So IDNES appears to have revealed a reasonably serviceable new rugged candybar from Samsung for the European market featuring an integrated compass and barometer / altimeter, FM radio, Bluetooth, a 220 x 176 display, and IP54 certification, which promises resistance to dust and the occasional splash of H2O. That's all well and good, but the real story here might be the phone's full model number -- GT-B2700 -- which appears to signal a move away from Samsung's longstanding SGH / SCH / SPH naming convention that has its roots in the early days of Samsung's mobile business. Is it just us, or is anyone else getting just a little emotional about the thought of the stalwart "SGH" prefix going away? The memories, Samsung, the memories! Anyway, back to the B2700, IDNES expects to find it on local shelves later in the summer for about 5,000 Czech crowns (roughly $336).

[Via Unwired View]

We've seen quite a few prototype fuel-cell powered mobile devices, but Samsung's upping the ante by predicting that we'll all be running our phones on water by 2010. The company says it's developed a method to generate hydrogen by exposing water to metal, but the details are a little shaky -- we're guessing it's similar to the system used in the HydroPak generator, but it's hard to tell. Still, we've got no reason to doubt Samsung's engineers, who say the system currently provides about 10 hours of use, or about five days of average cell usage, and will eventually allow users to simply top off and go. That's every traveler's dream -- let's get this to market, Sammy.

Inflatable gizmos meant to save your dog's life and wake you from your bubble bath slumber have been around for some time, but this creation has probably been avoided due to the intrinsic probability of failure. Granted, the inflatable cellphone float would make for a great gift, but in reality, even the most diminutive of cannonballs will have this thing inverted in no time. Of course, for those just looking to float down the lazy river (yet still be attached to world), we could see it coming in handy, but there's no bundled guarantee that it's flip-proof. Still, this thing might not be a bad pickup for just R6.08 ($0.86), but we'll be sticking with the waterproof handset when it counts.

[Via Textually]

We won't say it's for certain just yet, but we've got a sneaking suspicion that the now-infamous Will It Blend series of destruction videos has created a monster. In a zany spinoff of the violent series, an i-mate JAQ is dealt a chilly beating as a presumably deranged individual ponders if it will "pass the freeze test." The snazzy smartphone was placed in frigid waters and then frozen block solid, only to be bashed repeatedly once it returned from the freezer. As with most of these cases, the JAQ didn't exactly perform admirably, and in fact, it failed to ever turn on again. So if you don't mind seeing perfectly good electronics go to waste, or you'd just like another bright idea to try yourself, be sure to hit the read link for the ominous video.

Sure, nearly every carrier out there offers insurance for your phone, but reaching a fair settlement on your defunct device becomes a bit more difficult when you nonchalantly turn down the costly coverage, only to have a manufacturer's defect render your mobile useless. In an apparent attempt to bypass efforts to make phones more resistant to water seepage, certain cellphone makers have resorted to placing "water detection stickers" just within the phone's casing. These tell-tale pads turn to alternate colors if any moisture makes its way in, giving companies the perfect excuse to nullify warranties regardless of whether the malfunction was actually water-related. While we certainly imagine that waterlogged phones are among the highest claimed for replacement, this tiny sensor makes voiding a warranty an exercise in simplicity, as even a brief call while scurrying through the rain could eliminate any future coverage. While it has been said that placing a piece of "satin finish scotch tape" over the pad will forestall the colors from a-changin', just be sure to remove that extra bit of evidence before pleading your case.

[Via Gadgetopia]

Say you're on the board of a global corporation based in Japan. Sure, you're just another suit from 9 to 5, but on the weekends it's a different story -- you do some deep-sea diving, downhill skiing... heck, maybe the occasional BASE jump. Where are you supposed to find a phone tough enough to keep ticking (while you're wrestling crocodiles, that is) without getting you fired in the boardroom with some wacky, "extreme" color scheme? Believe it or not, Casio's got your number. The G'zOne E03CA takes a cue from the W42CA's book, offering a QVGA internal and 100 x 100 display, microSD slot, EV-DO radio, and 2-megapixel cam in a beefy, water resistant package. That's where the similarity ends, though: unlike the wild W42CA, the laid-back E03CA looks more fit for the inside of a suit coat pocket than a snowboarding jacket. Businessfolk with a tendency to destroy phones can look for the latest G'zOne to drop this December on KDDI's au network in Japan.

[Via I4U News]

We have a hard enough time holding it between bathroom breaks as it is without being taunted by sloshing water on our phones, but we have to admit, it's pretty darn nifty nonetheless. It seems NEC's N702iS for NTT DoCoMo has a motion sensor that detects tilt, affecting the "liquid" inside the display appropriately. As battery level drops, so does the level of the liquid. Whimsical, yes, but when you're technologically dominating every other carrier in the world, we think you're afforded that luxury.

[Via SlashPhone]

In this harsh, dirty, unforgiving world we all call home, damaged and destroyed mobiles are a reality we can't easily escape -- unless you have 75 microns of latex between your phone and its surroundings, that is. Innovalife of The Netherlands is marketing "Skins," a tube-shaped rubbery apparatus designed to be rolled around your phone to provide near-total protection from "water, dirt, mud, paint, sweat, blood, snow and much more." Apparently, there is a slight loss in sound quality, but the phone remains otherwise completely functional. The Skins are available in a variety of colors for the kind of stylish protection today's youngsters, butchers, and painters demand -- yes, butchers and painters are a major part of Skins' target demographic. Unfortunately, we're going to have to roll the dice with our naked phones; we're guessing clamshells aren't invited to the party, and we don't think we get splashed with enough blood to encase our beautiful devices in thick, impersonal rubber anyway.

[Via The Register]