Don't give your iPad a drink. No matter how thirsty it is...

Dr Sanchez

I have a loyal 1st gen iPad that helped itself to a bottle of water which exploded in my bag yesterday.

Relatively submerged I tried to switch it off but it kept switching itself back on until the battery died out. I put it in a box of dry rice and left it over night. Switched it on today and it has this water stain across the screen which slightly distorts the colour of the image. Like liquid poured on a watercolour painting.

It is kind of responsive but is happily browsing pages by itself randomly, I can't use the keyboard, itunes says it can't be read and needs to be factory reset. I really want to get some files off there before I do that, just going to have to fight with it to get them off...

I know apple doesn't cover water damage, does this sound terminal? Any suggestions on who to turn to for repair or how to fix?

I don't have any children, but this is what I imagine it feels like when one of them gets sick. Thanks all!

EggyToast

Stop using it, and allow it to dry out completely. That may require a few days. It's not fried, since you can still use it, but it may have some shorts.

If you have an iPhone or other touchscreen device, try making your finger wet and then using it. You'll notice that the screen is similarly unresponsive. You're not completely fucked.

Dr Sanchez

Back into the rice you go! I'll leave it for a two or three days. Thanks ET.

Heir

I don't know why, but I read "dry ice" instead of "dry rice."

Yeah leave it there for a few days. Good luck!

joshofalltrades

By the way, if that doesn't work out, the Genius Bar at a local Apple store has a lot of power to make things right. My wife dropped my iPad 2 on the concrete and the glass shattered. I brought it in, expecting to pay $texas to get the screen replaced, but they gave me a brand new iPad 2, same specs, right there on the spot. It's a one-time discretionary replacement, the guy told me. I was practically dancing on my way out the door. When I got home I read that that's a thing that they do for pretty much anyone.

It's worth a shot if it ends up being really intolerable for you.

Tef

Yep I had a similar situtation to Josh happen to me, only mine was water damage. They just gave me a new phone, you shoukd see what they'll do for you if it isn't ok after another day or two on the rice

Blake T

I've sent my phone through the was and they looked at it long enough to say, yep that's fucked and then replaced it with a refurbed on the spot.

And iPad 1 though might be pushing it for a free replacement, they may charge you a nominal fee. But book in with the genius bar and see what happens.

Bloodfart

You should have at least most of your files backed up as every time you sync your iPad to iTunes it creates a backup.

Of course some people don't sync their devices. For example here in Beijing i've met a lot of people that buy an iPhone or iPad at the apple store, then the employees sync it to a computer there to activate it and they never do it at home. A friend's kid permalocked the phone by trying to guess the password lock and they had to lose months of photos and business contacts.