Handy Gadgets

A review of the budget-priced Ultra Hydra Mp3 Player has been posted over on the Technology Review. 'Water can kill electronic gadgets if it seeps in and short-circuits the innards. So the Ultra Hydra MP3 player is made to be ''splash-resistant.'' Its rubberized casing, which makes the device resemble a river raft, should protect the circuitry from limited encounters with moisture. Because a 1-gigabyte Hydra retails for just $40 and can be found for even less online, I figured it was worth checking out. I sampled three of its 2-gig cousins ($60) in a variety of circumstances, including some notoriously watery locales: Seattle and my shower.