Comments on: tawkon: How We Help Avoid Mobile Radiation

By: Tawkon iPhone App: Death Grip Effects More Than Signal | The Gadget Gurus

Tawkon iPhone App: Death Grip Effects More Than Signal | The Gadget Gurus — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 20:47:20 +0000

[...] Download screenshots or view tawkon in action here. And if you would like to try/review tawkon for yourself, please send me your UDID and I’ll send you the files of a complementary version. Read about the technology behind the app here. [...]

By: tawkon

tawkon — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 08:13:56 +0000

First thanks in the interest you take with tawkon.
tawkon technology was developed over 18 months by tawkon and In4Tel which is a leading RF lab with a lot of expertise in the cellular space (although not mentioned a lot in the internet, due to business considerations). As you can probably understand, the algorithms and formulas inside the application are patent pending and therefore we are not publishing them.
For users the key factor is the accuracy & reliability of our output. This is being achieved by testing and calibrating in an RF lab each client (phone model) we release to the market. In order to take into consideration the different SAR levels that differ from mobile to mobile (as I assume you probably know), calibration is being done with the same equipment as the phone vendors use in order to comply with the FCC regulations,

As an example, follows the link to the FCC report (RF Exposure Report) for the BlackBerry Bold 9700, (check out for the Dasy4 SAR measurement equipment)
https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/ViewExhibitReport.cfm?mode=Exhibits&RequestTimeout=500&calledFromFrame=N&application_id=711021&fcc_id=%27L6ARCM70UW%27

Without revealing our IP we can share there are three inputs to the algorithm that calculates the user exposure to radiation:

1. Dynamic SAR values of the phone – these values are calculated based on different RF parameters extracted from the phone cellular protocol stack (modem/baseband)

2. User behavior – under this category there are all the phone capabilities you have mentioned such as GPS, accelerometer, Bluetooth and other audio routes, proximity sensor, etc

3. Network condition – e.g. reception level, terrain, coverage, etc which dictates the quality of the wireless channel

Regarding your valid comment on GPS;; the GPS is not used as an input parameter to our SAR calculation it’s only being used in order to advise the users to talk in a location with less exposure to radiation.
During a call we log the user’s location (GPS) and the exposure to radiation, in cases when the user used to be in a location with less exposure and moved to a location with higher exposure we notify and suggest the user to move back to its previous location.

Generally speaking, our suggestion/feedbck mechanism is based on the specific device capabilities, on BlackBerry’s without GPS tawkon won’t give the user this suggestion.

I hope that I have answered your questions, would be great to further get your feedback once you use our application.

Amit Lubovsky, Co-Founder & VP R&D

By: Spread the truth, not marketing terms

Spread the truth, not marketing terms — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 16:07:16 +0000

I write this in light of some skepticism.

Although a very interesting product, tawkon to me equals business and marketing only. While I couldn’t spot errors in your claims and all seems fact, it is common knowledge what is presented and contributes little to the functionality behind your product. What you give us is a brief and short summary of what components of a phone tawkon uses as input, but fail to provide more information as to how all calculations and formulae inside the application work. What makes me even more skeptical is the company In4Tel Ltd, of which little information is available on the Internet. Being a strategic partner of tawkon I can see it lying in the same bed as tawkon greedy for money and not providing the end user a true product.

If you want to prove me wrong or convince me you have a real product to offer, answer this single question to me: how will the lack of GPS affect the accuracy of tawkon? Not all BlackBerry smartphones have GPS built in, but you mentioned that tawkon may use it as an input. Now in order for your answer to truly be credible you must first explain me and everyone else how GPS as an input paremeter works within tawkon and how will the lack of GPS support affect the accuracy of tawkon. I believe you will be answering me with the usual “to determine proximity to cell towers” card, but I want you to provide me the formula you used in programming level. Show me.