Best phone for a "Contractor"

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garyb01

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Hi Guys.

Would appreciate any advice that you may have. I run my own business, much of which is out on site busy with installations, so my office is where I am.

I need a rugged phone that can handle the dirty hands and the knocks that being out on site in a construction type of environment will inevitably result in.

Problem is that as I said above, my office is where I am so it is essential that I can send and receive my emails, sms's, quickly go onto the net and check my site, full calender functions, GPS and navigation (Very important) and of course, make and receive calls to and from clients etc. :)

I have tried the HTC Tytn2, which with the touch screen is a big no-no, so a touch screen phone is basically out of the question. Have the Nokia E66 at the moment and although it's a fantastic phone and has all the features that I require, it's just too dainty a phone and looks like it has been dragged through the mud when I get home. Already quite scratched and will never be the same again. :o

So, if anyone knows of a phone that has all of these features but is rugged enough to operate in the environments that I explained above, please let me know, due for another upgrade soon and really want to make the right choice this time.

Thanks guys.
 
I can't recommend anything specific, but maybe i can point you somewhere.

I suggest you go here : http://www.gsmarena.com/search.php3 and fill in all the criteria.

Problem is the -real- rugged phones aren't easily available, they're like these [it's probably the extreme of what you want] :

Sonim XP3 :http://www.gsmarena.com/sonim_xp3_enduro-2614.php

Shock, water and dust resistant
- Drop-to-concrete resistance up to 2m
- Water proof up to 1m
Click to expand...

Sonim's Website : http://www.sonimxp3.com/en/about_rugged

I've seen the Sonim's on advertisements before actually...but the one i saw most definitely did not have the business [3G/Email/Colour Screen] features.

So an alternative is phones with a clamshell design [like the Nokia E90] which protects the bulk of the screen and keyboard.

EDIT: Just for kicks : Watch how they "break in" that Sonim X3 with a hammer ;) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLZsjE5dgWE
 
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What about an Iphone? I know people may say this is nowhere near a contractor phone but from the destruction test I saw people performed on the Iphone, this thing is solid compared to most of the other touch screen/smart phones for your office on the go.

Harden glass screen, so minimal scratch, saw it being ran over by truck, the glass cracked but screen still works and in working condition, people throw it in the dirt bag of vacuum cleaner and although it's full of dust, still works! And extreme temperatures....... Never though of that.
 
Just a note all the phones we've listed up to now got no GPS, but I did a search on gsmarena using the keywords "resistant"

The 2 phones that immediately jumped out was :

Motorola MC55 : http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_mc55-2740.php [only coming out end of the year]
Sony Ericsson C702: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_ericsson_c702-2251.php


Also just a note regarding the Iphone and touchscreens. The iphone got a capacitive touchscreen, this means you can not use a stylus , gloves or just any object on it. It only works with your fingers. This type of screen is however alot stronger and scratch resistant than the classic resistive touchscreen [the ones where you use a stylus]. So the iphone should technically be quite rugged compared to say the Tytn2.
 
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Any kind of touch screen phone on site is just big no-no. Ive got a k850i with the touch soft keys and when im on site my hands get really naff and the touch screen stops responding to my greasy hands leaving smears all over the screen. Buttons work best for that type of environment. That being said almost every architect i know has a touch screen phone. . . . Hmmm
 
Or why not go for a 2 phone solution?

Get a cheap as chips Nokia or whatever for site & a decent phone for offsite.

And get the twincall simcard so that when one phone is off, the other is active?
 
GayTechie said:
Any kind of touch screen phone on site is just big no-no. Ive got a k850i with the touch soft keys and when im on site my hands get really naff and the touch screen stops responding to my greasy hands leaving smears all over the screen. Buttons work best for that type of environment. That being said almost every architect i know has a touch screen phone. . . . Hmmm
Click to expand...

Yip, that's my problem as well, the touch screen finger marks thing! As for the Architect thing, well there are those who plan and those who do........;)
 
diabolus said:
Just a note all the phones we've listed up to now got no GPS, but I did a search on gsmarena using the keywords "resistant"

The 2 phones that immediately jumped out was :

Motorola MC55 : http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_mc55-2740.php [only coming out end of the year]
Sony Ericsson C702: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_ericsson_c702-2251.php


Also just a note regarding the Iphone and touchscreens. The iphone got a capacitive touchscreen, this means you can not use a stylus , gloves or just any object on it. It only works with your fingers. This type of screen is however alot stronger and scratch resistant than the classic resistive touchscreen [the ones where you use a stylus]. So the iphone should technically be quite rugged compared to say the Tytn2.
Click to expand...

Thank for the effort and the info!!! Me likes the Motorola MC55 wow, think I may just hold out for that one!
 
cyberarmy said:
What about an Iphone? I know people may say this is nowhere near a contractor phone but from the destruction test I saw people performed on the Iphone, this thing is solid compared to most of the other touch screen/smart phones for your office on the go.

Harden glass screen, so minimal scratch, saw it being ran over by truck, the glass cracked but screen still works and in working condition, people throw it in the dirt bag of vacuum cleaner and although it's full of dust, still works! And extreme temperatures....... Never though of that.
Click to expand...

Have a mate with an Iphone, will try it out and see if it works, thanks, never thought of that.
 
chris2.0 said:
Or why not go for a 2 phone solution?

Get a cheap as chips Nokia or whatever for site & a decent phone for offsite.

And get the twincall simcard so that when one phone is off, the other is active?
Click to expand...

Tried that Chris, but it worked out too clumsy with two phones and the email / calender "office on site" thing made it very difficult to carry on like that.
 
Hi, got me self Nokias(6230/N70) or something like that - don't know much about phones, but do know the wif got me rubber covers that fits the phone like gloves and I swear that I have dropped it over a hundred times (on golf course & cabling installations) and works fine still! A few months ago - left it over night near the pool and it really piss#d that night and I thought - Goodbye phone - lo & behold, dried it & switched on - it works!
So I think just shop for a good cover for whatever phone you choose. This cover looks like the one you get on some of the Seagate hard drives - a kinda rubberized, shock proof "glove"
 
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