9 Biggest Technology Myths Busted: True Or False?

Short Bytes: There are a lot of myths and hoaxes associated with the technology we use in our daily lives. For instance, we shouldn’t use cell phones on the plane or at the petrol station, keeping mobile charging for a long time will damage the battery, and much more. However, there are explanations given to defy the correctness of these myths.

We believe our ancient world has been full of mythical creatures and stories. But even in the current times, when the technology development is believed to be progressing at an immense pace, myths still exist.

Over the last few decades, we started to surround ourselves with lots and lots of electronic devices. But along with these appearing to be futuristic gadgets, people have attached mythical stories. Some of these myths are so popular that some are almost considered as a true fact.

Myth 1 – Keeping laptop plugged in all the time overcharges the battery.

It’s probably the most commonly believed technology myth of all time. Fearing this myth, some people don’t even charge their laptops completely. Laptops include an integrated circuit which cuts off the power supply once the battery reaches its 100 percent. Practically the battery can’t be overcharged. And the damage is caused due to the overheating of the battery and laptop’s body.

Similar is the case of smartphone batteries. People think charging smartphone overnight would damage the batteries.

Myth 2: My phone has the highest resolution, it’s great

Your newly brought smartphone packs a quad-HD display. Does matter? And does it look better than a 1080p display. Maybe it is. But in reality, our eyes have their practical limitations when it comes to differentiating between the screen pixels. But given the same size, it won’t do wonders stuffing extra pixels beyond a limit. There are other factors contributing to your viewing experience.

Myth 3: The internet and the web are the same things

It may sound strange, but it’s true. The internet and the web are two different things that work together. You might consider reading this article on Fossbytes.

Myth 4: Wi-Fi causes cancer, stop using it

Wi-Fi, a technology leveraging the radio waves to pump the internet to and from the device of the people, has been questioned about the health hazards it causes to humans, mainly cancer. A research conducted by the World Health Organisations has busted the frightening myth.

Myth 5: People think they can stop Facebook with a disclaimer

People who come to know that Facebook has the license to use the data they upload on Facebook, start writing copyright disclaimers to their Facebook profile. But one pretending to be a legal watchdog of their data isn’t going to help you out because Facebook has already used legal powers in their T&C.

Myth 6: My network operator always keeps the bar full, what a great service

Seeing extra bars on your carrier’s network always brings a sense of satisfaction and the feeling that you’re running on a reliable network. But that extra signal strength isn’t an assurance of an excellent quality of service from the carrier. There are a lot of other factors affecting your calling experience and internet speed.

Myth 7: More RAM means faster

People think, if they keep adding more and more RAM to their machine then one day it will turn into a supercomputer. But, it doesn’t happen in practical applications.

RAM is a memory that’s faster than the hard drive, so, the data to be used by the processor is copied to the RAM. If you have limited RAM, the data needs to be interchanged between the hard drive and the RAM. Adding some extra juice will have its benefits but the speed only depends on the processor and on the type of the RAM being used.

Myth 8: A phone call at the petrol station will be my last call.

NOTE: Before telling you more about it, I would like to mention that it’s a highly debatable topic. So, I’ll request you to take it with a pinch of salt and follow the instructions to ensure your safety.

It’s normal for us to encounter ‘no phone’ signages at gas and petrol stations. It is widely known that using cellular phones at the gas station can use fire hazards in the event of sparks coming out of the smartphones messing with the gas fumes. Theoretically, it might be possible. But the possibility is quite low under normal circumstances. There hasn’t been a documented incident of a petrol station fire due to cellular phones. And the horrible myth has been dunked by various studies.

Myth 9: Using cell phone in the plane will certainly lead to a crash

NOTE: Just like the above-mentioned myth, this one is also highly controversial. So, whatever instructions are given to you inside the aircraft, follow them diligently.

Probably every flight announcement asks you to switch off your electronic devices including your cellular phone. While some people believe it might interfere with the plane’s communication system. Well, it does, but mostly its impact is quite low. Modern aircraft are built by keeping interference in mind. There is also an in-flight cellular tower tech in the works which will be able to connect cellphones to the network while flying.

And be assured your smartphone ain’t gonna make the aircraft free fall from 20,000 feet in the sky. It’s an exercise of caution. Again, I’ll advise you to follow whatever instructions you’re given inside the aircraft.

If you have some myths to add, drop your thoughts and feedback.