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Motorola Defy+ JCB edition is a phone built for builders

The JCB limited edition version of the Motorola Defy+ rugged Android smart phone includes built-in apps for builders.

Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
Expertise Films, TV, Movies, Television, Technology
Richard Trenholm
2 min read

Dig it: this is the JCB limited edition version of the Motorola Defy+ rugged Android smart phone, with built-in apps for builders.

The Defy+, follow-up to the Motorola Defy, is water-resistant, scratch-resistant and dust-proof, sporting a 3.7-inch scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass screen.

The limited-edition digger-branded JCB Defy+ is aimed at builders and engineers, or anyone who works outdoors or in demanding conditions, thanks to a "patented visco-elastic protective sleeve" with "re-entrant geometry". We don't know what that means because we're not 'ard enough.

Sturdy it may be, but the Defy is quite a dinky thing, so won't be ideal when wearing work gloves.

As well as the rugged exterior, there's a selection of roughty-toughty JCB apps on board too. They include a spirit level, a decibel meter and recorder, and a unit converter. There's an app to help you find your nearest DIY store to stock up on parts.

And it's even got a theodolite, which won't be much use to most people but is fun to say. Theodolite. Theodolite. Theodolite.

The digger Defy+ includes Push To Talk to operate as a walkie-talkie when you're on site, with group talking and messaging options. Inside is a 1GHz processor running Android 2.3 Gingerbread. On the front is a 5-megapixel camera with auto focus and flash.

Moto also announced this month a smaller version of the Defy, the Motorola Defy Mini, alongside the Motorola Motoluxe. Google is in the process of buying the American mobile maker for £7.8bn.

The Motorola Defy+ JCB comes with a car charger with an extra long curly cable. It's holding up the bypass now for £260.