waterproof

We've often praised Contour's line of sports cameras for their ease of use, but with the announcement of the ContourRoam, it's about to get even easier.

The Roam fits into the entry-level position in Contour's camera lineup, just below the Contour GPS and replacing the ContourHD 1080p, which should be phased out shortly. At first glance, the Roam doesn't appear much different than the ContourHD (or any other Contour camera for that matter) but closer inspection reveals a few new features.

For starters, there is no power button. Where previous models needed to be powered … Read more

KlearKase bills its new Kindle 3 case as the "only splash-proof Kindle case you'll want to use all the time."

We weren't quite ready to drop our Kindle in the pool, but as you can see from the video below, the transparent case can take some heavy spritzing, and what's nice about it is that it's thinner and lighter than some of the truly waterproof models out there (M-Edge Guardian, which we tried with the Kindle 2, comes to mind).

You can also buy heavy-duty versions of Ziploc bags (TrendyDigital's WaterGuard case, for … Read more

Sony has revealed the next generation of wearable waterproof Walkman portable music players.

The new W260 series is an incremental update to the line of small, screen-less MP3 players, which have been reviewed fairly well by CNET editors in the past.

Two models will be available this August: the 2GB NWZ-W262 ($59) and the 4GB NWZ-W263 ($79). The newest version of the Walkman W "weighs about 24 percent less and is about two-thirds smaller than previous models," according to the press release. Sony has improved bass frequencies in this latest model as well, for those fitness junkies listening … Read more

Too busy to keep up with the tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET News for Friday, June 3.

Five questions heading into Apple's WWDC Apple may have already declared what it's going to demo at next week's Worldwide Developers Conference, but what else does it have up its sleeve? More

Targeted attacks hit Web-based e-mail Attacks aimed at Hotmail, Yahoo, and Gmail point to weak spots in e-mail services that can let attackers into corporate networks, reports say. More

Sparked: Volunteer work, right in your cubicle Sparked, a recently rebranded version … Read more

We're not quite sure what the Joy Factory was thinking when it named its waterproof case the RainBallet, but if you get past the silly name, you're looking at a rugged case that can apparently withstand a drop in the toilet or even the pool.

The promo materials for the RainBallet say something about dancing in the rain with your iPhone 4, but we suspect more people will be interested in using it around the pool, beach, or a construction site. The case has something called front and back Sharpvue lenses, which allegedly enable you to take "… Read more

Siemens is unveiling a suite of new products at the American Academy of Audiology 2011 conference in Chicago this week, including what it claims is the world's first fully waterproof (and dustproof, and shock-resistant) digital hearing aid.

Called Aquaris, the aid's housing is made of one solid piece, so the only opening is to the battery compartment, which is fitted with a membrane designed to let air in but keep water out.

Siemens lists a whole range of activities that have until now been difficult for those wearing hearing aids that can be ruined by not just water but sweat and dust: sailing, swimming, kayaking, golfing, gardening, cycling, and jogging.

Because the device can be fully submerged in water up to 3 feet deep for 30 minutes (rendering it more than merely water-resistant), shallow snorkeling should be added to the list. Whether we will ever be able to scuba dive with hearing aids remains to be seen.

Aquaris also features a non-slip, textured surface that holds the Aquaris behind the ear; a "sport clip" to further secure the device during intense activities; and a water-resistant Aquapac for added protection.

Siemens has yet to release pricing or availability details.… Read more

Panasonic, out from under the product deluge that is CES 2011, announced today refreshed versions of its high-end point-and-shoot cameras. If you recently bought the compact megazoom Lumix ZS5, ZS6, or ZS7, the rugged TS2, or the touch-screen ultracompact FX75, you may not want to read on because some of the new tech is actually worth having.

The ZS10 and ZS8 get a wider, longer lens than their predecessors, and the former gets a 3-inch touch screen. The TS2 update, the TS3, gets GPS and is more rugged. The FX78 (replacing the FX75) gets a larger touch screen, a less … Read more

GPS on a rugged camera makes perfect sense. After all, it's tough to mark down where you were when you took a picture when there are no street signs. Panasonic's latest rugged model, the Lumix TS3, gives you that GPS for geotagging your photos and video as well as built-in compass, altimeter, and barometer.

The TS3 is tougher than its predecessor, the TS2, too. It is now waterproof to approximately 40 feet under water, shockproof to approximately 6.6 feet, freezeproof to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, and dustproof. It's not crushproof, though, so you'll still have to … Read more

LAS VEGAS--The UWaterG2 MP3 player is truly tiny. Weighing in under an ounce, it's 1.75 inches tall and 1.25 inches wide. Even with its new orange "life jacket" that hooks around the top to keep it afloat (see photo), the device feels weightless.

And while the UWaterG2 has not been entirely reinvented for this year's CES, it's about to get a major upgrade this spring, with models that boast 4GB and 8GB of memory instead of the current 2GB. (The 2GB model is on sale in time for CES for $59.95; no … Read more