These days, some brands are coming up with smartphones that are water and dust resistant. This water-resistance capacity in smartphones is useful as otherwise any minor contact with water can prove death to the smartphone. That is why more and more companies are making their smartphones dust and water-resistant. For example, Samsung's latest flagship Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge boast of their capability of withstanding water. But these are, of course, premium range devices. The good thing is that this water-resistance capacity is not limited to only high-end smartphones. For example, Motorola Moto E (2nd Gen) costs less than 7ooo Rs. and still comes with protection against water. Motorola Moto G (3rd Gen) costs less than 12000 Rs. and it is water resistant. The owners of such water-resistant devices have less to worry about their phones getting damaged by water in Holi.
However, not all devices are water resistant. And if your smartphone isn't protected against water, I'm sure you'd be worried about using it in Holi. Because what fun is Holi without water, right? But if that same water colours your smartphone, than the fun would surely be over.
Frankly, when you go out to have the Holi fun with friends and family, it is better to keep your smartphone at home. If you are all going out together, you can keep only one phone with you so as not to risk all the devices. However, if you really must carry your phone along while playing Holi, here are a few things you can do to protect your phone.
Waterproof Case: There are covers and cases available that can keep your smartphone safe from water. You can browse through the online retailers to choose a suitable and protective case for your smartphone. A bit of expense incurred on a good quality waterproof case can protect your expensive smartphone. However, such waterproof covers are not available for all phones.
Zip Pouch: If you don't have a waterproof cover or case, you can also use a cheap zip pouch to keep your mobile phone safe from water. While it usually works well to keep the water away, there might be incidents when the zip is not closed properly or there's a minor cut or hole in the pouch. This can let water seep in. If the water seeps in, it can get accumulated inside the pouch and harm the phone. So check the zip pouch carefully to make sure it has no holes and the zip is sealed well.
Use a Balloon: This is a very cool trick that I came across some days ago. If you don't have a waterproof case and don't want to use only a zip pouch, you can try this out. Inflate a good-sized balloon. Inflate with air not water, please, even if it's Holi! Now, hold the mouth of the balloon with one hand and gently press your smartphone (face up) on the balloon. Little by little, deflate the balloon. As balloon gets deflated, it will wrap itself around the phone like a waterproof case. It will block away all the ports so no water can get in. Here's a video showing how it is done:
The video makes it seem too easy, but I think it would require some skill and judgement of how much pressure to apply on the phone. Better try this at a place where even if your hands slip, the phone won't slip off or fall down.
Use headsets: Whether you put your phone in bag, pocket or in protective covers, it is always better to use headsets. Headsets are usually more resistant to water than phones. If you use a wired headset, make sure you wear it so that it won't fall off or pull the phone down. If you are using a zip pouch or the above shown balloon cover to protect your phone from water, you won't be able to use wired headsets as the ports will be closed. In that case, a bluetooth headset can come very handy and reduce the need for you to take out your phone to make or receive calls.
Use voice feedback or custom ringtones: Several phones have features that, when activated, give voice feedback. For example, Moto devices have a feature called Motorola Assist which can read out notification, thereby reducing the need to touch the phone's display. If your phone has a similar talkback feature, activate it. This can inform you about the caller without requiring you to take out your phone. If you don't have such features in your phone, you can still use custom ringtones to notify you of calls and messages from most important contacts. Most phones now allow setting of custom ringtones for different contacts or contact groups. It will take only a few minutes to set up custom ringtones for important contacts. But it can help a lot in informing you who is calling without requiring your to take out your phone from pocket or bag. If you feel you need to talk to the caller, you can take the time out to dry your hands and go in a safe place to talk.
If phone gets wet: Despite all your precautions, it might still happen that your phone becomes wet. If this happens and if your phone has removable back cover and battery, remove them. This will turn off the phone. If your phone has non-removable battery, you'll have to risk pressing the power key to switch off the phone. Don't try to call your phone to see whether it's working. Don't press any other key as it might cause water to get in or cause a short-circuit. Remove the SIM card and the memory card and softly wipe them dry with a clean cloth. Keep the ports and back cover open for ventilation. DON'T user a hairdryer to dry your phone. It might push the water deeper into the phone or damage the sensitive components of the phone with its heat. Dry your phone thoroughly using a soft towel. Be extra careful to dry all the ports. And finally, bury your phone in a bowl of uncooked rice. Shift the position of the phone in the rice every now and then till you go to sleep. Leave the phone in the rice bowl overnight. The rice works well to absorb the moisture from the phone. In the morning, take out your phone and make sure there's no rice grain sticking to it. Put your SIM card, memory card and battery back in and switch on to see whether the phone is working or not. All the best! (For more information, check HERE)
Hopefully, using these tips, you'll be able to keep your phone safe from water this Holi. If you know of any other tip, let me know!
* Wish you all a very happy and fun-filled Holi! *