Tech Questions & Answers Archives

Q&A: Can a cell phone damage a credit card or key fob?

Posted on September 11, 2026

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Question from Cam: I’ve been wondering about the something and I’m hoping you can set me straight.

I always carry my credit cards, my debit card and the key ring with my car keys and key fob on it all in my purse right next to my cell phone.

My question is could the battery or any parts of the cellphone or the electric current in the phone (which I leave turned on) somehow damage the key fob or erase the data on my bank cards? [Read more…]

Q&A: Is it safe to plug a 300W inverter into my car’s cigarette lighter socket?

Posted on September 6, 2026

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Question from Carl: I bought this 300 watt 12VDC to 120VAC power inverter to run my coffee pot and a couple of other items while I’m camping.

While I was researching a related topic online I found a couple of articles that said not to plug an inverter larger than 200 watts into a car’s cigarette lighter because it’ll burn the inverter up.

That’s a problem because the inverter I bought only came with a cigarette lighter plug. You can’t remove it and there’s no place to plug in cables that can connect it directly to the battery.

What I need to know is will my 300W inverter really burn up if I plug it into my car’s cigarette lighter socket? [Read more…]

Q&A: What’s the difference between Bluetooth and WiFi?

Posted on September 4, 2026

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Question from Marvin: After using a flip phone for years, I finally decided it was time to upgrade to a smart phone.

I found a good deal on a new iPhone so I bought one. I like the phone ok, but some things about it are really confusing.

For example, my phone’s user manual says it supports both Bluetooth and WiFi wireless connectivity.

What is Bluetooth and how is it different from WiFi? [Read more…]

Q&A: What exactly is a GaN charger?

Posted on September 2, 2026

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Question from Darla: I went online to search for a new wall charger for my phone and iPad and I noticed that some of them were labeled as GaN chargers.

I had never seen that before (but it’s been years since I bought a new charger).

What does the GaN mean? [Read more…]