rugged

Built for durability and outdoor work, the Samsung Rugby 3 is a sturdy clamshell cell phone. It features AT&T's enhanced push-to-talk and noise suppression, and it comes with large, responsive, and widely-spaced buttons that make it possible to hit while wearing thicker gloves.

Pair all that with U.S. Military Standard 810G for water, dust, and shock, and you have a phone that could easily belong in a fleet for outdoor workers, the accident-prone, or people who want a high level of strength in a simple cell phone -- that is, until you hear it. Cellular call … Read more

Unlike a lot of phones before it, the Kyocera Torque successfully combines full, military-spec toughness with Android touch-screen capabilities.

Both the handset manufacturer and Sprint are no strangers to rugged devices. But Kyocera's Dura Series family of tough phones was always a little inaccessible to the mass market. Mainly because it was targeted for enterprise workers in the first place, but also because the line consisted of bulky feature handsets that had little or no characteristics of a current smartphone.

But the Torque is unique in that it's equipped with such modern fixings like a 4-inch touch screen, … Read more

Sprint quietly revealed its second ultra-tough Sonim handset with the XP Strike IS. Available for $599.99 after users sign a two-year contract (without an agreement, the price jumps to $1,099.99), the feature phone sports a hefty 1,960mAh battery and 2-inch QVGA screen.

Though Sonim devices are indeed tough -- this one can reportedly survive a 6.5-foot fall on concrete and a dunk under 6.5 feet of water for 30 minutes -- they are bulky, and the Strike IS is no different.

For example, its battery physically bulges in the back, and the phone tips … Read more

BARCELONA, Spain--Cat (yes, the same Cat of industrial forklifts, tractors, and mining equipment) has announced its latest rugged smartphone, the Cat B15.

Rocking Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, a grooved rubber back, and hard angles, the Cat B15 is aimed for construction and industrial workers. Made of hardened rubber and aluminum, I really liked the Cat B15's shape and in-hand feel even in my bare hands. It's thick and durable, and raised yellow buttons along the side and top are both tactile and visible.

Dust flaps around the headset jack and charging port help keep it waterproof … Read more

Sprint today announced that the rugged and waterproof Kyocera Torque will arrive on March 8. Priced at $99 with a two-year service agreement, the Torque is the first "Ultra rugged" 4G LTE handset with Sprint Direct Connect push-to-talk service.

Previously introduced back in January, the Kyocera smartphone features a 4-inch IPS display and dual-core processor. Whereas the typical rugged smartphone is hampered by older versions of the platform, the Torque runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. This is good news for anyone who has grown accustomed to the Holo theme of Android and its added feature set. … Read more

While there are plenty of rugged digital cameras to go around these days, Pentax and Olympus have been making them the longest. The new WG-3 is Pentax's 15th-generation ruggedized camera and it's going directly after Olympus' top models, the Stylus Tough TG-1 iHS and TG-2 iHS.

The key features of the Olympus are its 4x f2.0-4.9 25-100mm lens and the option to attach a lens adapter for add-on conversion lenses. And that's exactly what you get with the WG-3; the exact same lens specs, and you can put on a lens adapter and wide-angle conversion … Read more

Though it isn't the sleekest device, the Sonim XP Strike from Sprint isn't anything to mess with. Fulfilling military-grade specifications for ruggedness, the handset can survive the toughest of environments. It's shock-resistant, waterproof, and dustproof, and can withstand up to 1 ton of pressure (so don't feel too bad if you accidentally run it over in your driveway with your SUV).

The carrier's first Sonim phone, it not only expands Sprint's rugged lineup, but it also features Sprint Direct Connect, which enables callers to quickly communicate with one another at a push of a … Read more

Sprint announced today that it's now offering the rugged handset Sonim XP Strike for $129.99 after a two-year carrier agreement and mail-in rebate.

The XP Strike includes push-to-talk Direct Connect and has an extra-tough design to withstand even the harshest of elements.

Its Corning Gorilla glass screen is 1.8 millimeters thick, the phone itself meets military specifications for dust and shock resistance, and it's covered by a three-year warranty.

You can also submerge the device in 6.5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes and drop it on concrete from a height of 6.… Read more

If you're a real butterfingers, Sony's Xperia Advance smartphone could be just what the doctor ordered. Both water- and dust-resistant, Sony will begin selling the unlocked Xperia Advance for $300 to U.S. customers today. … Read more