Torque's an Android with some muscle (hands-on)
Not only can the ultratough Kyocera Torque from Sprint withstand a beating and a dip in the pool, it also sports the sensibilities of a touch-screen smartphone.
If you're in the market for a rugged device, you usually have to make some sacrifices. For example, it's common that you won't get a thorough Web experience or a good camera.
But with the Kyocera Torque, which was announced today, users can have an ultratough handset and still have a modern smartphone.
That's because the Torque blends Kyocera's Dura Series of rugged devices with the features of a touch-screen Android handset. So unlike the Kyocera Hydro that was released this past summer, it isn't only waterproof, but it fulfills military specs for durability, too.
Design
The Torque measures 4.44 inches tall, 2.38 inches wide, 0.56 inch thick, and it's protected by a thick rubber encasing. Although this adds some heftiness to the phone (in fact, it weighs 5.54 ounces), I was surprised to see that it isn't that much bulkier than an iPhone sporting an Otterbox or LifeProof case.
The device can be dunked in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes, and is shock-, dust-, and salt-fog-resistant. Its 4-inch IPS touch screen is made out of Corning Gorilla Glass 2.0, and it features Sprint's push-to-talk button on its left side for Direct Connect. If you don't want the Direct Connect service, you can program the button to launch something else, like the camera, instead.
At the bottom of the device are dual speakers. Though the video above doesn't quite do them justice, I can attest that during my brief time with the handset, these speakers were very loud. Furthermore, unlike with other phones, audio on max volume didn't get too tinny or harsh. Sounds still came off even and full when volume was cranked all the way up.
Features
As a smartphone, it runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, has 4G LTE connectivity, and NFC (near-field communication) capabilities.
Above the 800x480-pixel resolution display is a 1.3-megapixel camera. On the back is a 5-megapixel camera that includes a handful of photo options like panoramic and HDR shooting, macro zoom, face detection, and burst shot mode.
The handset is also notable for being the first U.S. Kyocera phone to feature smart sonic receiver technology. We first tried out this audio-boosting technology last May at CTIA on a demo unit, a few weeks before it launched in Japan.
The technology means that in lieu of a visible in-ear speaker above the display, the Torque's equipped with a ceramic transducer inside. By transmitting sound waves from the phone through the cartilage in your ear, it will boost audio clarity.
Other features include a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, a 2,500mAh battery, a microSD card slot, and a software feature called MaxiMZR, which helps conserve battery power by shutting off the data connection from apps running in the background.
Outlook
Unlike Kyocera's other Dura Series handsets, the Torque actually has the potential to appeal to people other than field operators or construction workers. Yes, it's not the sleekest phone you can whip out in a nightclub, and it doesn't have the most powerful specs to be a high-end device. But then again, it was never meant to be anyway.
It simply is, unapologetically, a rugged and waterproof midrange smartphone. And while that sounds obvious, you don't really see many of those around. It's a hybrid device that I can see active athletes, busy parents of young children, and outdoorsy people who want something low-maintenance actually having.
Though pricing is still unknown, we do know that it will launch on Sprint in early March. We'll be sure to update this piece once more info is released.