The rain gods have shown their grace over most parts of our country by now. After the sweltering heat of the summers that we had this year, all of us are more than happy with the ample downpour that has been happening. You know who isn’t happy? Your gadgets. Electronics and water aren’t exactly on good terms and barely manage to coexist if you’re lucky. And if you aren’t, then you’re in for a big hole in your pocket. Unless you are prepared with the gadgets and tips that we have compiled for you.
A quick and easy fix to protect your phone from moisture almost the entire time is to put in a ziploc bag filled with rice when you are taking it out in the rain or highly humid situations. If this is too much jugaad, you should check the smartphone’s IP rating. Some of the phones that satisfy that are the Moto G 3rd Gen, Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge and Sony Xperia M4 Aqua. For iPhones, you will have plenty of good waterproof cases as options. For others, we advise you to look for materials like Gore Tex.
While most fitness bands are waterproof, the same cannot be said for smartwatches. Fortunately, there are some manufacturers out there who do think about people using their product in the rain or while swimming or even in the shower. The Sony Smartwatch SWR 50, a great smartwatch at its price range, is also waterproof. Another good option is the similarly priced Asus Zenwatch 2. For Pebble fans, the Pebble Time is actually splash and rain resistant too. Once again, if you are an Apple Watch user, you have options for good cases like the Spigen SGP11496 for the 42mm version.
When it comes to laptops, there is a distinct dearth of waterproofing. Most ultrabooks and laptops that ship for consumers do not focus on the ruggedness. Business laptops, on the other hand, have rugged features including drop protection and spill protection. One of the best ranges in business laptop is the Lenovo Thinkpad range that has the features above. Fair warning, business laptops are designed to be heavier for the drop resistance. If you don’t want that, then get a waterproof laptop bag or laptop sleeve based on your laptop model and size. Do check the user reviews before purchasing.
Sometimes during our daily commute, the only piece of relief from the incessant noise are the headphones. So to protect yourself against being denied this due to rain, go for the Jaybird X2. Armed with Liquipel Sweat repellant nano technology, it should hold it’s own against some rain too, unless you decide to go swimming with it. For that, we recommend the Sony NW-WS413 and the Finis Neptune V2, both of which are music players as well and come highly recommended from swimmers. Although if you are looking for something more affordable, go for the Pyle PSWP4BK.
It has been a while since e-book readers have entered the Indian market, and it isn’t really a surprise now to see someone using one in transit. Sadly, most Ebook readers are not designed to withstand water damage. That is, most except the Kobo Aura H2O which is a dust resistant water resistant IP67 certified e-book reader. Unfortunately, it doesn’t ship to India yet and is only available if you get it over ebay. You could opt for a waterproof cover for your current ebook reader. Kindle has a number of options across its models from third party sellers.
To take that perfect shot in the monsoon, ditch your smartphone and go for an actual camera. The TG-860 from the Olympus tough range is a good choice with waterproofing upto 15m, just like the rest of the range. Also definitely worth a mention is the Nikon 1 AW1 available in stores, which is the world’s first waterproof digital camera with interchangeable lenses. If you already have a DSLR, choose the right case from the vast range available online. You can either go for a generic one, or specific kits manufactured for your camera.
Planning to host a pool party or just want to listen to your favorite tunes on the balcony while it’s raining? You do need to worry about the speakers as most of them aren’t waterproof. Not the UE Boom 2 though, this one comes with an IPX7 rating. That means it can survive for 30 minutes inside your swimming pool if it is one metre deep. And to achieve that, it doesn’t sacrifice what makes the Boom range so awesome! So make this your go-to music device for the monsoons. Afterall, what good is a rain-dance without music?
On one hand, your phone is dying. On the other, you have to leave immediately! This is exactly why powerbanks were created. And before you tell us that the rain is going to kill your a powerbank, let us tell you that you should choose the EasyAcc 9000mAH Travel Charger. With a 2.1A output and the ability to detect an input and start charging immediately, this one is an ideal option if monsoon makes you a traveller. The included compass, carabiner and carry on clip are just the cherries on the top. And this can really take a dip!
Practically any fabric
Why are we bringing up fabric here? Because all these gadgets are usually either carried in your bag or your jeans, and unfortunately those are still made up of normal everyday fabric.Go for a water-repellent spray like the Vetro Power from Trifli Technologies. Essentially targeted to be footwear protection, this will work on most surfaces. Although, if you want a comparatively better known option, go for Rust Oleum’s NeverWet range of sprays for fabric that are proven to be water as well as stain repellent. Spray these and watch the water magically slide off your bag!