THE hard disk in your notebook flies at an insane 90 or more revolutions per second.

Inside, a microscopic distance separates the head which writes data from the platter which holds that data.

Electronic circuitries are composed of wafer-thin ribbons of copper. Many are stacked in layers. Some are fixed on flexible bases.

Lenses - even those in compact cameras - are really many slivers of glass each bending light in a precise way to get you a photograph.

There's great wizardry in a whole lot of gizmos from notebook PCs to digicams. But they're all extremely fragile.

Molly-coddling is required. Moisture, dust or knocks spell instant death. Add on the demand for gear to be ever more compact, and the tolerance for failure is sliced even thinner.

But more consumers are now working on the go, so IT makers are coming up with gizmos that can take hard knocks - and survive.

SanDisk says its Ultra Cruzer Titanium USB drive can withstand a 909kg crush - about the weight of a small black rhinoceros.

Panasonic says its SDR-SW20 video camera can take a 1.2m drop.

Olympus' µ1030W digital camera (right) can function down to 10m in water.

In fact, Panasonic's Toughbook has done a tour of duty.

It was the computer of choice during the Desert Storm sting in the Gulf War in 1991 and played a vital role in the military's communications systems.

There are, of course, less hard-core versions of these notebook PCs, which are not meant to be dragged through the coals but tough, nevertheless, says a Panasonic spokesman.

Targeted more at users who might be a little rough with their laptops, they are meant for field engineers to test IT systems outdoors. Intrepid travellers also take these hardy helpmates on treks.

Ditto for other brands like Lenovo and Dell, which are also throwing up a few models of rough-and-ready business notebooks, along with their usual line of PCs for the nine-to-five suits.

Be that as it may, the beefier products are not without an Achilles' heel.

Digital Life takes extreme pleasure in subjecting two cameras, two notebook PCs, a keyboard and a USB drive to extreme abuse.

The usual disclaimer applies: "Don't try this at home."

Panasonic video camera: SDR-SW20, $799

Vendor's boast: 1.5m waterproof (up to 30 minutes), 1.2m shockproof and dustproof.

DL abuse: Immersed in a swimming pool. Dropped onto a ceramic tile. Flexed the body.

Survivor rating: I plunged the camera to the bottom of a 1.5m deep swimming pool for 45 minutes. Underwater, it was fully functional including sound recording. Didn't test its dustproof claim but the lens was smudged and I just wiped it clean with my finger - still in the water. (I shudder even thinking of doing that with any other camera.)

On dry ground again, while running the videocam, I dropped it from a height of 1.2m onto the ceramic tiled deck of the pool - three times. The force of the bounce was enough to fling the LCD panel open. The housing suffered some dents but throughout the entire time, the little trouper just kept on recording itself being abused.

For good measure, I also threw it spinning high into the air before it fell smack into the pool - while the videocam was running. Still no problem.

Secret: The combination plastic-metal body is made rigid by die cast zinc reinforcement at stress points. The case and camera mechanism are kept away from each other so that delicate parts inside are shielded. A resin chassis in between cushions the main circuit board and lens.

The microphone is shielded by vents that keep out water but do not impede sound recording quality. The speakers are protected by waterproof sheets that are layered so that water pressure would not affect their performance.

Digital camera: Olympus µ1030W, $649

Vendor's boast: Waterproof up to 10m (up to one hour), shockproof up to 2m, freezeproof up to -10 deg C and crushproof up to 100kg.

DL abuse: Dunked in a swimming pool. Dropped three times onto a ceramic tile. Spent 15 minutes in a freezer. Endured stomps on its body.

Survivor rating: At a swimming pool, I powered up the camera and dropped it into the pool. It sat at the bottom of the pool for nearly an hour while I dived in occasionally to put it through its paces. This wonder had no problems at all in the deep blue. Autofocus, macros and flash photos - all worked with ease.

I tried scratching the dull metal with the sharp tip of a large paper clip. I couldn't leave a mark. Even the LCD screen was quite scratchproof. Unfortunately, the shiny and coloured panels were not made of the same stern stuff and sustained scratches.

I dropped it a few heartrending times on the ceramic-tiled pool deck. There were some dings but the camera worked fine. I stood on the camera. No sweat.

I even put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes. When I took it out, condensation immediately formed on the entire body. Most cameras would have long gone into the intensive care unit, if not the graveyard. But the µ1030W snapped a photo without a hitch.

Secrets: The usual camera features that would protrude and get damaged, like the flash, are tucked away inside the housing. The zoom lens is also folded within the body.

Besides a tough, highly rigid body, key electronic components are suspended from the body so they are isolated from shock. Everything that can be opened is sealed with a gasket.

The manual recommended that the seals be replaced annually. Olympus said that it would cost $130 for such a replacement.

USB drive: SanDisk Ultra Cruzer Titanium 8GB, $99

Vendor's boast: Case can withstand 909kg.

DL abuse: Drove a car over it.

Survivor rating: Anyone would have died. I drove a 1.7 tonne MPV over the Cruzer slowly. Six times. I rammed into the girth with the drive on its edge. Then, head on against the narrow base, with the drive still on its edge. For good measure, I left the car squashing the drive for about 10 minutes. The only trace of abuse: minor scratches on the casing.

