Summer holidays are here and make even the nerdiest tech fans among us appear from behind their screens and stay as close as possible to the beach or a refreshing swimming pool. The proximity of water and the use of your personal gadgets has been a war fought for a long time. But as technology evolves, there are more and more of your smart, technical companions that endure water – not only a few drops, but sometimes also the depth of several meters!
How Waterproof is Waterproof?
First of all, it is important to explain the concept of “waterproof.” What does that really mean? You should be aware of the fact that the notion of waterproof is interpreted differently by every manufacturer. Some devices may only survive a few splashes of water, while others can be totally submerged in the pool without suffering any damage. The most common way of indicating this is the Ingress Protection rating (IP) which is composed of two different numbers.
The first number accounts for a gadget’s ability to resist solid particles, the second number is the one that you should be looking at. The most frequent ratings are 7, which means that your device endures half an hour of full immersion, and 8, which is even better and specifies to which depth your device is waterproof. Whenever you buy a product that is advertised as “splash-proof” or “water-resistant,” you should examine the technical specifications carefully.
Swimming With Your Smartphone
The smartphone has become your permanent companion and surely you don’t want to stop using it when hanging out in a deck chair near the pool, right? You can now stop worrying about each and every splash of water that comes in the direction of your beloved gadget. Solid waterproof cases for all types of phones are not expensive anymore and allow you to take your device with you when going for a swim or drifting around on your pool mattress. If you are doing watersports, outdoor activities or if you just think that your phone looks weird and bulky with a thick case around it, you might want to check out one of the new waterproof smartphones on the market.
A Soundtrack for Your Pool Party
Music is indispensable for having a good time at the pool. However, portable speakers are a bit expensive for taking them near the water without having any worries. Waterproof speakers make listening to music in your summer holiday a fun experience again. Some speakers even allow control via Bluetooth. If you like to take your music with you while swimming in the ocean, there are floatable speakers that can accompany you.
What Time Is It?
Knowing the time can be crucial for watersports like sailing or diving. But normal watches usually don’t endure more than a few drops of water. If you love doing those sports regularly, check the exact specifications of a model before choosing a new watch. Did you know that the first titanium diver’s watch was actually produced by Seiko in 1975? Even if you won’t reach 600m below the surface level that this watch endures, a professional diver’s watch is never a bad choice if you are a watersport lover.
Waterproof Memories
The clear light and bright colors of summer are excellent to take snapshots of your holiday activities. Would you like to take your professional DSLR with you? If you have always refrained from doing so because you didn’t want to risk the technical integrity of your beloved camera, then you should consider a waterproof alternative. Of course, you can purchase waterproof cases for any DSLR model, but unless you are willing to spend a good amount of money for a professional option, then be careful with cheap offers and check the detailed specifications of the product.
It makes more sense to invest in an affordable and fully submergible underwater camera. Cheap one-way cameras are fun for a pool party but don’t forget the costs to develop the pictures afterward and the waste that you create by throwing the camera away. A better alternative is a digital underwater camera which, in contrast to their one-way colleagues, often allow you to zoom or even to change the settings. If you wish to record you underwater discoveries on video, update yourself about waterproof HD video cameras.
