Unfortunately, that didn't quite happen. Palm devices, like most electronic equipment, don't take well to water. The situation might have been different, though, had I known about a Web site called SCUBA Resources for the PalmPilot. It's the work of a man named Joseph M. Clopp, and it is May's PalmPower Site of the Month. You can find it by visiting http://members.aol.com/c4dharma/PalmPilot.html.

Clopp works in the Water Training Facilities department of U.S. Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. There, he handles the Microgravity Simulation and Neutral Buoyancy Training in the Underwater Astronaut Trainer. In layman's terms, that's the scene in Armageddon where Bruce Willis and his team of roughnecks are swimming around in a big water tank while wearing space suits. Figure A shows Clopp in his very Palm device unfriendly working environment.

FIGURE A


Joseph Clopp enjoys a typical day at the office. Roll over picture for a larger image.

After purchasing a PalmPilot Professional, Clopp searched the Internet for SCUBA resources to download. What little he did find was inconveniently spread out, so he decided to gather everything together in order to aid others interested in "SCUBAfying" their Palm devices.

Clopp's site is more than just a collection of links for SCUBA diving Palm device users. He provides brief reviews of products--ranging from wetsuits for your PDA to downloadable dive manual documents--as well as giving instructions to novice users on the software they'll need.

Even if you don't dive, his links to waterproofing devices might be worth checking out. Summer's coming, which means you and your Palm unit soon could be visiting the beach or floating together on a raft in the middle of your swimming pool. You don't have to be 20,000 leagues under the sea to ruin a perfectly good piece of hardware.

Steve Niles is Senior Editor for ZATZ Publishing. He is also an independent filmmaker and freelance writer. For more information, visit http://www.sn-films.com.