We’re not supposed to play favorites – everyone knows that. Still, it’s tough to go to a show like World of Concrete and not spend some time reflecting on who the big winners were on the plane ride home. There’s a lot to see at a show that takes over the majority of the Las Vegas Convention Center, including a couple of parking lots. What I came away most excited about are the Kyocera Rugged Smart Phones.
Yep, I went to a show about concrete and came away thinking about technology. It was the display of several smart phones, videos playing, sitting under a makeshift waterfall that made me want one immediately. Right now, Kyocera Rugged Smart Phones are available for AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon. There are also whispers of getting in with T-Mobile later this year. For now, we’re going to focus on the AT&T models, but we won’t leave the rest of you in the dark for long.
With all the Kyocera Rugged Smart Phones, you get IP68 protection against dust and water along with Military 810G protection against shock and vibration. They’re all designed with clearer, louder speakers so you can hear when work is going on around you. Each model also has Enhanced Push to Talk integrated.
Glove and Wet Screen Operation breaks through traditional barriers to productivity so you can use fully use the Dura Force and Dura Force XD in less than desirable environments. Both phones also feature sapphire crystal glass screens – a material that is second only to diamond in hardness.
Kyocera Rugged Smart Phones for AT&T
Kyocera DuraXE Flip Phone
- Talk Time: 9.4 hours
- Standby Time: 16 days
- Battery: 1500 mAh Li-ion
- Operating System: Proprietary non-touch
- Camera: 5 MP
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 1.1 gHz quad-core
- Memory: 8GB ROM, 1 GB Ram
- Micro SD Card Compatible: Up to 32 GB
- Dimensions: 4.21 x 2.22 x 0.99 inches
- Weight: 6 ounces
- Durability Ratings: IP68, 810G (military)
There’s a surprising demand for smart flip phones that aren’t don’t have Android or iOS anywhere in the description. Dual front ported speakers have been wired to deliver higher than average sound for use in environments where real work is going on. Push to talk capabilities are built along with an operating system that isn’t supposed to replace a computer. These keep your employees doing what they’re supposed to be – working and not playing. Email synchronization is a winner though, so there shouldn’t be any excuses from your crew to be out of the loop.
Kyocera DuraForce Smart Phone
- Talk Time: 17 hours
- Standby Time: 21 days
- Battery: 3100 mAh Li-ion
- Operating System: Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop)
- Camera: 8 MP main, 2 MP front facing
- Display: 4.5″, IPS, 720p HD impact-resistant touchscreen (1280 x 720 pixels)
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 1.4 gHz quad-core
- Memory: 16 GB ROM, 2 GB Ram
- Micro SD Card Compatible: Up to 32 GB
- Dimensions: 5.39 x 2.78 x 0.55 inches
- Weight: 7.06 ounces
- Durability Ratings: IP68, 810G (military)
The Kyocera DuraForce is a mid-range replacement for your standard smart phone. It pretty much specs out the same as my current phone, and I haven’t found anything it doesn’t run- and I run a lot of apps from social media and email to Geocaching and live tracking.
The additional thickness you might find irksome over sleeker phones is offset by the fact that this model doesn’t need a case. You won’t even need a screen protector since the sapphire glass is second only to diamond in hardness. If you’re looking for a true smart phone that’s not going to crumble under the pressure of a jobsite, the DuraForce makes a great option.
Kyocera DuraForce XD Smart Phone
- Talk Time: 23 hours
- Standby Time: 34 days
- Battery: 3700 mAh Li-ion
- Operating System: Android 5.1 (Lollipop)
- Camera: 8 MP main, 2 MP front facing
- Display: 5.7″ HD, IPS, impact-resistant touchscreen (1280 x 720 pixels)
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 1.6 gHz quad-core
- Memory: 16 GB ROM, 2 GB Ram
- Micro SD Card Compatible: Up to 64 GB
- Dimensions: 6.57 x 3.40 x 0.55 inches
- Weight: 10.8 ounces
- Durability Ratings: IP68, 810G (military)
As a mid-range option to keep up with the biggest screen sizes in the smart phone world, check out Kyocera’s DuraXD. It bumps up the processor a bit, upgrades the display size, and increases the capacity for a micro SD card. It shares most of the same features as the DuraForce in a bigger package.
If the Kyocera Rugged Smart Phones are any indication, their product managers seem to get what professionals are looking for. We’re looking forward to reviewing a couple of the offerings and letting you know just how rugged they really are.
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