Will Apple's iPhone 5 or Samsung's Galaxy S III be waterproof? It might sound unlikely, but HzO's WaterBlock technology is on its way -- and has to be seen to be believed.
Ever had the misfortune to drop your phone in the pool/sink/toilet/lake/beach? While you do hear stories of devices surviving such brushes with death (leaving gadgets in a container filled with rice can be a handy *sometimes* remedy), it's more often than not likely to result in the purchase of a new phone. Which is why HzO's WaterBlock waterproofing technique, on display at
last week's CES, is such a promising development for gadget lovers (and the generally accident-prone).
WaterBlock utilises a proprietary non-toxic nanotechnology film coating which shields electronic devices and components from water, moisture and debris damage. Applied via a process called "vacuum deposition" during manufacturing, the technology has been successfully implemented on smartphones (including the Apple iPhone 4S and Samsung Galaxy S II) and tablets (iPad, Galaxy Tab, Kindle Fire) in addition to other consumer electronics and industrial equipment.
According to a report by
Pocket-lint, the company hopes to license the technology to leading device manufacturers and is in the process of signing up "a major smartphone partner and a headphones maker in the very near future", while also conducting talks with both Apple and Samsung. While WaterBlock might not be ready in time for this 2012's top devices, the company told the site: "We expect HzO to be in next season's phones."
You can see a demonstration of how effective WaterBlock could be in the following promotional video. Our favourite moment occurs at about 0:45, where the poor little Altec Lansing speaker feebly sputters out water -- in time with the cheesy beat of Kevin Rudolf's "Let it Rock" -- an unsuspecting near-drowning victim if ever there was one.
