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Liquipel 2.0 nanocoating debuts with improved water protection, matches IPX7 and beyond (video)
We were rather stoked when Liquipel brought its "watersafe" nanocoating service from California to South East Asia in fall 2012, but it turns out that the Santa Ana-based company had another surprise lined up for us later on. At Startup Debut 2013 in Las Vegas today we saw the announcement of Liquipel 2.0, which claims to have "significant advancements in durability, corrosion resistance and water protection" than its predecessor. Specifically, the new version is "up to 100 times more effective... while maintaining component integrity and RF sensitivity." Obviously we had to see it to believe it, and to our surprise, this time Liquipel had a demo that let us submerge a 2.0-coated iPhone 5 under two feet of water -- you can see us going bonkers with it in the video after the break. According to Managing Director Sam Winkler, a device thoroughly treated with Liquipel 2.0 can actually achieve a liquid protection rating of at least IPX7: immersion at a depth of 1m for 30 minutes. While the iPhone 5 we tortured did eventually take in too much water and thus disabled the touch panel, it quickly came back to life after we shook off some of the water. Winkler added that his company's now offering its 4ft x 4ft "Liquipods" for shops that want to provide the Liquipel treatment themselves, but it'll be a while before all existing partners -- mostly outside the US -- can be upgraded to 2.0. That said, interested customers can already get the 2.0 treatment for the same price via the online service in the US. One final note: it turns out that Jaybird also uses Liquipel during the assembly of its sports headphones. Hopefully we'll see more products treated with the same goodness in the near future. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub. Myriam Joire contributed to this article.
Liquipel launches retail store in Hong Kong, spreads the hydrophobia for gadgets
Over the years we've come across many hydrophobic coating technologies aimed at electronics, but sadly, none of those were made directly available to consumers. The closest one was Nokia's nanocoating demonstration we saw last October, though the company recently said to us that it's still "currently a research project," and it never mentioned plans to offer a service to treat existing devices. On the other hand, Californian startup Liquipel recently opened its first Hong Kong retail store, making it the second Liquipel service center globally after the one located at the Santa Ana headquarters. Folks in the area can simply call up to make an appointment, and then head over with their phones or tablets to get the nanocoating treatment. So how does this funky technology work? How does it cover both the inside and the outside of gadgets? And is Liquipel's offering any better than its rivals? Read on to find out. %Gallery-163600%
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Detroit Auto Show, solar plants and hydrophobic nanocoating
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. This week Inhabitat hit the streets of Detroit to bring you the hottest hybrid vehicles and electric cars from the 2012 North American International Auto Show! We saw automakers unveil scores of sexy supercars like the Lexus LF-LC coupe, the Chevy MiRay, and the NSX concept hybrid, and we also showcased more realistic street-ready vehicles like Ford's Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid, VW's brand new hybrid Jetta, and Via Motors' VTRUX extended-range EV pickup. We also peered into the future of sustainable transportation as we brought you the finalists in Michelin's city car design challenge, we learned that the world's largest driverless personal transit system is set to break ground in India, and we saw the UK green light the first phase of its new HS2 high-speed rail line.It was also a bright week for alternative energy as MIT scientists discovered a way to make more efficient solar plants modeled after sunflowers and Sweden announced plans for a massive 700 megawatt wind farm in the Baltic Sea. Meanwhile, we learned that Rwanda's poo-powered prisons are able to produce 75% of their power from human waste, we showcased plans for an energy-generating rolling suitcase that charges your gadgets, and we saw the launch of several shining solar-powered devices - OLPC's XO3 tablet computer and the sun-powered Solarkindle e-reader cover.In other news, this week we rounded up our favorite eco gadgets from CES 2012 - including a hydrophobic nanocoating that makes any gadget completely waterproof. We also saw 200 Chinese works construct a 30 story prefab building in just 15 days, and we watched superman fly across a cute animated LEGO TV. Finally, we brought you the latest and greatest developments in wearable technology - including a set of smart sunglasses that merge virtual information with the real world, a set of bone-conducting earphones, and a set of motorized skates that can be attached to any boring old pair of shoes.
