Punch Up Your Pool With Great Tech Gadgets

Record your poolside and submerged shenanigans with the waterproof Sanyo Xacti VPC-WH19 ($350 street). The image quality of this bright yellow camcorder (it also comes in a turquoise version) won't bowl you over, but you can splash around with abandon and record the underwater action for a lot longer than you can hold your breath.

Rule your pool from a suitable throne--the inflatable Excalibur Motorized Pool Lounger ($150), which Time Magazine named one of the Best Inventions of 2006. The joysticks on each armrest control independent propellers to transport your monarchical self in any desired direction.

For more-competitive water fun, check out the same company's Motorized Bumper Boat ($60). Buy two and encourage your paladins to engage in noodle jousts for your royal favor.

Whatever your swimming pool is filled with, you're soaking in it. So make sure it's not lemon juice or an alkaline mini-lake. Whip out your iPhone, load this Pool Calculator ($5) app, and find out what you need to do to get your pool's pH, chlorine level, and other chemical properties into optimum balance. The app provides recommended levels, ranges, and computations for a multitude of basic chemicals.

Among our favorite nearly indestructible cameras is the Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 ($275 street). With specs like "sealed gaskets and screwed-on armor," this camera can withstand hostile environments, boisterous children, and even destructive journalists. According to Olympus, it is waterproof to a depth of 33 feet and can survive drops of up to 6.6 feet.

For other sturdy camera options, check out our silde shows "Tough Tech: Rugged Gear That Can Survive Almost Any Calamity" and "Six Tough, Rugged Cameras."

Turn your pool into a disco/rave/intergalactic space party on the underwater planet of Boogiedoon with the AquaGlow Underwater Light Starship ($25). This rotating device has ten different light-show settings and can illuminate water up to 20 feet away (consider investing in two or three for a larger pool).

Don't want to make the arduous trek to the patio to grab a drink? With the flick of a finger, you can motor up to five drinks and a snack from the edge of the pool to wherever you're basking, thanks to the Excalibur Electronics Radio Control Snack Float ($70)--possibly the grooviest aquatic innovation since sharks with lasers.

With a splashproof body and a sun-soaking solar panel, this iPod speaker system ($200) from Hammacher Schlemmer was made to park next to you while you lounge by the pool. According to the company, 3 hours of solar charging produces 1 hour of playtime; alternatively, you can run the speaker system on AC power.

You May Also Be Interested In:

• "40 Cool Gadgets for a Hot Summer"

• "Bathroom Tech: From Strange to Ridiculous"

• "20 Sizzling Summer Video Games"