Simple Rain vs. His Phone

[Talonetc]

As you may have guessed, the arch nemesis of a retail rep in South Florida when it comes to a busted ass phone is liquid - and being such rain-prone area the rain itself can VERY often be an additional culprit beyond the usual spilling of drinks, falling in pools, dropping in the ocean/lake, washing machine, etc. Rain being so common, countless people fry their phones every day because they are too dense to put it away while they walk from their car to their office or what have you... but apparently the shock only applies to when it ruins their phones... they know it's dangerous to literally every other electronic device.

They must be retarded... er I mean related

Me: Our technicians took a look at your phone and when they opened it up they found some green corrosion on the circuits and some dried white liquid.
CS: So what does that mean?
Me: Well that indicates that at some point the phone has come into contact with some sort of a liquid which has ruined the phone, you do have insurance so you can call them to get your replacement *hands business card with insurance contact information*
CS: I don't understand, the only thing that has ever gotten on it is rain.
Me: ... Rain is a liquid.
CS: I know that, but how can rain cause liquid damage.
Me:
CS: I mean, simple rain can damage a phone?
Me: Absolutely... any kind of liquid whether its rain, oil, Pepsi, sweat off a glass on a table that leaks up onto it... any of that will ruin a phone.
CS: How can you sell phones that are that fragile?
Me: Any electronic device can be ruined by even a small amount of liquid.
CS: I know but this is a phone.
Me: I don't know where you're going with this... a phone is electronic. Would you walk through the pouring rain using your laptop?
CS: This is different though it's a phone.
Me: But its not... electronics are electronics.
CS: I just don't understand how simple rain could damage a phone.
Me: Okay well I've done everything but try chemistry lessons to explain it... I'm sorry you'll need to call insurance.
CS: I don't believe it... now I have to spend $50 for a replacement.
Me: Be more careful with the next one, have a nice day!

[Soulstealer]

Ah yes failing primary school science really makes you an expert on whether rain can damage electronics. And in reference to your link, last I checked water was the benchmark for determining what is or isn't a liquid.

[Mark Healey]

CS: I mean, simple rain can damage a phone?

I hate to say this but you are working for some corporate honchos who are making the customers sucky.

If they can make a watch that is good to 100 meters water resistant that sells for less than $100.00 they can make a phone that can be dropped in the sink while doing the dishes without dying. The watch has to accomodate the stem going through the case. With the phone the controls are all electronic. It is much easier to make a switch opperates something opposite a water tight case than to do so with something that has to transfer mechanical motion.

Phones operate on very low power levels. Any shorts caused by water should only damage the battery if anything. I have no doubt that some components were designed to fail when exposed to any moisture.

Marketroid 1: How can we get people to buy more phones when the ones they have already serve all their needs and they don't want all the toy features.

Marketroid2: We could make them just stop working after the warrantee expires.

Marketroid1: Nah, we would probably get caught.

Marketroid2: We could make it seem like it's their fault.

Marketroid1: Yeah, Make fail upon common mishaps. How about when they drop it.

Marketroid2: Nah, There are no moving parts. That would be hard to sell.

Marketroid1: I know! Everyone has seen movies where someone gets electorcuted when an appliance falls into the water, lots of arcing and sparking. If we make them fail when they get wet and put a little moisture indicator (which probably costs as much as it would to make them water resistant)in there, we could claim it is their fault it broke and since many of them will be under contract they will have to buy another one or pay for a service they can't use.

Marketroid2: (tenting fingers) Excelent.

Marketroid1: BwaaHaaHaa

[Rahmota]

yeah I gotta agree with Mark on this one as it is stupid for a mobile phone to be damaged in anyway by the rain when they can make and sell a watch at walmart for 20 bucks that is water proof down to 20 meters.

Its just an excuse for the phone companies to make more money and not the fault of the customers on that one. Just walkign in the rain to your car should not destroy a phone, dropping it in the river or lake would be more appropriate.

[Sir Spaniard the 12th]

The watch has to accomodate the stem going through the case. With the phone the controls are all electronic. It is much easier to make a switch opperates something opposite a water tight case than to do so with something that has to transfer mechanical motion.

What about the phone's battery charger port? Wouldn't that, if it fell in the sink/water cause water to get at the internals?

[peoplesuck]

What about the phone's battery charger port? Wouldn't that, if it fell in the sink/water cause water to get at the internals?

Inductive chargers can work through other material including a protective shell. [The same type of chargers used on electric toothbrushes]

[karma_gypsy]

Me: ... Rain is a liquid.
CS: I know that, but how can rain cause liquid damage.

Well, apparently his head must be solid, because this guy is dense.

Go and stand out in middle of a lake then tell me its a liquid . . .

Don't bring your phone with you though.

[Andara Bledin]

We have the technology available to make a cell phone at least water resistant.

The charger port is outside the body of the phone, and if there was a mechanical pressure switch to complete the circuit when the charging cable was plugged in, it would be a non-issue for water to be in the port itself.

And the battery cover, much like a watch battery cover, could be made with a decent seal on it.

^-.-^

[Talonetc]

If the assertion is that it can be made water resistant and it should, then you must apply that argument to every portable electronic device.

The point is whether you like it or not, they are NOT weather proof and you cannot treat them as such, nor should you expect that you can.

[peoplesuck]

Behold! A water PROOF cell phone.

http://www.canu502s.co.kr/

[Rahmota]

Actually yeah I do expect that from all electronics. Or at the very least think that companies should make them tougher than the purposely fragile pieces of junk so many are. Its just a scam for the companies to make more money.

And as for the mobile phones. I have left my nokia out in the rain overnight on the roof of my car by accident before (among other thigns to the phone that have soooo voided the warrenty) but it still works. I got lucky.

I used to work as a tech for SPCS and people have spilled a glass of water over a phone and destroyed it. Thats just wrong that a glass of water could destroy a highly advanced piece of technology. No wonder NASA has so much trouble......

And it is possible to make them two words ruggedized equipment. Look at the panasonic toughbook. You can run over those laptops with a full size truck dust it off and boot it back up without loosing a single piece of data. Heck I've seen reports of one stopping a bullet in Iraq.

Sprintel (What I call Nextel/Sprint now that they merged) has come out with the ruggedized mobile phone. SO they can charge more for a phone that wont fall to pieces like most of the rest of the junk they have been pushing. Its all about how the company can scam more money out of the public. I'm on the side of the innocent customers on this one as it should be a reasonable expectation that unless you are in a hurricane,typhoon or tsunami the rain isnt going to destroy your phone..