Waterproof

Olympus has proved the rumor mill to be right once again, by detailing its new TG-1 iHS compact after it was accidentally leaked across the web last week. The new king of the TOUGH Series of cameras more than lives up to its hard-as-nails moniker, being waterproof to 40 feet (12 meters), shockproof to 6.6 feet (2 meters), able to operate in temperatures as low as 14°F (-10°C) and capable of withstanding a crushing weight of up to 220 pounds (100kgf). In spite of all this rugged muscle, the new model's most impressive feature is its f2.0 - f4.9 aperture lens.  Read More

Ruggedizing your portable electronics makes sense and Lifedge has a new option for the 40 million-odd iPad owners in the world. Lifedge's case will protect an iPad for 30 minutes in one meter (3 feet) of water, or if it is dropped onto a concrete floor from a height of one meter.  Read More

BRAVEN is looking to stand-out from the Bluetooth speaker crowd with a new line that offers the versatility of integrated phone charging plus speakerphone and daisy chaining functionality. The BRAVEN SIX Series comes in three flavors - two aluminum models and a ruggedized unit - which boast between 12 and 20 hours charging time.  Read More

One of the problems of using GPS chartplotters on a sailboat is that it is extremely difficult to calculate accurate arrival times given the amount of tacking often involved. Now there's a purpose-built Sailing GPS that not only accounts for the tacking that sailboats do, but can can tell you the optimal tacking angles and your Tacking Time to Destination (TTD).  Read More

Near-Field Communication (NFC) is generally associated with contactless payment methods such as the mobile wallet. In practice, NFC's uses include connecting a smartphone to a car and other devices. Now Norway-based one2TOUCH is offering silicone keyboards that connect to smartphones and tablets simply by laying the mobile device on top - no pairing required.  Read More

Panasonic named its two new Android handsets ELUGA, an acronym of sorts for "elegant user-oriented gateway," to symbolize the slim pair of phones that aim to combine both design and function. The electronics manufacturer introduced the ELUGA and ELUGA Power handsets this past week at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, extending the number of Android devices unveiled at the show from the likes of LG, Samsung, HTC, Sony, Viewsonic and Huawei, just to name a few.  Read More

Liquipel nanocoating may well keep moisture from damaging the inner workings of mobile devices but if you're looking to share your tunes with friends at the beach or pool, you need something with a bit more output than the resident speakers. Grace Digital has just announced the release of a fully waterproof boombox for smartphones or digital music players that was first seen as a limited preview at CES 2011. The Eco Terra Boombox is fully submersible, waterproof and shock resistant, and can even keep cash and valuables safe and secure as it pumps out the music while bobbing on the surface of the water.  Read More

If you're hoping to attract investors to get yet another iPhone case to an already crowded market, it had better do more than just protect a phone from bumps and scrapes. Snow Lizard Products is giving itself the best possible chance of raising funds for its new AQUA TEK S case for iPhone 4 and 4S with an offering that not only boasts ruggedized protection, but also includes a solar panel, built in battery, and is waterproof up to 20 ft (6 m).  Read More

Cycling clothes have long been some of the least stylish sporting apparel known to man. We're talking skin-tight Lycra, bib shorts and nipple-hugging jerseys. Nothing about that is flattering or acceptable more than two feet from your bike saddle. Since cycling has lately grown more towards the trendy, eco-conscious urbanite and less the endurance/fitness dork, cycling clothing has made a move toward more casual, socially acceptable styles. The Vaude Homy Rain Pants exemplify this transition with a look of pure denim and the protection of rain pants.  Read More