05
Jun
GS4-Active_008

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active Gets Official: Same Great Specs (Mostly), IP67 Waterproof Rating, Available This Summer

Posted by in Galaxy S4 Active, News, Samsung

Samsung's tougher brother to the flagship Galaxy S4 is a pretty poorly-kept secret, with multiple leaked photos, videos, and different sets of specifications coming out weeks before its announcement. Samsung confirmed the device today in a press release coinciding with Computex, painting a picture of the S4 Active as a device that mostly matches the Galaxy S4 for power and capability, with the ruggedized design seen on some of Samsung's Rugby smartphones. The Galaxy S4 Active will be available for purchase this summer starting in the United States and Sweden, for an undisclosed price.

GS4 Active_001 GS4 Active_004

Specifications remain quite similar to the original S4: same 5" 1080p screen (though this one is an LCD TFT), the same 1.9Ghz quad-core processor seen in the LTE versions (almost certainly a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600, though this isn't confirmed in Samsung's press release), same TouchWiz version of Android 4.2.

10
Apr
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Wirefly Tortures A Kyocera Torque For Your Amusement: Washing Machine Cycle, Frozen In Ice, And Dropped 2 Stories

Posted by in Kyocera, News, Torque

The ruggedized smartphone market is small, but not so small that it's ignored. Admirable entries like the Samsung Rugby Smart and the Casio Commando might not have all the bells and whistles of their flagship contemporaries, but they take a licking and keep on ticking. Phone retailer Wirefly decided to put Sprint's Kyocera Torque (Bear Grylls approved!) through its paces via some decidedly extreme tests: a drop from two stories, hibernation in a block of ice, and most dramatically, a trip through a 30-minute washing machine cycle.

The Kyocera Torque made it through all three, proving its worth for those who value durability over all else.

25
Jan
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Samsung Quietly Announces The Ruggedized Galaxy Xcover 2–A Dust-Resistant, Waterproof Slab Ready For Adventure

Posted by in News, Samsung

Who wants a new "lifestyle device?" You know, those phones and tablets that cater to a very niche, and usually pretty small, market. Like Samsung's new Galaxy Xcover 2, for example. This ultra-ruggedized device is made for extreme conditions. It's waterproof for up to 30 minutes at a meter deep, dust/sand-proof, and crazy-durable. It can even take pictures under water! Seriously, that's pretty cool.

1[5] 2 3

Aside from the ruggedized shell, the Xcover 2 also features an "enhanced GPS + GLONASS which shortens the satellite signal detection by up to 20% to tracks your location more accurately," along with a "massive 1,700mAh battery" (really, Samsung, we need to talk about what 'massive' actually means).

16
Jun
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Review: For Those Willing To Part With The EVO LTE's Paper-Thin Frame, Seidio's Surface, Active, And Convert Combo Cases Offer A Full Spectrum Of Protection

Posted by in EVO 4G LTE (Jewel), Other Reviews, Reviews, Sprint

Although I've dropped a phone a total of about three times in my life, and although manufacturers are continually touting more and more durable glass, polycarbonate plastic, and even metal that's 3x stronger than stainless steel, there lingers in the back of my mind the question of what may happen if and when that fateful day comes – the day when I finally drop my phone onto an unforgiving concrete, asphalt, or otherwise hard surface. Looking to calm the fears of high-end device users everywhere, Seidio created their signature Surface, Active and Convert Combo cases.

I recently got my hands on a set of cases for my new EVO LTE, a device that (despite its quirks) is certainly worth protecting. 

After living with the cases for a while, I've learned a few things – first, Seidio has covered the full spectrum of protection from super light and compact to ultra-durable monster case that would keep your EVO unscathed through a hurricane.

30
May
R12_Xperia_go_PIU3_1169x691

Sony Announces The Rugged Xperia Go and Acro S, Videos Of People Beating Them With Hammers To Follow Shortly

Posted by in News, Sony, Videos, Xperia Acro S (Hikari), Xperia Go (Lotus)

Sony loves making stuff that's hard to break. The Xperia Active was probably the pinnacle of this obsession (see: hilariously awesome video), but now that Sony has decided to make pretty much all of its phones look exactly the same, it's out with the old, in with the new.

The Go and Acro S are the newest additions to Sony's rugged family, and for rugged phones, they don't look nearly as god-awful ugly as almost everything else in that segment of the market. In fact, the press images make it pretty hard to tell they've been ruggedized at all.

