Some people think waterproofing is an unnecessary luxury
I have always, wherever possible, bought 'ruggedised' or 'waterproof' versions of portable electronics for in monsoon storms, which I regularly experience, even things in your pockets get soaked, as in dripping wet.
Whenever I see Vietnamese school children calmly walking through shower-like storms, blithely ignoring the rain and wearing nothing but their light school uniforms, I always think they must have fish-like qualities.
Regular losses
Every storm sees people with iThingies and other smartphones who forgot their 'baggies' lose motherboards to rain. They don't even think to switch them off! Of course Apple aficionados are well and truly screwed as their batteries cannot be removed! Another sale for Apple.
One way to recover from a soaking
A wet cell phone, IF promptly switched off, AND THE BATTERY REMOVED can be recovered. With luck.
After shaking all the surplus water from the cell, you wrap the unit in kitchen wipe type paper then place it in a sealed glass jar such as a used instant coffee jar, and left for 24-hours.
Then remove the device, discard the paper. Either dry the rice on a flat plate on a low setting in a microwave oven or use fresh, dry rice.
After thoroughly dried repeat the 24-hour drying cycle AND ONLY THEN try powering the cell up. I have recovered several this way.
I also use silicon grease (from professional electronic suppliers - used in two-way radio antenna work) around ALL opening in a smartphone case. Even around rotating controls.- always preferable to get a little grease on your hands than lose a handset.
Laptops and Netbooks
Thank goodness for turkey sized plastic bags (or small garbage bags) as they are your protection for larger portable devices. Often double-bagging is needed to really get protection.
The HSBC SecureKey is allegedly waterproof - news,it isn't unless thoroughly dried off before using.