waterproof

70 inches, HD, waterproof, $55,000

Sanyo made headlines last week with a waterproof 52-inch LCD in full HD (note: we resisted saying it made a splash), but there are actually larger versions already on the market. Earlier this year, for example, we saw a water-resistant 57-inch HDTV from Aquavision, and now there's a model that dwarfs its competitors.

U.K.-based MarineAV is selling a 70-inch LCD that's "fully waterproof" and comes in full 1080p HD glory, as seen on Book of Joe. Not much is known about its original manufacturer, but its description says the TV uses a Samsung display … Read more

A wet keyboard should be used, not heard

Next to the ability to light up and roll away, there are two features seen increasingly in computer keyboards: waterproofing and silence. The "ReallyCool Keyboard" manages to accomplish both at the same time.

And really, why shouldn't it? In this day and age, these should be standard specs for all models. Many are aimed specifically at such professional settings as courtrooms and medical facilities, as Dvice notes, but there's really no reason that they shouldn't be used everywhere. The ReallyCool Keyboard even has backlighting so you can type in the dark while spilling coffee on … Read more

A TV phone that Spongebob would appreciate

Talk about a solution in search of a problem. NTT DoCoMo is debuting a new line of mobile handsets that let you watch TV on them under water. We're not kidding.

The 3G phones, one of which is pictured here submerged in water, will get Japan's 1Seg digital television reception and play it on their LCDs. Other functions include GPS, credit-card technology, and voice translation in Japanese, Chinese, and English, according to I4U News. And if you're not into the life aquatic, there's always a "Wellness" phone to monitor your daily diet and habits … Read more

iPod speaker that doubles as pool toy

High-quality audio may be going the way of the endangered Fat Three-Ridge Mussel, but this clam-like floating speaker at least promises to revive any poolside party should conversation begin to dwindle.

The Weatherproof Submersible Wireless Speaker from Grace Audio is...exactly that. The speaker doesn't just stand up to a few splashes of water, you can actually toss it in the pool in case your backyard speakers aren't loud enough or close enough for you.

For added fun, and if you want to test its weatherproofing limits, the speaker promises to remain functional up to 9 feet under … Read more

Pentax W60 likes it wet

Pentax has been making waterproof compact digital cameras for years now. While they used to have a strange square shape, the new Optio W60 could easily be mistaken for any compact camera. It includes a 10-megapixel sensor and a 5x optical zoom lens that covers an equivalent of 28-140mm. The wide 28mm end of that lens will come in especially handy when shooting underwater. Since you can use the camera down to 13 feet underwater for up to 2 hours, you can even take it snorkling with you. Interestingly, the camera's waterproof seals also make it dust- and sandproof, … Read more

Indecent Exposure 5: Insufficent X chromosomes

We yammer on about the week's news and chat about the visibility of female pro photographers.

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EPISODE 5

'World's smallest' MP3 player for swimmers

As any music-loving swimmer will tell you, the last thing you need while doing laps is something cumbersome strapped to your head. And while there have been a number of waterproof MP3 players on the market, this latest wearable version makes that oft-repeated claim of being "the world's smallest."

Based on its appearance, Ubana's "uCan" does look less bulky than other models we've seen--and more important, it appears less likely to slip or fall off. The player has 1GB of built-in memory, claims 15 hours of playback time, and can be submerged up … Read more

Sanyo camcorder takes another dip

Sanyo has seen the future, and it's apparently underwater.

The company must be finding some kind of demand for submerged videography, because it continues to come out with waterproof camcorders. The latest version, coming to the Japanese market next monthy, is a new model in its Xacti line that can record for an hour in up to 5 feet of water. That's actually the same endurance as Sanyo's previous E1 version, but the new DMX-CA8 has an 8-megapixel sensor instead of its predecessor's 6-megapixel resolution, according to Akihabara News. It also has a 5x optical zoom (… Read more

Waterproof speakers for the toiletry kit

For some unfortunate reason, companies seem to think that waterproof speakers have to blend in with toiletries. A few, in fact, seem practically indistinguishable from shampoo bottles.

What's particularly disappointing about this latest model on the Japanese market is that it comes from Pioneer, which isn't a name usually associated with personal effects in the bathroom. The pink, blue, and white nursery colors don't help either. But we supposed it'll do the trick for around $40, with a waterproof "pouch" large enough to hold an iPod or other average-sized MP3 player, which connects to … Read more