R1_Xperia_go_GroupFrontV_X3_2100x2100

RXperia_acro_S_White_Group_2100x2100

The Go and Acro S, pictured respectively, will be available in Q3 this year (so, by September 2012).

11
Nov
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[Review] Gumdrop DropTech And Hard Candy Convertible Folio Cases For The Galaxy Tab 10.1 (Also Available For The ASUS Transformer)

Posted by in Reviews

Have you ever been in a situation where you needed a rough-and-rugged case for your Galaxy Tab 10.1? How about a simple, elegant business solution such as a folio case? Today we're going to be taking a look at two such cases: The DropTech case from Gumdrop and the Candy Convertible from Gumdrop's sister, Hard Candy.

These two cases couldn't be more different; the DropTech is a rough, tough, tank-of-a-case designed to protect your Tab from almost anything, while the Candy Convertible is a very simple folio case that just offers the most basic protection. Without further ado, let's take a closer look at each one and what they have to offer.

07
Oct
IMGA0070 (2)

Case Review: OtterBox Commuter For The DROID BIONIC - If You Truly Need A Case, Buy This One

Posted by in Bionic, Motorola, Other Reviews, Reviews

I hate phone cases. When I bought my Nexus One back in March of 2010, the first thing I did with my very first smartphone was head over to Amazon and start searching for a cool and convenient way to protect it. So I bought some leather ordeal with a flip cover and all sorts of gimmickry, and I hated it. I used it for 2 days, and since then, it has occupied my box of unwanted electronics and related accessories. It was probably one of the worst $25 I ever spent. I swore off cases from that day forward.

Enter OtterBox.

11
Aug
buds

Review + Giveaway: JBuds J4M Headphones By JLab - When Ruggedized Actually Works, And Works Well

Posted by in Contests / Giveaways, Other Reviews, Reviews

Ruggedized - doesn't the word just conjur up images of a tiger eating a Toughbook?

When I received the J4M headphones from JLab, I was unsure of how "rugged" an in-ear headphone could actually be. So, I decided to treat them less than, shall we say, "gently" over the last few weeks.

Now, it's not like I've gone dunking them in water or buried them in sand at the beach - that kind of behavior is at your own risk. But, I can say the J4M is a tough little piece of kit that won't disappoint in the durability department.

16
Jul
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Creative Contest: Win This Rugged Otterbox Defender Case For The Motorola XOOM (MSRP $90)

Posted by in Contests / Giveaways, Motorola, XOOM
Last Updated: July 26th, 2011

The Prize

Motorola XOOM owners, listen up. Rather than keeping my XOOM protected with the very rugged Defender case from Otterbox that I reviewed last month, I'm going to give it away to one of you, as you probably need it more than me.

Otterbox is one of the top brands in the case business, and I'm sure this $90 shell that can withstand a nuclear attack will find a nice home.

wm_IMG_9274 wm_IMG_9238 wm_IMG_9222

How To Enter

This contest is now over. We have selected the winner - see if it's you here.

To make this a little more interesting and fun, especially for those who don't like social giveaways (Twitter, Facebook, etc), to enter this contest:

  1. Take a photo of your XOOM and include some reference to Android Police anywhere in the same photo.

13
Apr
moto-android-enterprise-tablet

Motorola Working On Ruggedized Android Tablet, Presumably For Rugged Individuals

Posted by in Gingerbread 2.3, Motorola, News, Rumors

From today's "probably should have seen it coming" pile, Engadget has come into possession of what looks like a presentation slide for a ruggedized Android tablet being developed by Motorola:

moto-android-enterprise-tablet

I know, the text is illegible, so here are the main points to take home:

  • 7" capacitive LCD
  • 1GHz dual-core TI OMAP processor
  • 1GB RAM, 8GB NAND onboard storage
  • Android 2.3 Gingerbread
  • 8MP rear camera, 1.3MP front camera
  • Stylus for signature capture
  • Removable battery good for 5.5 hours of video
  • Can withstand 4' drop onto plywood (oak, cherry, ash, maple certifications pending)
  • Works in temperatures of 0-50 degrees Celsius
  • Tons of enterprise-friendly security
  • Fingerprint scanner

This device is clearly targeted towards business, and probably specifically towards businesses with employees out in the field, where the tablet's ruggedized nature will protect it from the harsh, plywood-filled world.

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