Greetings TakePart faithful! We’ve got some exciting news - TakePart is now optimized for your iPhone. Anytime, anywhere you can bust out your sleek iPhone 3G and learn all about ways you can TakePart to make the world a better place.

Speaking of, are you thinking of ditching your old cellphone for an Apple iPhone? Before you take the plunge to AT&T, buy a ton of iPhone apps, and upgrade to iPhone 1.1.4 takepart and donate your old phone to for recycling. It’s the green way to get dispose of your phone and all proceeds go to charity.

Guess how many cell phones were sold world-wide last year?

Find out after the jump….

Fun weekly random fact about me? I can’t talk about phones or phone calls without this ditty playing in my head…

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The head of a prominent cancer research institute issued an unprecedented warning to his faculty and staff Wednesday: Limit cell phone use because of the possible risk of cancer. [AP]

This isnt good.   The warning is from Dr. Ronald B. Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. He warns that we shouldnt wait for a definitive study to conclude that cell phones are dangerous. We should take action now.

You can read more about the cell phone warning on Wired.

I wonder if cell phone use is going to become like smoking: you can only use it outside of a restaurant, you shouldn’t use it too close to others, you have to ask permission before using it in a friends house. And  maybe films that glamorize the use of cell phones will receive an R rating from MPAA.

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A new California law, set to go into effect tomorrow July 1, mandates that all drivers use a handsfree device while talking on their cellphones (’cellphone’ or ‘cell phone’? you decide).   The state of Washington has a similar handsfree cellphone law also going into effect tomorrow. In addition to benefiting public safety, the new laws are providing a sales boost to cellphone accessories retailers, like Santa Cruz California based Plantronics (feel free to leave any conspiracy theories in the comments).   In addition to keeping you focused on the road, recent research suggests using your cellphone may give you brain cancer, so it’s probably best to keep the phone away from your head anyway.   Check out our socially responsible ways to transition to a handsfree cellphone existence after the jump…

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Before you make your next cell call, you may want to read this article at http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/05/healthscience/sncell.php. The piece warns about cellular phone dangers saying:

Last week, three prominent neurosurgeons told the CNN interviewer Larry King that they did not hold cellphones next to their ears. “I think the safe practice,” said Dr. Keith Black, a surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, “is to use an earpiece so you keep the microwave antenna away from your brain.” [International Health Tribune]

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The Environmental Media Association, which likes to use celebrity clout to make a positive environmental difference, wants your old cell phone.   And they’re making it real easy for you to do, to boot!   I have no idea what that expression really means, either.   Help me, Google machine!  

Anyway, the campaign counts Rosario Dawson, Sienna Miller, Heather Graham and Julia Louis-Dreyfus among its supporters, and, “Each phone we recycle will raise money for EMA’s programs, including consumer education programs, PSAs and an environmental curriculum for schools.”  Can’t go wrong with that.

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In keeping up with my “Resolution a Week” commitment this weeks goal is to be on my cell less in public.

Sounds small. Perhaps silly. But the amount of time I use my cell for non-emergency calls at the gym, in an elevator, or on a bus is just bad. I am clouding the air with my jobber jabber and racking up airtime I can’t afford.

I don’t even like talking on the phone, but when I have free time and a cellie my bag I can’t help but start dialing. But not anymore. Phone chats are reserved for appropriate places. I also want to give the person I speaking with my undivided attention rather than splitting my brain between Grey’s Anatomy and whatever whats-her-face is babbling about on the other end.

So there you have it. Resolution #2-using my cell in appropriate places and appropriate times.

Happy 2008!

By Giulia Rozzi

Is it any surprise that monkeys are taking over Guwahati, India? Supposedly we evolved from these little creatures so of course they want our sodas and toothbrushes. I guess the one bright side thing about this mess is Guwahatians have an undeniable excuse for not returning calls- “a monkey stole my cellie!” How do you beat that?