[justincase1911]

Just about every day when I get home from work, I make a pot of coffee, pour a nice big cup, and sit back with my PB. I read a little news, watch some vids, and of course, check out what's up on Crackberry. Today was no different.

Not long after sitting down, I realized that my 9930 needed to go on the charger.When I stood up, I clumsily knocked my coffee cup over which spilled said coffee all over my PB. OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Needless to say, my heart stopped. This was no small spill. Indeed, it was a flood of steaming hot coffee and my PB was soaked.

I grabbed a towel as fast as I could to dry it off, but I had little hope that it would be OK. In fact, my only thought was who still has PBs on sale so I can replace the one I just ruined. After all, at the very least, the speakers will be completely shot even if the whole.thing isn't totally fried.

But... This is a happy story.

Yes, I am pleased to report that after drying I crossed my fingers and did the swipe. The screen lit up as beautiful as ever. I opened the music player and hit play on a Dream Theater tune and it sounded as great as it usually does. Tragedy overted. It's so nice to know that the PB is built well enough to stand up to abuse.

I might, though, buy another anyway just for thensake of having two of them. One is none. Two is one. Some of you might know what I mean.

[loreburne]

Nice one! I hope I never have to go through that!

[rleo25]

Ufffffff !!! Congratulations or you are a lucky man or the PB's hardware is MT. (Military Tested) A video of your saga should be done, like those of Thinkpad's.

[justincase1911]

If RIM ever wants me to do a testimonial, I'm available and would be more than happy to do it. I love this thing.

[CanadianThomas]

just think, coffee might have ruined a great moment with dream theater!

but really, wow, im shocked. thats amazing.

[alnamvet68]

Good thing you weren't eating a bran muffin with that coffee, if you know what I mean.

[EricB1968]

If you think there is moisture still in the tablet. Place it inside a tupperware container i believe filled with rice. The rice will absorb all the moisture. I'm not sure how long to leave it in the container but I'm sure googling it you'll find instructions/howtos

[justincase1911]

If you think there is moisture still in the tablet. Place it inside a tupperware container i believe filled with rice. The rice will absorb all the moisture. I'm not sure how long to leave it in the container but I'm sure googling it you'll find instructions/howtos

No need. Everything seems to be AOK, but this is a very good idea that has saved more than one phone for me.

[juacas]

Nice story.
I use my PB sometimes to take photos of my construction projects, last week I was taking some pictures and started to rain, not too hard so I kept using it... eventually the rain stopped and I wanted to check some PDF files with the blueprints, and because the screen had a lot of water on it I had to clean it so I could swipe easily. When I was doing it, I dropped it really hard in the middle of water, grass and concrete!! it bounced like 3 times and I just died in that moment!!!! I picked up waiting to see the screen on a thousand pieces, but to my surprise it was intact and still working! It only had a minor scratch on one of the corners and that's it. So I cleaned it and kept on using it right away
Let me tell you guys this thing really is excellent HARDware!!!

[bllbored]

i wonder if the caffeine will make it run faster

[bbfan1040]

Buy a backup at current low prices. And, get one more Playbook sold. I did afraid of losing mine. :-)
Actually,I think 850,000 Playbook sales wasn't bad! That should generate lots of app sales!

[blackjack93117]

I would be a little concerned still about longer term damage if some of the coffee got into the speaker vents...you may want to take water damage action - rice or desiccant in a ziplock?

Have you tested the speakers? The ill effects may not show up right away - but could over time.

Oh yes like Eric said ^^ didn't see that.

[justincase1911]

I would be a little concerned still about longer term damage if some of the coffee got into the speaker vents...you may want to take water damage action - rice or desiccant in a ziplock?

Have you tested the speakers? The ill effects may not show up right away - but will over time.

Oh yes like Eric said ^^ didn't see that.

I have a little bit of experience with sound equipment including live sound. Believe me when I say I know how wet speakers sound. Even I find it hard to believe, but the speakers sound as if they were untouched by any moisture. I think the tiny holes in the speaker grills were small enough to keep the coffee out and I'm really not kidding about how much coffee it was. I estimate about 12 ounces minimum of the 16 ounce cup actually hit the PB. Fortunately, I reacted quickly, so the offending liquid was removed with blazing speed. Otherwise, I fear the story would have a tragic ending.

