Top 5 Tech Gadgets for the Beach

Tech gadgets for the beach may seem like a faux pas, aselectronics typically do not mix well with sand or water. However, we compileda list of beach friendly electronics that will make your next trip to the beachmore enjoyable. Tech gadgets for the beach may seem like a faux pas, aselectronics typically do not mix well with sand or water. However, we compileda list of beach friendly electronics that will make your next trip to the beachmore enjoyable.

Tech gadgets for the beach may seem like a faux pas, as electronics typically do not mix well with sand or water. However, we compiled a list of beach friendly electronics that will make your next trip to the beach more enjoyable.

Olympus Stylus 6020 Tough 14.0 MP Digital Camera ($269.99) Link

Everyone wants to bring a camera to the beach, but the real fear of water damage makes it hard to get some great photos. We recommend the Olympus Stylus Tough digital camera because of its excellent picture quality, water resistant design, low price, and shock and freeze resistance. With this camera, you can safely take great pictures around water and rocky ledges without the fear of breaking. However, because the camera is only water resistant, we recommend that you not attempt underwater photography.

Barnes and Noble NOOK ebook Reader ($219.99) Link

This Wi-Fi and 3G enabled ebook reader is the perfect companion for your next relaxing beach trip. The E Ink gray scale display makes it feel like a natural book, which is not only easy on the eyes, but is unaffected by glare. Many users may think that the iPad is a better alternative, but after owning one for two months, I would never use it on the beach. The iPad is horrendously bad in direct sunlight, even with maximum brightness, and for a price tag, starting at $500 the iPad is too expensive for beach use.

Acer Aspire One Netbook ($249.99) Link

Netbooks are great tools for surfing the web and creating documents while on the go. We deem this product the perfect beach gadget because of its lightweight design, Windows 7 OS, inexpensive price and overall ease of use. This netbook has an 8-hour battery life, 160GB hard drive and webcam. With an optional 3G data card, this netbook can be used to surf the web and send emails while on the beach. Although this product is far from waterproof or sand proof, with proper care it can easily be a great addition for your next beach trip.

Bose in-ear Headphones ($99.99) Link

These small mobile headphones produce an excellent sound quality and feel great in while in the ear. These headphones have a noticeable sound quality difference over inexpensive competition. The excellent sound quality is great for the beach because it effectively reproduces sounds without much interference of outside noises, such as waves or loud beach goers.

Aquapac Waterproof Case ($27.75) Link

This waterproof case for the iPhone and Motorola Droid is the perfect addition for any beach trip. As someone who grew up only minutes from the beach, I can safely say that nothing ruins a beach trip faster than a waterlogged cell phone. The case is waterproof up to 15 feet, floats in water and allows limited use on the phone while in the case. If you plan on going kayaking, on a boat, or swimming then this case is the perfect choice. The downsides? The case is very snug and is difficult to fit phones into, but this is done to ensure air tightness.

Sources:

Personal experience having owned or used each of these products