(nytimes.com) - The oddly named Verizon G'zOne Is it Australian? Aimed at Generation Z extreme sports enthusiasts? is a rugged phone that is completely submersible in water. That's right. Now you can call Mom, Dad or your relatives from the shower, reports Trend.
Actually the G'zOne can handle being underwater for only about 30 minutes, but it makes up for that by looking like an armored sea vessel. The openings for its 2-megapixel camera and built-in flash (which also serves as a flashlight) are shaped like a ship's portholes, and there is a round front screen for reading the time and caller I.D. The phone also has stopwatch and countdown timer functions.
The G'zOne's battery lasts for about 3 hours of talk time and 170 hours on standby. The phone also includes a chip that is compatible with Verizon's VZ Navigator mapping software.
The entire package weighs 5 ounces and includes a loop for attaching to a lanyard or other outdoor gear.
The G'zOne is available now on the Verizon Web site and costs $299 with a two-year subscription. Thanks to phones like this, it looks as if we'll soon see multitaskers taking cellphones into the lap lane at the pool. JOHN BIGGS