[Shane @ Nov 17th 2007 10:37AM]

This does not surprise me...I have had memory cards in my pocket go through the washer and dryer and still be 100% functional. As long as there is no power applied to the cards while wet they should be just fine (not that I would recommend dunking your memory cards in liquid). In addition, most memory card types are sealed well enough that water should not penetrate the outer casing (some CF or PCMCIA cards might be an exception to this). Even if water DOES get into the card drying it out should be enough to get the data from it.

The real question is...Did the camera itself still work after drying out? That would be MUCH more impressive...

[Shane @ Nov 17th 2007 10:46AM]

Before the smartass responses start, yes, I KNOW that the camera did NOT in fact survive in this case.

The only way this would have been possible is if there were no batteries in the camera when it was submerged AND if it has been quickly pulled from the water, taken apart, rinsed with clean water, thoroughly cleaned and allowed to dry. Electronics get submerged all the time and CAN in fact survive if appropriate action is taken quickly enough.

[Ricardo @ Nov 17th 2007 10:53AM]

Cameras can be bought again, pictures can't. Therefore sometimes the memory card is much more valuable than the camera, so you should be glad that only the camera was damaged.

And if you ever drop a digital camera in water just throw it out and buy a new one. Even if it's fast the damage is done already. Remember that there are many mechanical parts, not only electronic ones.

[getz76 @ Nov 17th 2007 11:40AM]

Actually, Shane, CF cards are considered the most durable of the formats, especially regarding their tolerance for temperatures and the ability to resist faltering during the rinse cycle.

[Shane @ Nov 17th 2007 11:45AM]

I would agree...However, certain CF cards are more rugged than others. Some have the casing secured with metal tabs and not really sealed very well. Others are completely sealed. SD cards, while physically smaller, tend to be completely sealed in my experience. In general I prefer CF but SD would be my second choice.

[Urza @ Nov 17th 2007 3:20PM]

Eh. My girlfriend dropped her RAZR phone in a storm drain once, while on and batteries full. It was in there about 2 hours, completely submerged. She pulled the battery, took it home, let it dry...it's still working fine, about 9 months later. Wasn't pulled out quickly, batteries were in it, was never taken apart and cleaned. Water did penetrate though, you could see it in the screen.

[Shane @ Nov 17th 2007 6:26PM]

@Urza:

My Treo 650 wasn't quite so lucky...It had been dropped in a gutter and by the time I got it back it was toast. I suspect if whoever found it had left it off and not tried to power it back up it might have been fine.

The RAZR, on the other hand, seems a bit more rugged. My sister dropped hers in a hottub and the phone itself still works but though the earpiece doesn't.

[coffeepot64 @ Nov 17th 2007 8:26PM]

@Shane
"The RAZR, on the other hand, seems a bit more rugged. My sister dropped hers in a hottub and the phone itself still works but though the earpiece doesn't."
I bought a RAZR V3 about two months ago and the speaker quit working within a week. I got a replacement that has similar difficulties. i.e. it works when it wants to. I have noticed however, there seems to be some connection between the volume of the buttons and the ear speaker. If I turn off the annoying beeping sound when I push the buttons I have to use the speakerphone option to hear the people I talk to. Interestingly enough, this has been the reason I have replaced all my motorola phones previously. I know now not to buy them anymore. I think its a manufacturers defect.

[BowserUSC @ Nov 18th 2007 5:34PM]

@coffeepot64

Um, I've had the Razr V3, the V3x, the V9 and a bunch of other moto phones and I have never had the problem you're talking about. I always turn the button sounds off and my ear piece speaker is the same as with the button sounds on. I think you're turning the sound for the entire phone off, instead of just changing the option in the sound settings.