Help your gadgets weather the monsoon

Hindustan Times | ByAbhishek Baxi

Jun 29, 2019 06:45 PM IST

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The monsoon is notorious for ruining our gadgets. Here’s a way to keep them safe and a guide on what the waterproof devices to invest in

First aid for a wet device

If you happen to wet your phone or some device in the rain, here’s what you should do immediately to salvage the situation before you get around to taking it to a service centre.

Curb your instinct to shake the phone. If you do so, water may seep into the external circuitry making things worse. Also, don’t use a blow dryer to ‘dry’ it. Hot air from a hair dryer might damage the components of the device.

Instead, dunk your device in a bowl of rice and leave it overnight. The rice soaks up all the moisture and if you’re lucky, your device will recover just fine.

To check if the gadgets you have can take a splash, you should know the difference between water-resistant and waterproof products. The former can withstand wet weather, but they can’t withstand being submerged in water like the latter.

An IP rating, a two-digit code specified on the packaging or on the specifications sheet, helps you discern the difference between the two. The first number of the rating specifies how the device fares against solid particles, essentially dust, while the second number relates to how it handles liquids – the period and depth of immersion.

A good waterproof Bluetooth speaker will let you enjoy a rainy day’s samosa and chai on the balcony, and keep the music flowing.

*A good start is a waterproof pouch for your phone. You’ll mostly find no-name brands with one-size-fits-all at your neighbourhood mobile shop or any online retailer – with options of an armband or a neck band to go with it.

*Also, get a water-resistant Bluetooth headset – like the sports-focused, and hence outdoorsy, Plantronics BackBeat Fit, JBL Endurance or boAt Rockerz – so that you can safely tuck your phone in your bag, and listen to music and answer calls without risking it with a splash.

*There’s also the ZAAP power bank that’s not just waterproof, but also shockproof and dirtproof for complete protection against the elements.

*If you don’t want a little drizzle to spoil that chai and samosa evening in the balcony, you might want to buy a waterproof Bluetooth speaker to keep the music flowing. There are some pretty good ones from Bose, Ultimate Ears, and JBL and some very affordable ones from Indian brands like Mivi and boAt.