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Proxicast's Cell-PAK: it's a portable 3G / WiFi hotspot, but rugged

by Darren Murph posted May 3rd 2009 @ 7:57PM

If you've been toying with the idea of buying a bulletproof shell for your CradlePoint portable hotspot, we're guessing that Proxicast's Cell-PAK is an entirely better option. Said box, which is described as a rugged, self-powered 3G + WiFi wireless hotspot in a box, was designed to provide "mission-critical wireless communications" in the jungle, on the battlefield or in your backyard. Aside from having its very own battery pack for completely untethered access, the device comes encased in an impact and water-resistant MIL-spec rated chassis, and we're told that it can accept "any 3G modem from any cellular carrier worldwide." We're talking over a dozen hours of wireless access from anywhere that you can retrieve signal, and there's even an external high-gain antenna to help with that. Now, if only that $1,295 price weren't so gigantic...

[Via Coolest-Gadgets]

Gallery: Proxicast's Cell-PAK: it's a portable 3G / WiFi hotspot, but rugged

Motorola's rugged i580 gets fittingly doused in yellow for Sprint

by Darren Murph posted Mar 20th 2009 @ 9:29AM

It's not that we didn't appreciate Motorola's rugged i580, but even for a beater phone, it just struck us as atypically drab. At long last, Sprint is looking to remedy that very complaint by pushing the all-weather clamshell out with a shockingly yellow accent. The "highly visible" new hue can handle even the nastiest of environments without cracking, and the Direct Connect support means that you and your pals can chirp away as much as you like. Other features include GPS (TeleNav), Bluetooth, 1.3 megapixel camera and up to 1GB of optional removable memory. Folks sick and tired of breaking their handset (or huge, huge fans of yellow) can snap one up now for $119.99 on a two-year contract.

[Via MobileBurn]

Motorola's i365IS is intrinsically safe, intrinsically ugly

by Darren Murph posted Feb 8th 2009 @ 3:01PM

Oh, brother. If you're worried that Motorola's already brawny i365 just isn't robust enough to withstand the pressures of your daily life, there's the newfangled i365IS. If you're curious as to what the "IS" means, here goes: "intrinsically safe." Seriously. The handset, which would obviously play well in a recreated episode of Saved By The Bell, is a GPS-enabled push-to-talk device that is "safe to use in hazardous areas that may contain flammable gasses, vapors or dust." Obviously, the mobile will tap into the Nextel Direct Connect network in order to keep up with comrades, and its rugged chassis is certified for "military specification requirements including humidity, blowing rain, dust, shock and vibration." Further specs include a paltry 130 x 130 resolution display, Bluetooth and a talk time of around 300 minutes. There's no mention of a price or release date, but real men can wait, anyway.

[Via Mobiledia]

GETAC's rugged PS535F sacrifices beauty for brawn

by Darren Murph posted Feb 4th 2009 @ 4:48AM

Make no mistake -- GETAC's PS535F ain't winning any beauty contests, but it just might survive an unplanned night out in the rain forest. The smartphone, which landed in the FCC late last year, has just popped official on the outfit's website. For reasons unknown, the unit comes bundled with Windows Mobile 5.0, though the shell is compliant with MIL-STD 810F / IP54 standards, which means you can drop, kick and sprinkle it with liquid without worrying over its demise. There's also a 400MHz Samsung CPU, 64MB of SDRAM, 2GB of NAND Flash, a 3.5-inch QVGA touchscreen, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, WiFi, USB connectivity, an SD card slot and a Li-ion good for eight hours of usage at "room temperature." No telling how costly this pup will be, but those who can't stand forking out cash each month for a new lightweight handset will probably not mind the premium.

[Via WMPowerUser]

Motorola's rough and rugged V750 now available on Telus

by Darren Murph posted Dec 12th 2008 @ 8:32PM

It won't fill the void left in your heart from not being able to acquire a BlackBerry Storm, but it will withstand the beating you probably feel like dishing out. Motorola's surprisingly stout V750 has made its way across the border and onto Telus Mobility, bringing with it EV-DO Rev. A support, a 2.2-inch 320 x 240 internal display, 3.8-hours of talk time (83-hours in standby) and military-grade resistance to things like drops, water and extreme temperatures. If you're headed up to Yellowknife (or even crazier, Tuktoyaktuk), one of these could certainly come in handy. It's available now for between $199.99 and $399.99 depending on contract length.

[Via mobilesyrup]

Sonim's ultra-rugged XP3 headed to US in March, looking for trouble

by Darren Murph posted Oct 11th 2008 @ 7:08PM

When you're completely waterproof, able to function in temperatures ranging from -4 to 140°F and withstand body slams from six feet above the concrete, you pretty much roll however you please. Thankfully, Sonim's bringing its latest ultra-rugged handset, the XP3, into the United States in March, meaning that you can finally abuse your handset without feeling all guilty afterwards. Specs wise, the US version of the GSM phone will pack quad-band EDGE support, GPS, Bluetooth, "flashlight mode," a glare-resistant 160 x 128-resolution display, an Opera Mini web browser, 3-megapixel camera and a 3-year no-questions-asked guarantee. Sadly, we've no price to share, but we don't suspect all that rigidity will come cheap.

Verizon G'zOne Boulder gets torture tested, er, "reviewed"

by Darren Murph posted Aug 17th 2008 @ 1:47AM

Casio's G'zOne Boulder doesn't do much, but what it does do, it does anywhere, anytime and under (almost) any circumstances. After launching a few weeks back on Verizon, the ultra-rugged handset has been reviewed over at CNET, and needless to say, it managed to handle a few dips in the pool and a couple close encounters with a wall with nary an issue. Unfortunately, the phone faltered at handling its most important task: making calls. Call quality in San Francisco was said to be "hugely disappointing," with most calls sounding "crackly" with a dash of "static and echo" for good measure. The extra features (camera, multimedia player, V Cast, etc.) were all decent, but nothing truly stood out as phenomenal. Overall, the Boulder is probably only a safe bet if you're dead set on the design and toughness, but even still, we'd try out a few other hardcore handsets before settling on one with lackluster call quality.

Latest Motorola MC70 blessed with GPS

by Darren Murph posted Oct 2nd 2007 @ 8:01PM

It's been a tick since Motorola / Symbol's MC70 saw a notable refresh, but today Moto is announcing that the newest version of its rugged Enterprise Digital Assistant (EDA) will boast GPS capability. The firm claims that this addition will allow organizations with field-based employees to "track and manage dynamic, real-time tasking, as well as verify specific locations of activities and provide mobile workers with pinpoint navigation support to improve location-based productivity." Additionally, the device will still include barcode data and signature capture, WWAN, 802.11a/b/g and Bluetooth, and should be available for sale worldwide in Q1 of 2008.