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This has been quite a week for waterproof remotes. And just in time for winter, thank goodness…

It began last Thursday when we learned from Ubergizmo and Tech Fresh that Sony is launching a colorful line of waterproof remotes in Japan on September 10. The completely waterproof remote, the Sony RM-PZ3SD,  will sell for $29.

We considered writing a post on the news last week, but we weren’t convinced it was newsworthy until yesterday when Pantel announced the second amphibious remote control we’ve seen in less than seven days.  And Pantel’s remote floats, so you can just let it drift around in the Jacuzzi.

It isn’t really in the same league as the Sony remote though. There’s no need for a floating Pantel remote unless you have a Pantel weatherproof HDTV, which run between $2,999 and $25,999.

Public opinion on waterproof remotes is mixed. “Add Sony Remotes to the List of things Man Never Needed to Waterproof,” says Gizmodo’s Mark Wilson.

Pocket-lint’s Stuart Miles appears to be enthusiastic about the concept; although there’s a possibility we didn’t pick up on his sarcasm: “The must have gadget for water lovers of the century.” His recent post is a litany of ways Sony could market its waterproof line.

Some of us here are asking, “Waterproof remote, why not?” Maybe we’re just caught up in the romance of it all; having had two occasions to think about waterproof remotes in one week inspired beautiful daydreams–sitting in a pool in paradise, remote in hand.

Let’s face it, how many people do you know who have ever cleaned their TV remote? Not those parents who find themselves cleaning peanut butter off  every surface in the house, but people who have truly attempted to sanitize their remotes? If it was waterproof maybe you could just throw it in the dishwasher.