.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Survival Cellphone

Ivan said...Iphone is very "cool" but I'd rather carry a Mil-spec phone. My dad carries one called the rugby, you can drop it in water while on a call and it will be fine! not as pretty as an iphone, but more reliable in a variety of situations.

Thanks Ivan for the comment. I love it when I read comments and end up learning something new that opens to some other things I didn't know where out there.
I've known about tough cell phones for a while, but looking for info about the Rugby I found that today the survivalist has several alternatives to choose from. These are the models I found to e most interesting.

Samsung Rugby II SGH-A847 

Samsung Rugby II Phone, Black (AT&T)  $0.01 (with new service plan)

This one is the second version of the one you mention. Its basically an improved version of the Rugby I with better call sound, better camera and a few other improvements. Doubt I would buy this one but looks pretty good all things considered if you want a shock and water proof phone.

Sonim XP3 Quest Rugged Unlocked GSM Phone 

Sonim Rugged Unlocked GSM Phone with Built in GPS and 2 Mega Pixel Camera (Yellow) Sonim Rugged Unlocked GSM Phone with Built in GPS and 2 Mega Pixel Camera (Black)  $499.00

The worlds toughest cell phone costs 499 bucks at Amazon. Its submergible and has a no questions asked 3 year guarantee no questions asked. The apps and software included isn’t anything to brag about but it has a solid built in GPS, flashlight mode, 3 MegaPixel camera and 18 hour talk, 2 month standby battery.
Besides being submergible and shock proof, it also tolerates extreme temperatures -20C to +55C. Basically if the phone dies you’re already dead. :-)  This same phone was taken to the top of mount Everest and I think that’s the kind of place it  belongs. Dead serious about being tough, I’d say this is what you want for extreme expeditions where ruggedness and waterproofing are top priorities. You have to pay for it though and you sacrifice more “nice to have” features you may want to have, but this is as rugged and disaster proof as it gets.

Unlocked Samsung Xplorer B2100 Solid Extreme Anti-Shock Waterproof Quad-Band Phone Red -International version with Embedded Flashlight 

Samsung B2100 Unlocked Quad-Band Phone, Extreme Anti-Shock, Waterproof, Built-in Flashlight, Bluetooth--International version with warranty (Black)Unlocked Samsung Xplorer B2100 Solid Extreme Anti-Shock Waterproof Quad-Band Phone Red -International version with Embedded Flashlight $149.00-$152.95


Maybe not the worlds toughest phone but this is pretty nice and far more rugged than your average cell phone.
For 149 unlocked, its not a bad deal and the overall size and shape looks practical enough. The flashlight is something I’d really like to have in my iPhone and this phone has it, besides the other desirable features such as shock resistance and one meter water resistance. 25 days worth of standby battery and 9 hours of talk time, this is also something I’d really like to have in Apple’s phone!

Casio G'zOne Rock C731 

Casio G'zOne Rock C731 Phone (Verizon Wireless)  $49.99 (with new service plan)

These are a neat discovery, at least for me. Never heard of these but they seem to be Casio’s G-Shock version of cell phones.
Mil Spec, one meter submergible for 30 minutes and of course, shock resistance as well. A dedicated flashlight button to turn on the LED light, camera, GPS with voice prompted turn by turn directions, these seem like nice rugged cell phones and wish I had bought one when IN was in USA. The battery provides 5 hours talk time and about 25 days of stand by. It also includes more typical pathfinder Casio watch features like thermometer, and tide cycles which I find to be pretty neat.
The Casio G'zOne Brigade has some similar features as its brother but includes a keyboard.
Casio G'zOne Brigade C741 Phone (Verizon Wireless)


I'm not getting rid of my iPhone any time soon. The thing is like an AR rifle  when it comes to add-ons, accesories and apps for it, and using the Otter Box Defender case, its pretty rugged and drop-proof. Wish I had laerned about these cellphones before though. Probably would have snatched one to keep in the jacket or bag as an emergency cell phone.

FerFAL

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I carry a Razr with a hard plastic cover on it. Might not be milspec, but my wife carries the same phone so parts like batteries and charges are capatible.

Anonymous said...

If one wants an emergency phone during the period of unrest and uncertainty due to financial, social and political upheaval one should look at a satellite phone. ISAT PRO is new to the market and it works off the Inmarsat Satellite Global System. Not for everyday use due to cost per minute but definitely handy for EMERGENCIES.

Anonymous said...

Hi Ferfal,
I have not seen many people on your blog from Africa. My relative just got back from a business trip to Nigeria. He has travelled all over the third world but said the situation in Nigeria is very frightening. Travellers are told not to leave their hotel rooms. He said in most third world countries you can walk around the business/financial district in relative safety in the daytime. Not in Nigeria. So he had to walk on the treadmill in the hotel. He came back so very grateful for USA. We complain a lot, and I see the decline here for sure, but overall he was thrilled to be back in the USA!

B said...

If you wish, I can ourchase any cell phone available here in the US (but not in your hope) and ship it to you (assuming that it is legal and all that).

Email me, or tell me where to email you if you wish to proceed.

Don Williams said...

Off topic, Ferfal. Here's is a US news story -- about several police officers in New Orleans indicted for unlawful killing of people in the chaos after Hurricane Katrina.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_katrina_bridge_shootings

Did Argentina policemen seem more violent after the crash in 2001?

Anonymous said...

No disrespect intended here, but writing this comment is the total investment I ever intend to spend worrying about which cell phone to have in TEOTWAWKI. It’ll be dead weight in your pocket.

IMHO, planning to depend on technology in general is a fundamental mistake. Plan for low-tech, not high.

Snoop-Diggity-DANG-Dawg