Verizon G'zOne Boulder reviewed, dunked

The G'zOne Boulder is water-resistant.

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks)

Few times do I get a chance to dunk a cell phone in water, throw it around on the floor, and generally torture it like a 10-year-old brat. Indeed, a part of me delighted when I received the G'zOne Boulder in the mail, knowing that I would get paid to kick around a cell phone as much as I wanted.

As you might have guessed, the Verizon G'zOne Boulder is one tough handset, military-certified to resist water, dust, shock, vibration, and other environmental elements. However, unlike other rugged cell phones, the Boulder has a sporty racecar look that is not at all unappealing. I like the round external display, which is reminiscent of a stopwatch, and adds interest to its design. Also, unlike most phones that place durability at the forefront, the Boulder comes with a lot of features. It includes a 1.3-megapixel camera, EV-DO Rev. A, push-to-talk support, access to Verizon's V Cast Video and V Cast Music with Rhapsody, a music player, and more. It even has a few cool outdoorsy features such as an electronic compass and a flash LED that can be used as a flashlight.

Unfortunately, I ran into a few audio quality problems when testing the phone. There was quite a bit of static and echo, and a lot of my callers reported some crackling during calls. Of course, this may vary depending on the phone in your area, but this is what I discovered on the phone I received.

For the full shakedown of the Boulder, check out our review, plus take a look at the slide show.