones.

That’s right--flip phones are making a trendy comeback! (For some, they never left!) Warren Buffett, Senator Chuck Schumer, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones also prefer flip phones to smartphones too.

Flip or Smart--your phone is safer with these cute Anti-radiation EMF FREE Headphones.

Vintage is IN at Tech Wellness

Some people call flip phones “dumb phones," but we think celebrities are definitely on to something. There’s no denying the security of flip phones in the age of iCloud accounts being hacked and confidential emails being leaked. Most celebs cycle between a flip phone and a smartphone, it seems.

Blackberry devices are nearly impossible to hack. Kim Kardashian knows this and that’s why this is the only device she uses for emails. She told a reporter she adores the company, and would buy it if she could. She even stocks up on old devices on eBay.

Older folks seem to be hesitant to change and like the simplicity, ease, and form of a flip phone. Rheumatoid arthritis sufferers find flip phones easier to hold. Some just don’t WANT to be immersed in the internet all the time (these folks probably get a lot more done, anyway, without the whole darn internet at their fingertips 24/7!). You might be thinking, “Well, CEOs/celebs/athletes have more reason to be worried about their privacy and security than me.” But that’s not the only reason you should consider digging out your old Motorola RAZR or brightly-colored Nokia - Flip phones may actually be healthier for you!

A simple, easy-to-use flip phone that we love!

Old vs New

It's not that the cellphones of yore weren't problematic... The first generation of cellphones do give off some concerning EMF energy. That's because they've always accessed the radiation producing bands and frequencies. These are the radio signals sent out by carriers that your cell phone connects with to make calls and use data.

New Flip Phone vs iPhone RF Radiation Measurement

We were able to find this new flip phone above and compared the RF radiation levels to an iPhone. We see it has a camera, and Bluetooth connectivity so it will be disabled for our test as that will effect and contribute to RF levels.

Also, the great thing about the OLD flip phone is that it was built to work on a different generation of cell phone signal - probably 1G or at the most a 2G band. And that most likely contributed to the low power density levels.

The new Jitterbug phone operates on Verizon as we saw on this comment on Amazon from the seller. Great call Support:      

If you're concerned about radiation exposure, the strength of the signal is uber important. as you'll see in this video! Dr. Carlo and I recommend not using your phone unless it has a good strong signal. The sketchier the signal, the harder the phone has to work. And that means a higher power density level, which is not good.

So, the Flip Phone vs. Smartphone decision is one that really depends on how much you want your phone to do and "add" to your life. 

It started with 1G which stands for 1st generation and now we're up to 3G, 4G LTE and as of 2024 - 5G networks. These networks use both bands and frequencies, but from a terminology standpoint, bands are associated with 4G networks while frequencies are associated with 3G networks. 5G however uses the millimeter wave (read more about that here!) The actual signal, the connectivity, and radiation are changing as the form or frequency is changing. 

We know one thing for sure, when you add in WiFi capability and Bluetooth--eeek! Things get so much more worrisome when it comes to the power density of the electromagnetic field. 

Simply put, the more powerful and capable your phone, the more you should consider using our recommended Tech Wellness practices:

• Using speakerphone or an anti-radiation wired headset whenever possible
• Keeping that phone at least 10 inches away from your head
• Carrying your phone via a long strap case. No pockets or bras please!
• Turning your phone on airplane mode when you sleep
• Disable Bluetooth from the default 'ON' position until necessary
• Disable WiFi until absolutely necessary

Every phone has a level of caution called SAR (Specific Absorption Rate). You can find your SAR rating in your handbook that comes with your device. Flip phones have lower SAR rating than smartphones. But again, SAR is simply a "heat" measurement. 

We prefer to measure the radio frequency (RF) radiation levels that come from many different sources like WiFi, smart meters, cell phone towers and cell phones, DECT cordless phones, baby monitors, all kinds of Bluetooth devices etc.

There's research that points to illness from exposure and not just to people who are EMF hypersensitive. Our philosophy is the less exposure, the better. 

Vintage Flip vs iPhone EMF Detection Video

1. 7-year old flip phone that a friend uses
2. Our fancy, newer iPhone 6S
3. Our brand-new acoustimeter that measures EMF energy--specifically radio frequency (RF) radiation

For as much of an apples-to-apples comparison as possible, we:

Now, we don't know what developers are doing to the "new" models of flip phones, but our experiment phone was genuinely super simple. We discovered that in this location and this situation the old flip phone had significantly lower readings on our acoustimeter.

We liked that! BUT it's important to remember this is an OLD flip phone.  The newer ones, definitely without the extra EMF and RF issues that "smart" technology brings, also had the "old" technology. So, if you can find an "old" flip phone, you're results could be similar.

If you're more analog and off the grid and looking for less distraction from your real life--it might be fun to enjoy the simplicity of an old fashioned flip phone designed mainly to talk and to text when needed. Let's look one more time at the attributes of each.

 Flip Phones   VS    Smartphones

Dial Pad Texting                          Predictive Keyboard, Emojis Texting

Dial pad Cell Calls                       Dial and Voice Controlled Cell Calls

Blue Tooth Enabled                     Blue Tooth Enabled

Low EMF/No Call Mode             Signal search/EMF in No Call Mode

No WiFi or Airdrop                      WiFi and Airdrop increase EMF  

No Games, No Social                 All the Fun of Computer in your Hands

SIMPLE SINGLE PURPOSE       COMPLICATED and DISTRACTING

If you're still opting for that smartphone, be sure to read our best practices guide for a Healthy Relationship with Your Smartphone. It's a great way to make sure you're the boss of your phone and not the other way around :)

As always, I'm here to help. I would love to answer any questions and share my experiences with you. I talk to people who actually use only flip phones and folks who can't go without a look at their smartphone for more than 15 minutes.

Both camps can achieve wellness with technology with our research and solutions. Please share these ideas with a friend or someone you love.

Be Well!