Heavy duty cell phone?

[Coletta]

I have never had a cell phone last through a contract period. I went through 6 phones in the last two years. My average phones destroyed per year has increased by 50%. With that said, I don't think phones are made as well as they used to be. Any one got a smart phone that will take a beating?

 

[chainring]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

I dropped my GZone Commando (verizon) right on it's end the other day. Concrete floor, from 4 feet up. It hit, bounced straight up about 2 feet, then clattered back down. No problem, apparently. First time I've "tested" it's ruggedness, but I did choose it for it's durability. Had good luck with a GZone Rock before this, and my folks and my wife use a GZone Ravine - all supposed to be built tough. Going fine so far.

 

[gathert]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

I have the non smart version of the Casio (the Rock I think) and had the boulder before it. They both stood up really well. Took a friend to a county fair and her iPhone fell out of her pocket align with some Oakleys at 100 feet up on a spinning ride. Needles to say the glass were perfectly fine but the iPhone was smashed. Even the frame was pretty badly bent but it still functioned albeit half the screen was sand.

The G'zone phones are pretty great, but don't pay full price for them.

 

[Teggy1]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

Guys at work have these .

The have survived a drop off of a wind turbine, run over by skidloader, thrown at concrete wall, thrown through sheetrock walls. The one guy finally damaged the charging port on his phone, and had to send it in.

ETA: Didn't finish reading the OP, these are not smartphones, sorry.

 

[redirt78]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

I'd recommend anything in the G'zone line also.

I have the red and black rubberized Casio G'zone that came out right before the smart phone version. It has rubber gromets sealing the battery panel and charge slot. Its outlasted all my others by more than months, at least a year longer than the rest. Rain and sweat while working, through droughts while riding tractors (crazy dust), dropped hundreds of times and no problems. Had it a year and a half. The others lasted six months tops before quitting, usually due to moisture damage and drops.

 

[redirt78]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Teggy1</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Guys at work have these .

ETA: Didn't finish reading the OP, these are not smartphones, sorry. </div></div>Smart or not, they do look tough.

 

[gathert]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

I would love a Sonim, but I'm on Verizon and last I remember that won't work.


Enjoy. Not the full video I remember where they put it in a concrete mixer and run it over with a front end loader, but you get the idea.
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[Yasherka]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

I am fairly active at work and am using a Motorola Atrix in an Otterbox. I have accidentally dropped and kicked it quite a few times on asphalt and concrete. The Otterbox roughly doubles the volume of the phone, but I haven't hurt it yet.

 

[M855]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

A+ on otterbox

 

[GHatfield]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

Check out the Kyocera DuraMax (Sprint). The phone is built to Mil Spec 810G standards. This phone can be submerged for an hour in up to one meter of water.

I also recommend the Otter Box for any other smart phone.

 

[Coletta]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

I have an otterbox on my phone, and that seems to keep the outside from scratching and cracking. The problems I usually have problems related to moisture and impact. The impacts seem to damage internals, so the outside looks fine, but the phone ceases to function.
I would like hearing more about the personal experiences. My current phone is starting to malfunction often. I wonder if it will go in the 2011 pile or make it to 2012

 

[gathert]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

That sprint phone just looks like the Verizon's version of their "mil-spc standards" that G'zone makes. They only hold up so well. All phones are finite anyway, some just last longer than others and some give up the magic smoke to weird coincidences of by chance they stop working.

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

I run an iPhone in an otterbox. I have literally kicked the hell out of it (and watched it skip down the road) when running. My wife slammed hers in the liftgate of our Durango. Without the Otterbox there is no way our phones would have survived this long.

It isn't waterproof though. So if that is a consideration, then I ziplock bag it (touch screen still works and you can still hear).

 

[Swift]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

I had one of those rugged Verizon Casio phones for a while. Dropped it in a friend's beer, called it, left a voicemail then rinsed it off in the sink and called it again.

