Do these count as electronics for the purpose of Electro?
The most basic definition of electronic device is probably anything which has one or more transistors (or possibly diodes), and which is thus leveraging the tunneling of electrons across a heterogeneous semi-conductor boundary.


  Electronic devices are components for controlling the flow of electrical currents for the purpose of information processing and system control. Prominent examples include transistors and diodes.


I would agree with your Eng. Phys. friend on everything except for chip devices. The chip on a chip card is actually a small CPU which receives power once inserted into the reader, thus clearly passing the possessing transistors test:


  The computer chip inside a chip and PIN card functions like a small computer. Not only can the chip store data, but it's also a data processor. One of the reasons why chip and PIN cards are so secure is that the chip uses cryptography to protect secure data when communicating with a card reader. The chip itself has no power source, but it leaps into action when it comes in contact with a checkout terminal.


However, as with all Munchkin games, the final rule arbiter is always the owner of the primary game set being played.


  Any other dispute should be settled by loud argument, with the owner of the game having the last word.