Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

How far are we from waterproof?

L

lannim

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 6, 2011
69
1
Indiana
How long (if ever) do you think it will be until we are gifted with viable waterproof technology in electronic devices? How long til I can relax in a hot tub reading a magazine on my iPad without worrying about destroying it?
 
At the moment you can get waterproof cases but they don't work with touch screens.
 
To be honest, I don't think we'll ever see anything like that (in the "near" future). I don't think any company is going to spend time, money, and energy into marketing their tablet or phone as "completely waterproof so you can keep it in your swimming trunks or use it while it the bathtub also."

What's the point?
 
vincenz said:
To be honest, I don't think we'll ever see anything like that (in the "near" future). I don't think any company is going to spend time, money, and energy into marketing their tablet or phone as "completely waterproof so you can keep it in your swimming trunks or use it while it the bathtub also."

What's the point?
Click to expand...

Because some people still buy cameras for that very purpose. To bring on vacations, to the beach, use in the pool, etc. The iphone already probably killed the flip camera. Make that thing waterproof and what need would you have to buy a stand alone water proof camera?
 
Mac'nCheese said:
Because some people still buy cameras for that very purpose. To bring on vacations, to the beach, use in the pool, etc. The iphone already probably killed the flip camera. Make that thing waterproof and what need would you have to buy a stand alone water proof camera?
Click to expand...

That's practical, but then theres people like me who just wanna play angry birds in the shower :D..or be able to go swimming with my phone in my trunks pocket, doesn't seem pointless to me.
 
While it would be awesome, I don't think it will ever be standardized just because people don't have that "needy" feeling like they do with HD or something similar.
 
I've wanted my electronics water proof for years! It'd just be nice to not have to buy a new keyboard because I spilled a drink on it (to be fair in my 20 years of owning computers its only happened once!) or to be able to use my iPod in the rain. I used to wonder what really is stopping something like the iPod Classic from being waterproof? It has a headphone port and the data port. You could easily seal that up!

I used to own a Siemens M35i once upon a time. I believe that was splash/rain proof.
 
lannim said:
...there's people like me who just wanna play angry birds in the shower :D
Click to expand...

epic! you win the 'best idea i saw on the internet today' award.

there are things like that around, i had an Itronix laptop when i was in the military doing sneaky dangerous things that was rugged and waterproof, and had a touchscreen LCD. they claimed it was tough enough to be dropped, so i did several time on purpose and it survived. they claimed it was tough enough to be driven over, so i put it on the ground and drove over it with the humvee and it survived. if it got dirty (mud/stuff/whatever) you just hosed it off, or drove through the wash with it strapped to the hood. not exactly the most portable thing ever, got a bit heavy to carry about, but a good start!

EDIT: just went looking, and it seems they were bought by general dynamics, sweet looking handheld HERE.
 
Last edited:
4JNA said:
epic! you win the 'best idea i saw on the internet today' award.

there are things like that around, i had an Itronix laptop when i was in the military doing sneaky dangerous things that was rugged and waterproof, and had a touchscreen LCD. they claimed it was tough enough to be dropped, so i did several time on purpose and it survived. they claimed it was tough enough to be driven over, so i put it on the ground and drove over it with the humvee and it survived. if it got dirty (mud/stuff/whatever) you just hosed it off, or drove through the wash with it strapped to the hood. not exactly the most portable thing ever, got a bit heavy to carry about, but a good start!

EDIT: just went looking, and it seems they were bought by general dynamics, sweet looking handheld HERE.
Click to expand...

Just as computers used to fill entire rooms, the technology will be eventually "micro'd" I'm sure
Instead of making the devices waterproof they should just make all water stop conducting electricity :D
 
Why would you want to look like a douche talking on the phone while swimming. Just leave the damn thing on the beach. A break from technology is nice once in a while.
 
i saw this thing at macworld that was a bag made to fit the iphone that you suck the air out of and it makes it water proof plus the touch screen works. i will put a picture on later when i find out were i put it.
 
vincenz said:
To be honest, I don't think we'll ever see anything like that (in the "near" future). I don't think any company is going to spend time, money, and energy into marketing their tablet or phone as "completely waterproof so you can keep it in your swimming trunks or use it while it the bathtub also."

What's the point?
Click to expand...

Have you not heard of the Motorola Defy?

thumbnail.aspx


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbmUSwd_bqw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvAAp0_fJ4w
 
MacNut said:
Why would you want to look like a douche talking on the phone while swimming. Just leave the damn thing on the beach. A break from technology is nice once in a while.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Are we that much of a slave to these products that we can't put them down to go swimming or take a shower?:rolleyes:
 
Its technically easy eniugh to do - look at the waterproof cameras, for example - but has compromises in needing different materials, more layers and typically a more chunky device, and also has to compromise on the usability and maintenance through things like rubber plugs or o-rings sealing the openings. But maybe in a few years when the SIM is built-in, inductive charging is standard, and all connections are wireless, maybe it could be made as a completely sealed unit. That's a few years off though, and still leaves the inevitable compromises in construction through trying to make it waterproof.

David
 
Tomorrow said:
What happened to the days when we could just take a bath for half an hour without feeling the need to be tethered to an electronic gadget?
Click to expand...
Ya usually you don't want anything electric in the tub with you.:p
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back