The Popular Blackout Weapon

I forgot to write about 24 this week, and all I can think about is the Blackout weapon that is supposedly used to fry all the electronics in the area. First we saw this device on Alias and now 24 - is anyone else freaked out that this thing really exists???? I am - what would we do without tv, computers, phones etc - forget that it makes helicopters drop from the sky, I'm scared.