CES 2012 craze: Waterproofing your iThings without a case

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Waterproofing your iPhone the old-school way has a major downside to it knowing the majority of water-resistant cases add bulk to your device and are downright ugly. At this year’s CES, companies that have solved this problem somewhat effectively are attracting attention from big media and attendees. Liquipel tackled the issue with an oleophobic-like coating that, well, repels water. The nano-sized coating is barely visible to the naked eye and it keeps electronics working even when submerged into a bucket of water, as seen in the clip above. The catch? You need to send your device to Liquipel to apply the coating for you at a $59 value. Check out the video above: It may look like a hoax, but it is the real deal. Another company employs a similar technique, as witnessed in the below clip.

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A firm called HzO employs a proprietary chemical and materials process aptly named WaterBlock that seals your gadget from the inside out without affecting function or aesthetics. It differs from Liquipel’s approach by protecting your device from the inside, on the molecular level, by coating the actual electronic components inside the device to provide protection. It is said to protect almost anything from all types of water and corrosion damage. Unfortunately, this is not something you can buy, because HzO is looking to license its technology to handset makers so eventually all future smartphones may be water-resistant by default.

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