Go ahead, throw this phone
The XP3 isn't a looker, but it's strong.
(Credit: Sonim)Last year we reviewed the Sonim XP1, one of the most durable cell phones we've ever had the pleasure of throwing to the floor. As it never made it to a U.S. carrier, the XP1 wasn't widely available in the United States. But thanks to Best Buy's welcome interest in unlocked phones, an XP1 descendant will live in a big box store.
You wouldn't call the Sonim XP3 Quest attractive--the yellow version is particularly ugly--but brawn before beauty is the whole point. Sonim claims the phone can withstand drops to a concrete floor, excessive shock and vibration, punctures and pressure, extreme temperatures, dust and particles, and even a full dunk underwater. Sonim has a nifty video on its Web site showing the phone enduring torture tests. We're expecting a review model so we'll see just what it can handle.
Features include a 2-megapixel camera, a music player, GPS with turn-by-turn directions, Bluetooth, messaging, a music player with an FM radio, a flashlight, and an external memory card slot. At $399 it's not cheap, but you should be able to shoot it out of a cannon.
Kent German is a senior editor for cell phone reviews at CNET. When he's not testing the newest handsets on the market, he's blogging about cell phone news for Crave. In his On Call column, he answers reader questions and gives his take on the rapidly changing mobile industry. E-mail Kent. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7o7Wnsc0x8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4ViaH6F24g&feature=player_embedded
- by karen-mobile August 27, 2009 3:38 PM PDT
- Sounds pretty heavy duty phone for those of us with heavy hands!
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