X

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.