LAS VEGAS — Seattlelites nervous about using Web tablets outdoors are in luck.
Computer makers have decided it’s time for waterproof tablets that work in the rain or even underwater — if your kayak rolls while you’re checking Facebook or you want to finish that Netflix movie in the bathtub.
AT&T on Monday announced the submersible Pantech tablet, and Toshiba one-upped that on Tuesday with a tablet that recharges while underwater.
A Toshiba representative said the technology could eventually end up in devices made for browsing poolside or in the bathroom.
Toshiba’s prototype can be charged via magnetic signals from a transceiver. The charger needs to be within 3 inches, but that’s far enough that you can submerge your tablet in a fish tank and use it to display digital fish that never need feeding.
Who is ready to play “Angry Fish“?
You can’t go completely wireless though — Wi-Fi doesn’t carry through the water.
Here’s a side view showing the charger mounted on the back of the aquarium (tabletarium?):
