Toshiba Encore Tablet Still Works After Getting Iced

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Toshiba's been doing some pretty interesting field testing as of late, and the latest one involves its Encore tablet, which it encased in a block of ice for two days. We all know that extreme heat or extreme cold can be detrimental to our gadgets. Things like displays and hard drives will have a minimum and maximum operating temperature (this varies depending on the company), and extreme cold can also affect how long the battery holds a charge. Generally speaking, we don't advise you to leave your smartphone, tablet, or laptop in a car overnight in extreme cold.

 

Toshiba's field test saw the Encore encased in a block (or swan, rather) for two whole days. The tablet was protected by a zip lock bag. As such, it didn't get wet at all, but it was exposed to a very, very cold environment. Toshiba calls this the -22F test, which is a lot colder than most electronics are rated for. Still, the video doesn't offer any information on how the tablet fared in the days and weeks following the test. We've asked Toshiba if there were any issues with the battery, display, or similar. We'll update with their response! For now, check out the video for yourself below:

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7 Comments Comment from the forums
  • subcutaneous
    Most entertaining add I have seen in some time. Congrats Toshiba.
    Reply
  • JMcEntegart
    12570865 said:
    Most entertaining add I have seen in some time. Congrats Toshiba.

    Super Bowl Sunday is only three days away, though!
    Reply
  • jkhoward
    Uh... is this a Toshiba or a Lenovo? I see both names up on here.
    Reply
  • JMcEntegart
    12570976 said:
    Uh... is this a Toshiba or a Lenovo? I see both names up on here.

    Brain fart. Thanks!
    Reply
  • WyomingKnott
    And they also tested a Toshiba with dog drool here: http://www.tomshardware.com/news/toshiba-dog-drool-video-spill-proof,25894.html . What is this, Do Strange Tests on Toshibas week?
    Reply
  • Solandri
    When he grabs the tablet from the statue, you can see the statue is sitting in a pool of water. So while the air might have been -22 F, the ice itself was only 32 F. (Farmers use the same trick to protect their crops from a sudden freeze. They'll spray water over the plants. As long as part of the ice is still wet, lowering its temperature requires extracting a lot more energy to force a phase change. As a result the air temperature can drop well below freezing, but the ice can remain a relatively "toasty" 32 F and insulates the plants from the cold air.)
    Reply
  • JMcEntegart
    12574135 said:
    When he grabs the tablet from the statue, you can see the statue is sitting in a pool of water. So while the air might have been -22 F, the ice itself was only 32 F. (Farmers use the same trick to protect their crops from a sudden freeze. They'll spray water over the plants. As long as part of the ice is still wet, lowering its temperature requires extracting a lot more energy to force a phase change. As a result the air temperature can drop well below freezing, but the ice can remain a relatively "toasty" 32 F and insulates the plants from the cold air.)

    That is amazing! Thanks for sharing. :)
    Reply