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Sprint and Sonim XP Strike back (pictures)

Sprint's first Sonim handset, the ultratough, waterproof XP Strike, is equipped with a 2-megapixel camera, an FM radio, and an LED flashlight.

Lynn La
Lynn La covers mobile reviews and news. She previously wrote for The Sacramento Bee, Macworld and The Global Post.
Lynn La
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1 of 6 James Martin/CNET

The supertough XP Strike

If the Transformer Bumblebee were to carry around a handset, it'd be the Sonim XP Strike. Built to meet military-grade specs for ruggedness, the device is waterproof, dustproof, and shock-resistant.
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2 of 6 James Martin/CNET

Going for a swim

The handset can survive a 30-minute dunking in up to 6.5 feet of water. It can also be dropped on hard cement from 6.5 feet as well, and survive.
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3 of 6 James Martin/CNET

3.5mm jack for power

On the left, its charging port and headphone jack are protected by these plastic covers. The charging port isn't for Micro-USB. Instead, the phone comes with both a 3.5mm jack connector and an adapter to charge your phone with.
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4 of 6 James Martin/CNET

Thick profile, thin buttons

The right side holds a shortcut camera button and a volume rocker. Seeing how the handset is so wide, it's a wonder that the side buttons are so narrow. They're also difficult to press, and you'll need to push down extra-hard.
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5 of 6 James Martin/CNET

A loose screw

The 1,950mAh battery is protected by a thick plastic back plate and two screws. Sonim includes a tool for unscrewing these, if you ever want to access the battery and the microSD card underneath it.
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6 of 6 James Martin/CNET

Underwater photos, a plus

The back has a 2-megapixel camera (which has a few photo-editing options) and an LED flash. Below those are 23mm speakers that are protected by narrow vents.

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