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The weekly newsletter for Fed2 by ibgamesEARTHDATE: June 14, 2009
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REAL LIFE NEWS: EARPHONES ARE BAD FOR YOUR HEALTHby HazedI seem to detect a theme in the stories I have collected this week... Apple has just announced that the earphones that come with its iPods and iPhones can give you an electric shock! The firm has posted a warning on its website admitting that "it's possible to receive a small and quick electrical (static) shock from your earbuds". That's because the iPods/iPhones hold a static charge, which can then discharge itself through the earbuds. Apple warned that shocks are also possible on non-Apple branded earbuds. The condition, Apple says, is often caused by using the earbuds in areas with "very dry air". Which means using them in an air conditioned office, like I do at work, is probably not a good idea! However, Apple hasn't just issued the warning and then left its customers to suffer. Its come up with several ideas for reducing the risk of a static shock. For example, you could try wearing different clothes because, presumably, a charge can be generated by the wire to the earbuds rubbing across your clothing. So avoid the manmade fibres! "Touch a grounded, unpainted metal object before inserting the headphones," advises Apple. You can also buy "anti-static hand lotion" if you've got very dry hands, or avoid taking your iPod out of your pocket because "rubbing the device on certain materials can cause a static build up" - there's those nylon clothes again! They also recommend anti-static sprays. But there's probably health issues with those, too. |
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