Stripping Hotel Key Cards

I have recently traveled and travel means staying in hotels. My cell phone and my laptop are always within arms reach. Last night, I tried to get back into my hotel room with my card and could not. For a second, I started to wonder if I was at the right room. I was pretty sure I was, but in the off chance I wasn't, this could turn into an embarrassing situation.

Before I went down to the lobby, I tested my key card on the door to the ice and vending machine to try to figure out if it was my door that had the problem or my key card. (Troubleshooting!) It didn't work on that door either so I decided it was the key card. When I went down to the lobby and told the desk attendant, I found out that keeping my key card near a computer strips it. Oops! This morning I was also told that cell phones could strip them as well.

Of course, now I am curious as to why. Why does this happen with the hotel key cards and not my credit cards? I did a little web search and it turns out I'm not the only person who's wondered about this.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2255007

Anyway, I'll be sure to keep my hotel key cards safe from cell phones and laptops!

That is the fun thing about technology. You constantly learn new things about it even when you least expect it!

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