I scratched vigorously at the casing with the sharp tip of a large paper clip. Amazingly, I made no impression on it.

The claim was made only for the casing. I kept the retractable plastic mechanism retracted throughout the test.

After all the abuse, the mechanism slid in and out and locked fine. All the 193 photo and video files I copied onto the drive were there.

I was warned that the Cruzer was not water-resistant. But I soaked it in scalding hot water and then dunked it in cold water. I shook off the water and left it alone for an hour. Again, it worked fine.

Secrets: Although I couldn't get SanDisk to confirm it, the casing appears to be made of two pieces of solid metal alloy with a super tough coating. As long as the casing holds, the plastic innards are protected - and the data inside too.

Microsoft Comfort Curve Keyboard 2000, $29.90

Vendor's boast: Spillproof keys.

DL's test: Liquid torture including dousing by water, cola and hot coffee.

Survivor rating: I started out easy, simulating an accidental spill with half a glass of water on the keyboard. It stayed there draining slowly, during which I managed to type out a few lines about my test.

Then, I decided it could take more, so I poured a glass of water on it. I still managed to type.

Next came the cola splash. I almost emptied the can as a little cola didn't seem to have any effect on the keyboard.

Still, nothing happened except that the keys got sticky.

So I moved on to my next test - hot coffee with milk. I poured carefully at first, not knowing whether the just-boiled water would singe the keyboard's circuitry. Nothing happened so I dumped the whole mug of coffee on it. It still let me type.

Finally, I put it under a tap to wash off the sugar and coffee sediments. Any residue could cause damage if left to dry on the keyboard. Carried away, I turned on the tap full blast despite being told not to do so.

After the wash, I plugged it back into my computer and didn't have any problems at all while I typed out the results of my test on the still damp keyboard. My verdict: The keyboard was more waterproof than water-resistant.

Secrets: The keys keep water away from the circuitry and a drainage system channels the water out from little drain holes underneath.

Panasonic Toughbook CF-19 notebook PC, from $5,299

Vendor's boast: Shockproof (90cm), spillproof and dust-resistant.

DL abuse: Dropped it. Held it under running water. Flexed the LCD screen.

Survivor rating: I stood on it, all 90kg of me, and dropped it from a height of more than 1m. Then, my colleagues joined in dropping the Toughbook. One dropped it with the LCD screen open. The hinge held. The notebook shrugged off all the abuse.

All this time, I had the sweet Connie Talbot, a six-year-old contestant from Britain's Got Talent, singing Over The Rainbow in a video running on the hard disk drive. No sudden powering down. No drop-sensor detecting sudden motion and shutting down the notebook to avert disaster. The mean machine didn't even skip a beat: Connie just kept on singing.

I switched it to tablet mode which means the touch-sensitive LCD faces up. I ran the LCD under the tap at full stream. I also flipped the LCD back to notebook mode and ran the keyboard under the tap.

I shook the water off the Toughbook. The touchscreen worked fine and the hard disk was running all this time without a single hiccup.

I tried flexing the LCD screen. My muscles flexed; it barely flinched.

Secrets: Multiple material and design strategies are used. The body is made of impact-resistant magnesium alloy - light and very strong. The hard disk enjoys double protection. It is surrounded by shock-dampening materials, then shielded within an aluminium case.

All openings and ports are ruthlessly dealt with. Using heat-pipe technology, heat is distributed from the inside to the outside of the casing.

All ports are hidden behind tough, sealed doors. LAN and modem connectors have sealant on the inside for added protection.

The LCD is kept inside a rigid frame that resists bending and twisting. Shock absorption is added. Plus, it is sealed all around so that water cannot penetrate.

Lenovo Thinkpad T61 notebook computer, $2,699

Vendor's boast: Shockproof on all sides and corners if dropped from about 1m. Dust and sandproof. Spill-resistant keyboard up to 60ml of water.

DL's abuse: Weight test. Drop test. Spill test.

Survivor rating: First, I sat - all 50kg of me plus a 9kg suitcase - on the computer while it was closed. When I opened it, I found that the LCD had held up - not a single crack.

Then, I dropped it from my lap, as if I forgot I had a laptop and just stood up. The T61 continued running.

Emboldened, I proceeded to push it off my table with the LCD screen shut and even dropped it on one of its corners. The computer remained unscathed.

For the spill test, I first dumped about 30ml of water all over the keyboard. The computer continued running and I could even type. I then poured another 30ml of water on it.

The next step though, is something no one should do. Impatient that the water was taking a while to drain off, I tipped the notebook over to let the excess water flow off from the top. Bad choice. Before long, the computer shut down.

The folks at Lenovo say you should never tilt the computer once you wet it. Instead, leave it flat and wait for the water to drain off, then dry it with a hair dryer.

Secrets: A roll cage made of perforated magnesium alloy redistributes weight and stress on the computer.

A system similar to the airbag systems in cars protects the hard drive by lifting the hard drive heads from the disk when it senses sudden motion. This protects the hard drive and data in it.

Beneath the computer's keyboard is a drainage system similar to gutters on roofs. It diverts water spilled on the keyboard away from the circuitry. The water eventually flows out via small holes at the bottom of the notebook.

This article was first published in The Straits Times, Digital Life on 8 July 2008.