Are laptops dangerous to use on your lap?

[slipper]

This question just popped up in my mind just now... Are laptops dangerous to use on my lap? I use it on my lap every day... i would like to have kids someday.

[-Ryan-]

Probably not, but just remember Apple call theirs 'notebooks', implying you shouldn't use it on your lap.

[Mindinversion]

Actually just about ALL Manufacturers refer to them as "notebooks" for this reason. Not that you CAN'T use them on your lap, but to avoid being sued if you manage to burn yourself and then proceed to complain "but it's called a laptop"

[Calatis]

However, Wifi, Bluetooth are in 2.4GHz. You know the microwave oven works in the same spectrum, way less power, WAY LESS. The technology is available for, what 20 maybe 30 years, hard to get some real statistics. Probably in 100 years from now who knows what genetic mutation might happen, or maybe nothing. Any way, where is radiation, something, in time might happen. As a form of life, we are natural adapted to all kind of natural radiation, but this adaptation was based on long journey of Human evolution. Another thing, and this is medical fact, for men, overheating some sensitive body area is not encouraged, the man might loose ability on

[I-Eat-Flowers]

Originally Posted by slipper

I use it on my lap every day....

that's definitely not healthy for you!

[Esquare]

Originally Posted by I-Eat-Flowers

that's definitely not healthy for you!

And another piece of FUD arrives on the InterWeb.

[Clete2]

Originally Posted by Esquare

And another piece of FUD arrives on the InterWeb.

THE WORLD ENDS TOMORROW

Really, I agree with you. It's all FUD.

[I-Eat-Flowers]

Originally Posted by Esquare

And another piece of FUD arrives on the InterWeb.

this is not just some random ******** i was making up, it's definitely true. there are studies that proof that even wearing too tight underpants can damage a man's fertility in the long run since your testicles are getting too warm when they are pushed very close to your body. why do you think evolution put your balls 'outside of your body'? right, because 37°C is just too warm for them. now imagine you put a 45°C warm laptop on your lap for several hours everyday. Your common sense should tell you that this is not very healthy.

[MacRumorUser]

It depends if your sat bone naked with the laptop directly cushioned over the ball sack. Then yes it may be affecting your sperm count..

[old-wiz]

If the laptop truly messed up your fertility, I have a long list of politicians I would love to give a laptop to..

[I-Eat-Flowers]

Originally Posted by MacRumorUser

It depends if your sat bone naked with the laptop directly cushioned over the ball sack. Then yes it may be affecting your sperm count..

you certainly don't have to be naked to significantly heat up your ball sack with your laptop on ur lap. an believe me: even 2 or 3 °C make a great difference if youre doing this regularly and over long periods of time...

well, do whatever you want I'm not gonna discuss this any further...

[CJS7070]

As far as heat goes, if it gets uncomfortably hot just take it off your lap?

I know nothing about the effects of radiation, but we all have no problem holding a cell phone right next to our brains...

[Hellishness]

I went to India in the winter and it was unbearably hot. There's over a billion people there. Case closed.

[slipper]

Actually i was referring to any radiation the computer may emit. I'm not really concerned about the heat as my MBP doesn't get hot at all.

[Trexznl]

Radation emitted by your notebook? Heh, I'd be more worried about radation emitted by our iPhones. Or any phone for that matter.

[mikes70mustang]

I hear that google is toxic to MR members

[wrkactjob]

I get some stomach pains which immediately stop if I rest my laptop (Dell, sorry) on a cusion instead of allowing the front edge, which gets warm to rest on my stomach.

Its doing something not good.

[MacBird]

Originally Posted by slipper

Actually i was referring to any radiation the computer may emit. I'm not really concerned about the heat as my MBP doesn't get hot at all.

Are you male or female? If male, the temperature of the laptop might have an impact, probably not significant, though. What kind of radiation are you referring to?

[bob5820]

Originally Posted by I-Eat-Flowers

this is not just some random ******** i was making up, it's definitely true. there are studies that proof that even wearing too tight underpants can damage a man's fertility in the long run since your testicles are getting too warm when they are pushed very close to your body. why do you think evolution put your balls 'outside of your body'? right, because 37°C is just too warm for them. now imagine you put a 45°C warm laptop on your lap for several hours everyday. Your common sense should tell you that this is not very healthy.

