By Gregg Ellman
McClatchy-Tribune
For the most part, portable electronic gadgets and water are a bad combination. But here are a bunch of waterproof accessories to keep your reading, music, photos or calls beach-, water- and even fishing-friendly this summer.
BLUETOOTH SPEAKER
The Scosche boomBOTTLE is a portable Bluetooth speaker built in a bottle with a durable, weatherproofed, non-slip, shock-absorbing exterior.
There are a pair of 40mm drivers at each end of the speaker to broadcast sound in a full 360 degrees. A subwoofer is in the middle of the 8.125-inch-long rounded body.
The speakers are in dust-proof speaker grills, allowing for incredibly clear, unobstructed sound even when cranked up to high volumes.
Along with the design to withstand the weather, it’s made to withstand drops or vibrations from rough terrain.
The Bluetooth connection gives you a range of 33 feet to keep your sound wireless for up to 10 hours before the lithium-ion battery needs a USB charge (cable included).
The rounded construction with a 2.85-inch diameter enables it to sit in water bottle and cup holders.
Controls are on the outside for volume and music selections along with a microphone for handsfree calls.
Details: $149.95 in gray; available later this spring in blue, green, pink or yellow; www.scosche.com
WEATHERPROOFing
LifeProof makes everything you need to keep your iPhone or iPad weatherproof and even floating if it gets dropped in the water.
The LifeProof nuud case and cover give the iPad (generation 2/3/4) 100 percent protection and full access to the device’s buttons, controls and touchscreen.
Your device is also safe from small drops since the case is shock and impact protected. It’s rated to keep it safe in water up to 6.6 feet but they also make a Lifejacket ($59.99), which is placed on the perimeter of the nuud to enable the whole setup to float in water.
Everything is still accessible on the iPad with the jacket on, including the speaker and microphone.
For the iPhone (4/4S/5), the LifeProof fre is a slim styled case, which gives full protection to the smartphone, while still allowing full access to all the phone’s controls including the touchscreen and camera.
The company also makes a Lifejacket ($39.99) so the phone can float, along with bike mounts and armbands, all designed for taking your phone in any environment.
LifeProof also recently announced a Total Water Protection Program for the iPhone ($10) and iPad ($20) to anyone who purchases a LifeProof case on its website. The optional program offer is a one-time repair or replacement of the device for up to one full year if it sustains accidental water damage in a LifeProof case.
Details: iPhone 5 case, $79.99, iPad case $129.99; www.lifeproof.com
iPhone MARINECASE
The Concord Keystone ECO MarineCase for the iPhone 5 is made of a polycarbonate hard shell and is waterproof up to 20 feet deep. It includes an attachable floating lanyard to keep the case and phone afloat.
When the phone is in the case you’ll get full access to all the functions including calls and photos and video under water.
They also make waterproof cases for additional smartphones, including older iPhones, Samsung Galaxy S III, Blackberry Z10 and the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx HD.
Another choice is the Keystone slim waterproof case, which also has a polycarbonate hard shell, keeps the phone in a thin profile while waterproof up to 6.6 feet.
Details: $49.99 each, the MarineCase is available in black or white, the slim case is available in black, blue, green, pink or white; www.concordkeystone.com
WATERPROOF CASES, SPORT EARBUDS
I’ve written about the DryCASE’s waterproof accessories before, but since they are a personal favorite and an outstanding product, it’s worth mentioning again.
With the DryCASE itself (4.25-by-7 inches) you can put in any device that fits and with its vacuum-sealed technology you’ll have it waterproof up to 100 feet deep.
Just slip your device into the see-through plastic and lock the pair of clamps. Then, with the included pump you take out the air to make the tight seal, enabling the touchscreen to work with the plastic covering.
Once you take the air out, it’s recommended to let it sit 10 minutes to ensure the vacuum tight seal is secure.
The DryBUDS SPORT waterproof earbuds are good down to 10-feet and plug into the pass-through headphone port built into the case.
They are built with an over-the-ear clip design to keep them in place and even have a waterproof microphone, obviously for using above water. Three sizes of ear buds are included to help get the right fit.
Details: DryBUDS Sport $39.99, DryCASE for phones $39.99, DryCASE for tablets $59.99; www.drycase.com
Evaporate water
For those with a phone or other electronic item that has hit the water unexpectedly (toilets come to mind) your device might be somewhat salvageable with the Kensington EVAP.
After your device gets wet, turn it off and remove the battery and SIM card (if it has one) and remove any visible water or moisture. Then immediately put the device in the EVAP bag.
Put one of the included drying agent pouches on each side and seal the bag.
The bag is designed to absorb the moisture from within the device. According to the website, the pouch has specially formulated molecules to attract and capture moisture.
It can take up to 48 hours to remove all the moisture and is built with a moisture indicator to tell you when the process is done.
Details: $19.99; www.kensington.com
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