Interesting idea :

A Washington Post reporter who accidentally dropped his Blackberry in the toilet was able to retrieve it and dry it out to working order again: by leaving it turned off in a bowl of uncooked rice.

Never tried it myself but it feels like a long-shot to me because most gadgets are sealed so well that the rice wouldn't be able to get into contact with the moisture in order to be able to suck it up.  My favorite method is to induce airflow over and through the gadget (using a fan).  Warm air is better than cold air but keep it sensible because heat can destroy delicate items like LCD screens and the like. 

What's actually worse than water is water with other stuff in it that can conduct electricity and cause shorts.  If you spill wine or soda into an electrical gadget it's a good idea to rinse it off with distilled water, which not only is non-conductive but will also remove anything that might cause oxide (rust) to form.

Here are some other tips:

• Remove the battery ASAP to prevent damage and shorting
• Take your time, it can take days for a gadget to dry out
• Don't power on the gadget until dry or you might cause a short
• Try not to get things wet in the first place!

However, if you've soaked your iPod of Blackberry, dipping it into a bowl of rice might be worth a go. 

Oh, but don't eat the rice afterwards, especially if your gadget went down the toilet.

This entry was posted by the PC Doctor on Wednesday, June 20th, 2007 at 10:53 and is filed under PC Doctor Repair/Upgrade Tips, PC Doctor's Thoughts, PC Doctor Tips, PC Doctor's Useful Links. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.