There are also studies that show most studies are in fact just random ********

[I-Eat-Flowers]

Originally Posted by bob5820

There are also studies that show most studies are in fact just random ********

show me one please

[flyfish29]

Originally Posted by CJS7070

As far as heat goes, if it gets uncomfortably hot just take it off your lap?

I know nothing about the effects of radiation, but we all have no problem holding a cell phone right next to our brains...

Actually I try not to use a phone next to my head. I use bluetooth (which is a better option of course) most of the time or else speaker phone.

I use a great little laptop desk- logitech- logitech pad

I tried a belkin one but it was way slippery and too small for the 15" MacBook PRo.

The logitech pad not only keeps my lap cool (and my boys cool!) it raises the laptop up so I don't strain my neck. I put some clear rubber feet on the edge closer to me so the MacBook Pro would be more secure. It also helps helps keep the laptop cool as the pad is hollowed out in the middle where it gets really hot at times when ripping movies.

[Bill Gates]

Originally Posted by bob5820

There are also studies that show most studies are in fact just random ********

I-Eat-Flowers is correct that increased temperatures on the genital area do result in decreased fertility. However, I don't know for how long you would need to use the computer on your lap and if the effects are permanent or not. It has actually been shown that people who ride bicycles avidly have decreased fertility due to the high temperatures in the genital region. My guess is that it's not something that the average user need concern himself about.

[kdum8]

Originally Posted by Calatis

However, Wifi, Bluetooth are in 2.4GHz. You know the microwave oven works in the same spectrum, way less power, WAY LESS. The technology is available for, what 20 maybe 30 years, hard to get some real statistics. Probably in 100 years from now who knows what genetic mutation might happen, or maybe nothing. Any way, where is radiation, something, in time might happen. As a form of life, we are natural adapted to all kind of natural radiation, but this adaptation was based on long journey of Human evolution. Another thing, and this is medical fact, for men, overheating some sensitive body area is not encouraged, the man might loose ability on

Indeed, any electromagnetic field with a frequency of between 300 MHz and 300 GHz is a microwave. To put it in perspective, the photons that all of us give off as heat have more energy, (Infra-red energy) than any transmission from your mac. So the chances that Bluetooth, wirefy etc are harmful is very small. We wont know for sure though until we have a lot of data over many years as you suggest. However heating your lap to higher than normal temperatures due to close contact with the hot bottom case of a Macbook isn't advisable if you are a man as it can affect fertility.

For reference: (wavelength/frequency)

Gamma-ray photons (<10pm/>30EHz)
X-ray photons (10pm<X<10nm/30EHz>X>30PHz)
Ultra Violet photons (10nm<X<380nm/30Phz>X>789THz)
Visible Spectrum (380nm<X<750nm/789THz>X>400THZ)
Infra Red photons (750nm<X<1mm/400THz>X>300GHz)
Microwave photons (1mm<X<1m/300GHz>X>300MHz)
Radiowaves (>1m/<300MHz)

(approximate divisions as there is no defined absolute, however these are the generally accepted values).

[Bye Bye Baby]

I could not imagine that it is a problem.

But I don't use it on my lap so much.

[bob5820]

Originally Posted by I-Eat-Flowers

show me one please

I was being sarcastic. My point was that studies can not prove anything. At best they can show the probability that the observed test statistic is at least as extreme the value that was actually observed. In other words what is the probability that the results that were observed can be attributed directly to the condition being observed and not to random environmental variables. Research could show that the study supports a 95% confidence level that laptop top use does reduce sperm count but it can not definitively prove it. The real problem with the study though is even if you show a high confidence level supporting your theory how do you single out laptop use as the primary causality.

In a given population of men who use laptops on their laps a certain number of them will be sterile, but is that number statistically significant when compared to the number of men who are sterile in the population of men who use laptops at a desk, or the number of men who do not use laptops. How do you eliminate the other factors that may have been the cause of the sterility.

The problem is that the results of studies such as this get reported because they make good news print but the methodology and context of the studies gets no more explanation then "research shows" or "experts believe". Its been said there are three kinds of lies; lies, **** lies, and statistics". I'm not saying that its not a possibility but its not something I'm very concerned about either. We live in a warning label happy society with a legal profession always looking for the next band wagon to jump on. Why then are there no warning labels on laptops or class action suits against Apple, and Dell for making men infertile.