Is 3D TV Bad For Your Health?

In just over a month’s time Samsung will be rolling out its first 3D television sets, while other vendors will be following close behind.

In the Today Show this morning Karl raised concerns about health-related issues to do with 3D television. Some people have complained about headaches when coming out of watching the 3D version of Avatar, and there is a concern about a condition called binocular dysphoria (your brain struggles to come to terms with depth perception), while a blog entry by the ABC’s Mark Pesce suggests that 3D televsion should be nipped in the bud before it even starts because it is really bad for you. On the other side of the coin, Sydney associate professor Colin Clifford who is said to be an expert in visual perception disagrees and has gone on record stating that the difference between 2D and 3D television was unlikely to be significant.

To be fair, there hasn’t been a great deal of work done on this subject by the vendors or third parties like universities.

I’m in no position to give an opinion on the health risks, other than to offer some common sense advice in that watching a lot of television at any time is not good for you – not only from giving you square eyes, but you can turn into a couch potato. Like anything, moderation is the key.

Today Show Plus Nokia N900 On 2UE

 

 

Had an appearance on the Today Show with Karl and spoke about the software that can be loaded onto your smartphone that allows others to find out where you are and can even eavesdrop on your conversations you are having. I blogged about it yesterday.

Speaking to Steve Liebmann today about the Nokia N900, which the company is talking about as more of a mini computer than a handset, and why wouldn’t they? It has a huge screen, qwerty keyboard and huge functionality, and it really is like a super mini PC. It’s a little heavier than other smartphones, but still fits nicely into your pocket. It is also running linex, which is an open source operating system so if you know how to program software you can go in and change features so they suit your needs.

Had a few calls today, including one from Janette, whose husband has just had a pacemaker implanted. She was told that he could not use a mobile phone and wondered if there was any kind of solution. I’m not a doctor, so do not intend handing out advice on what a person with a pacemaker can and cannot do. There would be a couple of issues here – the radiation output of the handset and the frequencies, which might interfere with how the unit works. If radiation is a problem, you can go to a chart <a href=”http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6602_7-6258775-11.html” target=”_blank”>here</a> that informs you about the level of radiation in handsets. As for frequencies vis-a-vis pacemakers, I wouldn’t dream of offering an opinion on such a thing when it comes to medical matters.

Martin was trying to find a video card upgrade. He bought an Acer Aspire that comes with a Quad 4 processor but came with a basic video card, and when he put in a PC game in the slot, it wasn’t that powerful. Go to the AMD website (www.amd.com.au) and type in the processor you’ve got and it will tell you what cards will run on that processor.

Des lives on the south coast and can get analogue radio, and he was thinking of getting a digital radio but is concerned he will not be about to get the Sydney stations any more. In order to get a digital signal you will have to test any unit you buy in the shop – especially if you are in the Illawarra and hoping to get Sydney stations.

Alex queried about whether a television 3D experience would be the same as you would get at the movies with the likes of Avatar. The short answer is yes, it will be, albeit on a smaller scale. You will get a pair of 3D glasses (not the cheap cardboard kind) for about $150-$250 depending on the manufacturer, and you will watch movies through a 3D-enabled blu-ray player. Indications at the moment is that a 3D television will be about 20 to 30 percent more expensive than current models.

Finally, Steve received an email from a listener who said they had a $2.50 Apple app that allowed them to listen to the radio anywhere around the world – sounds like a very handy device to have on your smartphone.

 

 

Mobile Phones With Stalking Software

Spoke with Wendy Kingston on Nine News about a new trend that involves software that can be loaded onto your mobile phone, which not only means people to follow you remotely, but also allows them to listen in on your conversations.

While I agree that this type of software is a little over the top and unnecessary, it is out there, so it isn’t going away any time soon. Sellers of the product will say it is ideal for parents who worry about their teens, but as discussed on the news, it also can be used in ways for which it wasn’t intended – either a stalker or over protective partner.

Now, before people get all agitated by these intrusive programs, don’t get too upset by it because all is not as it seems. First of all, somebody has to download it onto your phone in order for it to work. This is quite a hard thing to do. Most of us have a pin number that people would need to access your mobile, so there’s your first barrier to averting unwanted attention.

Second, even if by some small miracle they do download it to your phone, it won’t be long before you find out. If you start getting texts and calls from your partner asking why you are at a particular location, or asking about the contents of a text, it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out you must have something loaded on your phone giving away this information.

Third, if you are even a little suspicious that something has been downloaded, check through your menu looking for unfamiliar programs. If you find one, uninstall it, and perhaps ask a few questions of those near and dear to you if they know how the software founds its way onto the handset.

Finally, in a worst case scenario, you can wind your phone back to the original settings. This will uninstall all the applications and programs you have put onto the mobile since you’ve had it, but it will also clear the phone of unwanted software.