G'zOne Boulder to have a front speaker?
(Credit: Phone Arena)If you read our review of the Verizon G'zOne Boulder, you'll notice that one of our complaints is the poor call quality, especially with the speakerphone.
Well, not only has Verizon rolled out a software update to improve that (the software update was released a few months ago), it looks like Casio is starting to ship a new version of the Boulder with a front speaker, presumably to improve the speakerphone quality that much more. We haven't heard any official announcements about it, and we don't see any images of it on the Verizon site, but this picture from PhoneArena seems pretty convincing. Let us know if you've seen this new design in the wild.
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.
(Credit:
Verizon Wireless)
Verizon has finally made official its rugged newcomer, the Casio G'zOne Boulder.
The latest successor to the Type-V and Type-S phones, the Boulder is smaller and slimmer, plus it has a 1.3-megapixel camera, EV-DO Rev. A-based push-to-talk, VZ Navigator support, a microSD card slot, and a few more goodies.
If you want the Boulder without a camera, that's an option too, but you'll still have to pay the same price. The Boulder is available in both orange and black/silver, though the one sans-camera is only available in black/silver. It's currently available for $129.99 after a $50 rebate and a new two-year service agreement.
(Via: Engadget Mobile)
Verizon Wireless G'zOne Boulder
(Credit: Casio via Engadget)If you're a fan of the rugged G'zOne phones (the Type-V was the original while the Type-S is its smaller cousin), you'll be happy to know that Verizon Wireless is coming out with yet another G'zOne rugged phone, and it's called the Boulder. Engadget says that the measurements of this thing are 2.02 inches by 3.94 inches by 0.91 inch, which makes it slightly slimmer than the Type-S (which is around 1.1 inches deep). Expected features include a 1.3-megapixel camera and EV-DO Rev. A-based push-to-talk, similar to Sprint's QChat technology. And as the images suggest, the Boulder will be available in both black and orange.
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