Phone down the shitter.

[small_world]

Yup, dropped my HTC desire down the fucking toilet.
Awesome move.
So, what can be done?

I was drunk at the time, so thought it'd be no problem, I'll just pop it in to a bowl of rice to dry off.
But I have no rice. So it went in to a bowl of oats instead.
Well, that didn't quite have the same effect.
Turned it on this morning, the camera flash flashed, very briefly, now there's nothing. NOTHING I TELLS YA!!!!

So, with a month and a half 'til I am eligible for an upgrade, what do?

Is it possible to get it repaired? I love that phone.
Or do I just suck it up? I bought a shitty Samsung thing to keep me online...

Destroyed.

[Subtle Mocking]

You could call your network and see if they'll do you an early upgrade, although there'll most likely be an additional fee. There's really not much use trying to get it fixed, seeing as it will be pricey to start with and not really worth it for just one month.

[KLG-7A]

I would suggest some packs of silica gel (from shoe packaging, etc.) but small_world has probably eaten all of his.

[small_world]

Why would I eat it?
Can I eat that?

Er, yeah...
Just really wondering if there was any surprising way to get it working that maybe I hadn't thought of.

I've just re-rinsed it, and it's now drying in some rice....
My hopes are low.

[Subtle Mocking]

Unless you're willing to cough up some money to a dodgy phone shop, it's pretty much curtains for your phone.

[biggytitbo]

Have you checked your call log!

[KLG-7A]

Why would I eat it?
Can I eat that?

You just strike me as the sort of person who would immediately eat the "do not eat" gel.

[small_world]

Really?
Nah, not me.

Have you ever been drunk?
have you ever dropped anything?

You seem a little bit silly.

[KLG-7A]

I think you're the kind of person who would fill himself with packaging peanuts to float better in the deep end and then later get arrested for trying to find out what's inside of a squirrel.

[Replies From View]

"Packaging peanuts"?

This is not America!  In real countries they are called foamy foam foam foam foam foam!

[Cagey Joe]

I recently broke my HTC Desire taking a low diving one-handed catch. I wasn't due to upgrade for four months. I called T-Mobile and they gave me an early upgrade without any additional fee. I recommend calling them up and asking for the same. I called the 'leaving T-Mobile' number to add weight to my argument.

[Replies From View]

Here's a trick, as well.  If they won't let you upgrade within the time you have left on your contract at no extra charge, tell them you'd like your PAC code.  They'll ask why and you can explain you're thinking of changing to another mobile network - the PAC code is needed to change networks if you want to keep your current mobile number.  If you've been with your network for a while, they'll dig their heels in and "work something out".

I did this in 2009 when I was considering getting an iPhone and my network didn't have them.  On a whim I asked for my PAC code, they asked "why", and began a trajectory that involved specifically not giving me what I'd asked for.  I'd been with them for 5 years by that point.  I ended up staying with them and getting an HTC Hero (the best contender for "iPhone killer" back then) without the handset charge of £100 that was normal.  I was happy with that, as I wasn't really all that fussed about the iPhone anyway.

PAC code.

[Waking Life]

I dropped my HTC Desire HD down the toilet too.  I did the rice trick and waited about 36 hours before turning it on again.  Hey presto, it worked, albeit the volume control button at the side is permanently broken.

I was 18 months from an upgrade so it was a relief.  Although well cleaned, the knowledge it has been down the toilet is never far from my mind when it's pressed against my cheek.  Only 9 more months now...

[Glebe]

Is there 10p down there too?

I think I dropped a phone down a bog once, could be wrong... have definitely dropped a watch down a carsie after a few pints once...

[Replies From View]

One of my friends returned from work once to find her phone sitting in a glass of water on the floor.  She figured out that it must have vibrated itself off the table while it was ringing, and landed by chance in the glass of water that she'd left in exactly the right spot to catch it.

[KLG-7A]

Why does she keep glasses of water on the floor?

[Replies From View]

I'm not sure that she "keeps" them on the floor.  It's probably just simpler sometimes to put a glass on the floor while you're sitting on the sofa than to keep putting it on a table that isn't within the same easy reach.

[KLG-7A]

Filthy cow.

[Queneau]

What's the best thing to do with a HTC Desire?  Drop it down the toilet.  Good work.  Seriously though, I know nothing about the phone so am just being an annoying little tit.

[KLG-7A]

Drop it down the toilet.

[Queneau]

That's the second time, to my knowledge, that somebody has used my avatar to illustrate one of my comments.

[Replies From View]

That's the second time, to my knowledge, that somebody has used my avatar to illustrate one of my comments.

[NoSleep]

Are there water soluble parts in mobile phones? Surely removing the battery and letting it dry out properly should return it to life, otherwise? Does something instantly blow when they get water in them?

[KLG-7A]

That's the second time, to my knowledge, that somebody has used my avatar to illustrate one of my comments.

It's okay, both times were me.

[Tamarind Massacre]

Are there water soluble parts in mobile phones? Surely removing the battery and letting it dry out properly should return it to life, otherwise? Does something instantly blow when they get water in them?

Pure water does not damage electronics - it's the combination of water and electricity that kills devices.  So get the battery out sharpish then put the phone in a warm place for 48 hours.  Be patient, and resist the temptation to add power to see if it works before then.

[Uncle TechTip]

Are there water soluble parts in mobile phones? Surely removing the battery and letting it dry out properly should return it to life, otherwise? Does something instantly blow when they get water in them?

Presumably you short circuit points on the board if they happen to be wet. It's not necessarily terminal but it must be dried out completely or you'll risk damaging it further each time you turn it on.

[small_world]

Yup.
I reckon my main failing was my impatience.

I got up the next morning, turned it on, and the camera light flashed.
Now it remains dead...

So I re-rinsed it, and it's drying in some rice. Think I'll leave it there a few days to totally dry. But I'm not hopeful after my first turn-on.