World first: the foaming-hand-soap-washable smartphone
Do a bacteria & germs count on your smartphone screen and you will find that it does not rank far below a toilet seat in a dubious area, or a computer mouse in lawyer’s office. In Japan absolute cleanliness is a virtue so it’s not surprising to see Kyocera Corporation announce the launch of the new ‘DIGNO rafre’ smartphone for the KDDI Corporation — it’s the world’s first smartphone with resistance against foaming hand soap. Provisionally the product is for the Japanese market only.
So now everyone suffering from germophobia, bacillophobia and/or bacteriophobia, or believing bacteria are bad by definition, can have the assurance of their smartphone remaining alive after a good wash-down, just like the old Tektronix oscilloscope I reported on last Thursday, but with hygiene in mind rather than a few years extra use of a grimy piece of electronic gear in a mancave.
In addition to resistance against shock, water and dust, DIGNO Rafre features hot water resistance that enables use while washing hands or taking a bath. Furthermore, as the back face of the smartphone is coated with a scratch-healing material that allows everyday minor abrasions to self-heal, the DIGNO Rafre remains in pristine condition for a long time. The new device has an elegant, sleek design with two-tone colors and easy-to-grasp round form which comes in three colors: Coral Pink, Cashmere White and Marine Navy. It is part of the new KDDI lineup announced on December 3.
So now taking a foam bath (in Japan, and with a temperature not exceeding 43 °C) is no longer an excuse for being offline. With a spic and span mobile phone, everyone can continue soiling the (Japanese) Wi-Fi and cellphone frequency bands with useless blabber. The DIGNO rafre is not spectacular as far as its specifications are concerned — it runs Android 5.1 and has a 3-Ah battery. Its waterproof performance meets IPX5/8. Kyocera are firm in stating that the new phone is resistant to foam only, meaning you should foam your hand soap bar with water first, and not rub the soap bar against the phone surface like a regular Fred Flintstone.
In addition to resistance against shock, water and dust, DIGNO Rafre features hot water resistance that enables use while washing hands or taking a bath. Furthermore, as the back face of the smartphone is coated with a scratch-healing material that allows everyday minor abrasions to self-heal, the DIGNO Rafre remains in pristine condition for a long time. The new device has an elegant, sleek design with two-tone colors and easy-to-grasp round form which comes in three colors: Coral Pink, Cashmere White and Marine Navy. It is part of the new KDDI lineup announced on December 3.
So now taking a foam bath (in Japan, and with a temperature not exceeding 43 °C) is no longer an excuse for being offline. With a spic and span mobile phone, everyone can continue soiling the (Japanese) Wi-Fi and cellphone frequency bands with useless blabber. The DIGNO rafre is not spectacular as far as its specifications are concerned — it runs Android 5.1 and has a 3-Ah battery. Its waterproof performance meets IPX5/8. Kyocera are firm in stating that the new phone is resistant to foam only, meaning you should foam your hand soap bar with water first, and not rub the soap bar against the phone surface like a regular Fred Flintstone.