After I upgraded, we wanted to find out it's limits so we beat it up like we would a piece of gear. It's ultimate undoing was one drunken night when he decided to throw it at his brick bar as hard as he could and the outside screen shattered. Still works if needed, though.

Other than that, I've seen some other rugged cases on the market. I think one by a company called Ballistic or something. Otterbox isn't alone anymore, though, that's for sure.

 

[wilb]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

Motorola Quantico.

I have about 25 of these for my employees; Concrete Mixer drivers, dump truck drivers and mechanics. The end up looking pretty rough but still working thru a 2 year contract.

 

[Joe40x]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: chainring</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I dropped my GZone Commando (verizon) right on it's end the other day. Concrete floor, from 4 feet up. It hit, bounced straight up about 2 feet, then clattered back down. No problem, apparently. First time I've "tested" it's ruggedness, but I did choose it for it's durability. Had good luck with a GZone Rock before this, and my folks and my wife use a GZone Ravine - all supposed to be built tough. Going fine so far. </div></div>
I dropped the same model phone out of my pocket onto my lawn and the damned glass shattered! I guess i'm just lucky

 

[Jake03TJ]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

I have a Samsung Droid Charge in an Otter Box Defender Case. I work in construction, and have not broken this phone yet. I highly recommend both...

 

[Ghost Bullet]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

You need Trimble - Nomad

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[opeagle]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

While not tough by itself, I run a Motorola DROIDX in an Otterbox. The Otterbox makes this phone awful big but its pretty tough.

 

[Kevlars]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

The Nomad + FFS (field firing solutions)= a true winner and an empty wallet... but you buy once and then you cry once....

 

[Geronimo]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

Uh so can the trimble be used as a cell phone? those links didn't mention it at all.

 

[Kevlars]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

yes ... you have to get it as an option ... but honestly its way too big for carrying around as a mobile phone. I only use it for GPS and Ballistic software.

 

[southpak]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

for me soft case with foam is suitable for my samsung notebook.

 

[M21guy]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: wilb</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Motorola Quantico.

I have about 25 of these for my employees; Concrete Mixer drivers, dump truck drivers and mechanics. The end up looking pretty rough but still working thru a 2 year contract. </div></div>

I thought when I got this phone it was awesome, it couldn't break. I was wrong. A dog got a hold of it, end of story.

 

[sr15match]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

I run a Casio Gzone when home as I'm on Verzon but when down range I carry a Samsung B2100. For cheap it's a tough son of a bitch. If I were going to spend more money for a phone to carry over here it would be a Sonim for sure. They lack in some areas if your a camera user or been a smart phone user but for brute toughness I'd have me one.

 

[Beef Curtain]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

My phone was in this case when it fell off my belt while I was riding my motorcycle.

 

[sw99]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

G'zOne - Commando

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teXFte8bGqI

 

[flanagan]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

+ GZone Commando

 

[Strangedays]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

I had a casio GZ'one for six years. It had been under water many times, met its end when it fell out of my truck slid on the ice right under a school bus. End of the phone but it only cracked the screen. Bus even had chains on

 

[Ghogs Nightmare]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

I have the gzone commando as well. It's been dropped, wet an done ok so far. Dont have a cycle an more to drop it from so can't rate that.
.
Only I dont like on it is the camera. P.I.A. to use at times an photo quality isnt that great

 

[hmtb0407]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

I'd go with a gzone.
I am going on almost 2 years with my gzone brigade and it has held up great. It has taken a few good drops and couple soakings. Answering emails and texts in the shower is worry free. I am looking forward to getting the commando when my contract is up in couple months.

 

[Boss334OP]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: M21guy</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> A dog got a hold of it, end of story.</div></div>
Same here... I would buy any cell phone that was proven dog proof.

 

[Geronimo]

Re: Heavy duty cell phone?

Read the trimble manual it states it's cell service is data only on page 48, calls can be forwarded with it email and texts can be sent on the other hand.