Acollege sorority sister dropped her cellphone in a toilet. An athlete opened his gym bag to find his water bottle had broken open and soaked his phone. They could have tried the old-fashioned method of drying their phones in a bag of rice.

"It's loud," said Maggie Dean, manager of the York Road store. But, she added, the phones worked after the service.

TCC, a national Verizon Wireless retailer, has introduced the technology-drying machinery to stores all across the country, including the outlet on York Road. Another Towson Verizon Wireless retailer at Fairmount Avenue does not have the Redux machine, according to James Shrake, national account manager for TCC. The new technology started rollling out in December and January and now is available in 286 stores. The Towson-area store has had the service available since January, according to Dean.

"Damage doesn't usually happen right off the bat," Shrake said.

So, he emphasizes that anyone discovering a wet phone should turn it off, remove the power and get the battery out right away. The service is good for Cell Phones, smart phones and tablets. If it works, the device is returned to working order with all the data intact. After the drying process, phones are recharged, checked for long-lasting damage and data is restored.

"Those pieces start short-circuiting," he said. "Plugging it in accelerates that."

The service isn't 100 percent effective, Shrake said, but added that if a phone is turned off immediately it is more likely to be saved, including data such as photos, contact information, and text messages.

Costs for the drying service vary. Verizon Wireless customers may sign up for a 24-month subscription when they get a new phone. That costs $29.99 and covers two drying attempts in the next two years, according to Shrake.

Those who use other cellphone carriers may bring in their devices and have them run through the machiine for $10. If the phone or tablet returns to full use, customers are charged another $90, Shrake said. Discounts are available for those who have insurance protection on their devices.

In the future, TCC stores will allow customers to use the technology to recover most liquid-damaged portable electronic devices, including MP3 players, digital cameras, tablets, portable gaming systems, hearing aids and more.

This article is from: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-county/towson/ph-tt-cell-phone-repair-0401-20150331-story.html