Samsung Impression tops low-radiation cellphone list

The Samsung Impression releases the least radiation compared to other cellphones, according to a new study that measured emissions on many current mobile devices.

Some worry about the effects of such radiation, so the nonprofit Environmental Working Group recently released its findings to help "lower your exposure."

The other top spots for low emission levels went to the Motorola RAZR V8 on CellularONE's network, T-Mobile's Samsung SGH-t229, and the Samsung Rugby and Propel Pro, which are both on AT&T. Their radiation readings ranged from 0.14 to 0.47 W/kg. (That unit, watts per kilogram, measures the amount of radio frequency energy that the body absorbs.)

The government limit for devices designed to be held to your head is 1.6 W/kg. Every phone in this test passed that standard. Canada has the same emissions cap, while Europe allows for phones with 2.0 W/kg.

Many of America's more popular phones occupied lower rungs on Environmental Working Group's chart. Apple's iPhone 3GS received 0.52 to 1.19 W/kg. The Palm Pre has a 0.92 W/kg. T-Mobile's G1 got 1.11 W/kg.

If you've never heard of the top dog Samsung Impression, it's an AT&T touch-screen slider that came out this spring and became CNET's favorite phone from the 2009 CTIA wireless convention. Its radiation reading came in at 0.15 to 0.35 W/kg.

(Editor's note: The first sentence of this post has been changed to make it clearer that the Impression's first-place finish is a good thing for those worried about cellphone radiation.)

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