On account of being an idiot, I foolishly presumed that it being May, and with clear blue skies as I set off, I may actually make it home on the bike without being caught in truly biblical rain. Clearly I’d temporarily forgotten I live in the north west of England.

So, in a move to rival voting lib dem last time around for shear bone-headed stupidity, I just popped my iphone in the (non-waterproof, exposed) side pocket of my shorts. Cue bouncing-off-the-tarmac rain of truly apocalyptic proportions

Teh upshot is that my phone screen went wobbly then my phone died. Its switched back on again, but the camera lens is full of water, the phone flash is permanently on and it won’t charge.

I can’t believe I’m the first person to display such rank stupidity. Especially on a forum of people who use bikes for a form of transport, in England.

Has anyone had this happen? Is it possible to get the bloody things fixed? If so, where? Or is it doomed to a watery grave? I don’t particularly fancy shelling out for a new phone, but I suspect it could rightfully be deemed stupidity tax.

I have heard that putting it in a box with dried rice helps. Didn’t work for me though

Insert in a bag full of dry rice. Leave overnight (and if possible near a heat/warm source). Strip down as much as possible.

Also- use a sandwich bag/keep one in your backpack.

Turn it off.
Do NOT turn it on again.
Put it in a bag of rice (brown basmati will do, seeing as you wouldn’t want to eat the stuff anyway) and leave it there for a few days.

Also- use a sandwich bag/keep one in your backpack.

That could possibly be the most sensible thing you’ve ever said, fella.

Could you now invent time travel please? Then send yourself back to about 5 o clock yesterday afternoon, and pop into the office with some sage and timely advice. 😀

Lesson learned there anyway. Its already in a bag of rice. It is actually brown basmatti – I’ve finally found a use for it! I have to say though, I’m not optimistic 🙁

Rice is good, but silica gel is betterer!

Check around the house to see if you have some in any old shoe / electrical boxes.

Or you can order some online.

It works many times better then rice!

(I once had a thought to sell a sealed bag with 100g silica gel packet in it as a phone saver- keep it in the messy drawer until you need it – never sold one!)

my mrs dropped hers in the bath. stopped working but 3 days in a jar of rice on top of the rad and its been fine. That was 18 months ago now

Buy some silica cat litter from your local supermarket – it’ll work a treat.

Theres a posh version of the “bag o rice” technique in the form of a “save-A-phone” bag.

http://www.save-a-phone.co.uk/save-a-phone_p7.aspx

They tested one on the gadget show a while back and it seemed to do well on a sea soaked i phone.

Its Just a zip lock bag with some silica gell from what I can see, but perhaps its not your average silica?

Ive successfully used the rice trick to dry out some soggy Jelly Beans once. On the basis that an iPhone is only slightly more technically advanced than Bertie Basset’s finest, then it should work for you too.

Thanks for the advice folks. Looks like silica is the way forward

Stoner – your logic is flawless, as ever 😀

Binners, I keep two (new brake) pads in a sandwich bag in my backpack. If it rained and I had my phone on me the pads would be evicted. Simples.

If you don’t mind me asking, why keep your spare brake pads dry?

Cook it up with some basmati for 30 mins apparently.

Have you tried microwaving it Binners ?

Worth a shot ,two minutes on medium 😆

I keep two (new brake) pads in a sandwich bag in my backpack.

Where the hell did you put your sandwiches? Might explain any suboptimal braking performance.

Hora doesnt actually ride bikes, so braking issues would remain undetected.

At worst, go talk to an apple shop, they might ‘sell’ you a reconditioned unit for not a huge amount (dependant on your model it may or may not be worth it), OR if you look sad & dejected …read very very hung-over in my case… at the genius bar, they might swap it for free. I feel they didn’t like my negative vibes in the “happy place” that is a apple store (I was feeling very bad).

My girlfriends iphone is a watersoaked phone of my dads we did the rice trick on

My iPhone recently went through a full cycle in my washing machine. I put it on a towel on top of a radiator, left it for a few days, then charged it up and all was well. It kinda hiccupped for a few days and the screen had a white bloom to it but it faded and is working completely fine. I’d leave it for at least a week if I did it again.

I can’t believe I’m the first person to display such rank stupidity. Especially on a forum of people who use bikes for a form of transport, in England.

Binners, don’t beat yourself up about it, weather changes, shit happens. At least you weren’t one of the many who goes to the bog using their phone, then drops it into the pan!
That’s one reason why Apple have the little white strip inside the dock and headphone sockets that turns pink when it gets wet, because so many people were dropping their phones into the bog/swimming pool/sink, etc, then trying to claim a replacement by saying it just stopped working!
Wrap in paper towels, stick in a bag of rice or silica gel, and put into the airing cupboard; fingers crossed it’ll come back to life in a few days.
Good luck.

Binners when you realise its still screwed treat yourself to a Sony Experia Z- I have the Experia Go- faster than the wifes iphone 4S and generally better all round! Oh yeah and IP67 rated……

At least you weren’t one of the many who goes to the bog using their phone, then drops it into the pan!

I’ve walked into the trap, pulled the phone out of my pocket before I sat down for a bit of poo associated browsing and it slipped out of my hand and headed straight for the bowl. I flicked out with my other hand, it bounced off the wall, headed back for the bowl so I snatched at it, with my other hand, glanced off it which knocked it towards the other wall. It then headed for the floor so I kicked it and it lodged itself behind the pedestal.

All fine but my heart was going like mad. Lucky I was in the bog.