Difference between smart meter and a normal electric meter

State two big difference between a smart meter and a normal electrical meter.

Thanks :)

The normal electric meter is analog, like the hands on your wristwatch. And it sends no signals to the electric company. An electric company guy must come periodically to read and record the power usage manually. It is a dumb meter.

The smart meter is digital. And it sends signals on a pre-programmed schedule, by wireless, to the electric company for monitoring and billing purposes. Some power companies, like PG&E on the west coast of the U.S., will post some of the power data on the Internet for the account holder to read off. And that allows the account holder to monitor his or her own power usage over time. That helps the holder figure out where power might be conserved and where costs might be cut.

There are those who claim the short (seconds) and once daily transmissions of power data back to the power company is harmful to their health. Electro-magnetic radiation hazard and all that. I'm guessing these are some of the same people who will walk around with a cell phone stuck to their ear, less than an inch from their brains.

I have little hope for the survivability of our species.