Golden Shellback waterproofs your cell phone

Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:42PM EDT

See Comments (102)

Dropping your cell phone on the street? Not a good feeling. Dropping your cell phone in a giant, filth-ridden puddle in the street? That's the beginning of a bad day.

A new coating and application process developed by the Northeast Maritime Institute makes your cell phone (and other gadgets) resistant to harsh liquid conditions without having to use any exterior casing or other device. The special coating is nearly undetectable and does not interfere with any original functions on the device.

From the website:

Golden Shellback coating has an excellent ability to repel oils, synthetic fluids, hazardous materials, dust, dirt and water based solutions. Low surface tension values, such as water and oils will bead and drain freely from coated surfaces. The process produces a uniform, continuous, near hermetic coating that resists rain and humidity. Electronics casually exposed to water continue to work even after exposure. The coating is readily applied and not generally considered to be removable. Repairs are made using abrasive methods.

Amazing, yes. If you'd like a jaw-dropping video performance, head over to Golden Shellback's website for a video demonstration, and trust me, it really is jaw dropping. (Well, if a fully functioning BlackBerry dunked in a tank of water is considered jaw-dropping for you.)

Pricing and availability are still unknown, but expect to hear more about it very soon.

Golden Shellback - Thanks to Jonny Le for the tip.

Top 5 Posts

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  • 6 Posted by thruthesewords on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:08PM EDT Report Abuse

    I dropped my razor in the toilet a few months ago and I automatically grabbed it out, turned it off, and took it apart. I let it dry overnight and to this day it still works, WITHOUT golden shellback. So it's not like you NEED golden shellback but I'm going to give it a try anyway because it will be extra protection.

  • 8 Posted by shaelrcrk on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:15PM EDT Report Abuse

    i dropped my phone in the toilet and it still worked just fine except on vibrate it wouldnt quit vibrating

  • 9 Posted by prettylittlelexi on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:18PM EDT Report Abuse

    I sent my HTC Tmobile Wing through the entire "long wash" "heavy soil" cycle on my washer. I dried it out in the dryer, and it still works fine- even the touch screen! Great job HTC!!!

  • 10 Posted by mondo_sinistro on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:25PM EDT Report Abuse

    Actually, even for an ordinary device it may not be that big a disaster if it's fairly clean water, and you immediately shut it off, take out the battery, disassemble it as much as possible, and let it air dry thoroughly before using it again. Pure water actually does not conduct electricity well at all.

  • 11 Posted by mrdavidia on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:27PM EDT Report Abuse

    I dropped My LG in th toliet and then had to wa----- off. Let it dry open plugged in and open for a day to dry. Worked till the day i got a new phone and did not need a new battery. Go LG !

  • 12 Posted by sgtjacksontraining on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:14PM EDT Report Abuse

    This sounds like a great product, but I sent a cell phone back because it was not working and still under warranty. They sent the phone back to me saying that it had sustained water damage (not covered). It had never been exposed to water (or any liquids). They said it could have been caused by condensation build-up in the phone. There is no way to stop condensation! I wonder, this new product will "seal" the phone, but will is cause the phone to build up excessive condensation? If water can't get in, how will moisture (condensation) get out?

  • 13 Posted by g0tf1sh on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:05PM EDT Report Abuse

    well sony already came out with a waterproof and dust proof phone although i am not sure how that works yet.

  • 14 Posted by cooldawg123@rocketmail.com on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:29PM EDT Report Abuse

    You don't need this. What harms the phone is pushing the buttons while it's wet. If you drop it in water, DO NOT PUSH ANY BUTTONS. Let it dry completely over night or for a day. Then try to turn it on. This actually worked on one of my phones that I dropped in water.

  • 15 Posted by whoa_is_me92 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:45PM EDT Report Abuse

    I wonder if it still works when the phone goes through the washer...hmm.

  • 16 Posted by steve93455 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:43PM EDT Report Abuse

    I washed my Razor about 3 weeks ago. I don't have any special coating on the phone (as far as I know). I let the phone dry out completely and charged it up. Much to my surprise it worked perfectly! For all intesive purposes it should not be working at all.

  • 17 Posted by temptones on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:59PM EDT Report Abuse

    Rainex will most likely do the same job...a bit easier to find. It works on my windshield to bead up the water !

  • 18 Posted by fiveinjuly on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:00PM EDT Report Abuse

    I wonder how many cell phones paid the ultimate price so that we may have this breakthrough in technology.

  • 19 Posted by andrew041686 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:53PM EDT Report Abuse

    so now i dont have to get a new phone everytime im drunk and drop my phone in the toilet, nice.

  • 20 Posted by amiw_98 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:53PM EDT Report Abuse

    My question is this ...if this is a seal or coating ....what happens if you need to reset your phone via battery removal; what happens if you need to change your sim card --or add your memory card...whatever. Is that going to break the seal? What good is this coating at that point? wouldn't this void a guarantee? I would assume marketing a product for this purpose would have to have some guarantee. Sounds like a great idea ...but at the same time, there could be a downside. We have customer's come in to the store all the time that are constantly taking their SIM from one phone to the other...depending on what phone they want to use that day! (AT&T Authorized Retailer)

  • 22 Posted by sailer182 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:00PM EDT Report Abuse

    Have a treo as pictured any further and would go into sd slot naa

  • 23 Posted by nurullahturkben on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:42PM EDT Report Abuse

    This opinion come to me little strange . Cell phones always drops down to the floor not in to water.May be tieing pillow around the cell phone is better idea.

  • 24 Posted by marlaanddon on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:08PM EDT Report Abuse

    temptones..Rainex can be removed with a solvent..Golden Shellback says "Repairs are made using abrasive methods."

  • 25 Posted by urway2easy on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:28PM EDT Report Abuse

    I wish Iphone came standard with that ....

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