[ralfyguy]

I find this rather amazing, especially the fact that the speakers are still working.
i mean the front is glass, but not the speakers. You got really, really lucky man!

[canuckvoip]

Don't take any chances dude. Do the rice/dessicant thing anyway. I have seen this many many times over 30 years in tech. After a while things can start to go wonky... you try this and that and then you remember... Oh no...
Do it anyway bud, every night while you sleep. It's worth it.

[justincase1911]

I actually opened it up (not as easy to do as I thought it would be). No sign of any moisture what so ever. I'm blown away. I wouldn't recommend dropping your PB in a bucket of water, but this experience has proven to me that this is a very well made device.

Some have said that I was lucky. I'd like to think it was my cat like reflexes and the fact that I am a Douglas Adams fan. I always have a towel with me.

[FF22]

Or run a heat generating game to force the moisture out of the unit with an internal furnace.

[AugustArborists]

So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish!

Glad it's OK.

[peter9477]

I actually opened it up (not as easy to do as I thought it would be). No sign of any moisture what so ever. I'm blown away. I wouldn't recommend dropping your PB in a bucket of water, but this experience has proven to me that this is a very well made device.

Care to share any tips on your technique? I haven't invested in one of the nice little plastic tools the iFixit guys seem to prefer, but I did once, briefly, take a small screwdriver to the case to see if it was trivial, and since it was at the time my only unit I was pretty timid with it and didn't get far.

I've got one to spare now (my beta unit) and would be happy to "crack" it open (so long as no actual cracking is involved).

[justincase1911]

Care to share any tips on your technique? I haven't invested in one of the nice little plastic tools the iFixit guys seem to prefer, but I did once, briefly, take a small screwdriver to the case to see if it was trivial, and since it was at the time my only unit I was pretty timid with it and didn't get far.

I've got one to spare now (my beta unit) and would be happy to "crack" it open (so long as no actual cracking is involved).

Actually, I would not recommend doing it without the proper tool. I wish I could say I didn't leave any marks on my PB, but if I did I'd be lying. It also was not as easy as I thought it would be to snap back together. All in all, it's probably not a good idea to take it apart if you don't really need to. Or, unless you actually know what your doing.

[TheScionicMan]

[peter9477]

Actually, I would not recommend doing it without the proper tool. I wish I could say I didn't leave any marks on my PB, but if I did I'd be lying. It also was not as easy as I thought it would be to snap back together. All in all, it's probably not a good idea to take it apart if you don't really need to. Or, unless you actually know what your doing.

I definitely know what I'm doing... which is why your comments are sufficient for me not to do this right now. ;-) I was prepared to be a bit surprised if you'd merely taken a jeweller's screwdriver to the right spot and had it open and closed with no side effects.

Thanks!

[Chaddface]

I definitely know what I'm doing... which is why your comments are sufficient for me not to do this right now. ;-) I was prepared to be a bit surprised if you'd merely taken a jeweller's screwdriver to the right spot and had it open and closed with no side effects.

Thanks!

Those plastic case opening tools are the only way to fly. The guitar pick looking one for the first separation and then the angle to work your way around. It takes a bit of force the first time and anything else will mar the plastic. Once you get some separation it comes off easily. I started at the ports.

[PatrickMJS]

I agree with ericb, blackjack & canuckvoip - put in rice in tupperware asap and leave it their at least 12 hours. You need to make sure not one droplet migrates inward to the electronics...

[justincase1911]

Those plastic case opening tools are the only way to fly. The guitar pick looking one for the first separation and then the angle to work your way around. It takes a bit of force the first time and anything else will mar the plastic. Once you get some separation it comes off easily. I started at the ports.

I used an actual guitar pick. I sharpend one of the edges and used it to get started. Where I went wrong was when I followed it with a pen knife. It would have been ok, but I slipped once or twice with the knife. Fortunately the two scratches are very small and hardly noticeable.