20/10/2013
HzO looking to make splash with
smartphone waterproofing
According to a recent study , 19
percent of you have lost your
smartphone due to a fatal meeting
with the toilet. Putting aside the
disturbing fact that some people
can't part with their phone for a
precious few moments, wouldn't it
be nice not to worry about your
mobile device, should it take a
tumble into the commode or any
other body of water?
Well, it could happen, and even
better, it could happen this year.
A company called HzO developed
a nanofilm waterproof coating that
can protect your electronics from
the perils of water, but it's a bit
different from some of the other
solutions out there, such as
NeverWet and Liquipel .
The difference is that HzO's
WaterBlock is applied during the
manufacturing stage instead of
after, so it safeguards the insides
of your phone, tablet, or MP3
player--and not just the outside.
The company uses what it calls a
vacuum deposition process to
apply the protective film at room
temperature, so at no point is
heat--which can damage a
device's circuitry--introduced
during the process.
HzO says it already has a system
for applying WaterBlock to a high
volume of units and adds that it's
made from nontoxic, organic
material that doesn't change the
look, feel, or weight of a device.
However, the product isn't meant
to make your smartphone dive- or
swim-friendly. Rather, it's
designed to ensure that your
favorite gadget keeps on ticking,
in case it goes for a dip in the
pool.
The company has already tested
WaterBlock on a number of
smartphones and tablets,
including the Apple iPhone 4S,
the Samsung Galaxy S II, the
Amazon Kindle Fire , and the Apple
iPad.
HzO told Pocket-lint that the
company is in talks with Samsung
and Apple, as well as a company
that makes headphones, to
possibly manufacture their
devices with the technology.
HzO President Paul Clayson said
he expects to see WaterBlock-
treated consumer devices this
summer and plans to expand its
use to other electronics, including
cameras, solid-state laptops,
medical equipment, and gaming
devices.