waterproof

Sony's Xperia Tablet Z is now available for preorder through Sony's Web site. The tablet is expected to ship on May 24 and prices for the 16GB and 32GB models are $499 and $599, respectively.

The 10.1-inch Xperia Tablet Z's physical dimensions make it one of the thinnest and lightest tablets on the market and, according to Sony, its waterproof and dustproof build makes it highly durable.

Not to be outshone by its good looks, the Xperia Tablet Z ships with the Android 4.1.2 operating system, houses a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor and … Read more

BARCELONA, Spain--Fear spills and splashes damaging your smartphone no longer. Startup company DryWired believes it has the technology to easily and effectively armor your handset against water and other liquids.

According to the Los Angeles, Calif. based firm, the DryWired technique uses a nano scale monomer material that, when heated forms a gas, then cools to become a water-tight sealant.

A special machine applies the DryWired material to phones and tablets that have been partially disassembled, the idea being that a device's internal components are protected, not only its exterior.

Indeed DryWired claims that after an ordinary phone has … Read more

Sprint today announced that the rugged and waterproof Kyocera Torque will arrive on March 8. Priced at $99 with a two-year service agreement, the Torque is the first "Ultra rugged" 4G LTE handset with Sprint Direct Connect push-to-talk service.

Previously introduced back in January, the Kyocera smartphone features a 4-inch IPS display and dual-core processor. Whereas the typical rugged smartphone is hampered by older versions of the platform, the Torque runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. This is good news for anyone who has grown accustomed to the Holo theme of Android and its added feature set. … Read more

It's a Prizefight throwdown showdown! We're throwing two of the best point-and-shoot cameras that were made to outlast the elements. It's the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS4 versus the Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS!

Panasonic's TS4 brings a sleeker design that's still rugged with better image quality results. Olympus' TG-1 is chunkier, but it brings a larger feature set and is even crushproof.

Both of these bad boys are waterproof, shockproof, and freezeproof; which do you think deserves to be crowned the Prizefight King of the Ring?

Cast your vote!

If you've ever read user reviews of rugged or waterproof cameras, you probably wouldn't think they could handle having a glass of water spilled on them, let alone a 33-foot dive in the ocean.

The fact is, however "rugged" a manufacturer says a camera is, whether it can survive such treatment has a lot to do with the user. Maybe too much.

For example, the top-rated Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS is marketed with some of the highest durability claims for a compact camera: waterproof down to 40 feet, shockproof up to a 6.6-foot drop, freezeproof to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, and crushproof up to a weight of 220 pounds. That sounds pretty great and it is, but there's a bunch of fine print that goes with that marketing message.… Read more

The number of waterproof rugged cameras has exploded over the past few years. The segment was basically owned by Pentax and Olympus, but now all of the major compact camera manufacturers have a rugged model, if not two or three.

The upside to that is there is something for just about everyone at various price points, starting at just more than $100. The more money you spend, the tougher the camera, though, so make sure you get something that meets your needs.

And if you're more interested in shooting video than photos, check out the two minicamcorders that follow the camera list. … Read more

A lot of the protective cases we cover here at CNET tend to be designed for specific devices and often iOS devices. But Ecoxgear's newly launched Ecoxpro speaker case doesn't discriminate, accepting any device that will fit inside its waterproof chamber, which also has enough space to fit other personal items such as a driver's license, car keys, and cold, hard cash.

Ecoxpro, which retails for $79.99 and is the step-up model from the Ecoextreme ($49.99), can be submerged up to 10 feet, according to its specs page, and has a built-in 3-inch forward-firing speaker. … Read more

Otterbox has a teaser video out for a new iPhone 4/4S case that it says is the toughest case the company's ever made.

Set to ship June 24, the Armor Series case is dust proof, drop proof, waterproof, and apparently crush proof. No word on how much it will cost, but I'd been hoping Otterbox would have something new that offered increased protection while hopefully not adding any bulk.

Otterbox has been one of the big smartphone accessory success stories but it has faced increased competition from upstarts like Lifeproof that have put out more durable, slimmer … Read more

I first posted this roundup not long after the iPhone 4 hit stores and it's been through several updates, and now only includes cases that fit both the iPhone 4 and 4S and carry the "universal fit" tag.

Update, May 15, 2012: Added Griffin Survivor and Gumdrop Drop Tech Series.

As I've said before, how you choose to protect -- or not protect -- your iPhone is a matter of personal preference. But if some heavy-duty shielding is what you're looking for, this is the list for you.

While I tried to pick tough, protective cases that look good and don't make your iPhone too bulky, a few of the cases have more extreme designs that aren't necessarily intended for everyday use. I should also note that some of the more rugged cases can be a bit of a chore to remove and aren't friendly toward iPod docks and certain charging accessories due to how recessed the ports become when the case is on.

… Read more