Thuraya Telecommunications Company has launched the world’s toughest satellite phone namely the Thuraya XT. This rugged handset meets the world telecom IP54/IK03 standards for water, dust and shock resistance. The phone also comes with a glare-resistant display, a built-in GPS navigation system, a user-friendly menu and supports 12 languages. Not to mention, its battery provides up to 6 hours of talk time, or up to 80 hours of standby-time. Sadly, there no word on pricing and availability yet. [Press Release via MobileWhack]
DoCoMo has announced that they will release the SH-08A Solar Hybrid phone in September 2009. This solar-powered phone is also rugged enough to be waterproof. Its body is resistant to water sprays from all directions and submergible to depths up to one meter. The DoCoMo SH-08A can be recharged with sunlight as well as electricity. Even if the battery has completely lost its charge, just 10 minutes of solar recharging via a solar panel on the phone’s body provides approximately one minute of talk time. The phone comes with an 8-megapixel CCD camera that takes excellent photographs in low light environment. The DoCoMo SH-08A Solar Hybrid Phone will be exhibited at the DoCoMo booth at Wireless Japan 2009. [DoCoMo]
Artist Jonathan Schipper has joined with artist Amelia Biewald to create the EXOvault metal case for iPhone that will provide a full protection for the handset. Designed in Brooklyn, New York, you can purchase the cases from the Exovault website. The aluminum and brass models retail for $95, or you can choose the titanium model for $300. More
Nokia just announced the spanking new Nokia 3720 classic, an IP-54 certified mobile phone designed to resist water, dust and shock. The Nokia 3720 classic is encased in durable materials and is entirely sealed to protect the inner electronics. Available in grey or yellow, the Nokia 3720 classic also comes with a battery cover that is locked with a screw, making for worry-free usage in wet, dusty or muddy environments. Other features include a LED flashlight, a 2.2-inch QVGA display, a 2-megapixel camera, a 20MB internal memory, a microSD card slot and a 2.5mm headphone jack. Measuring 115mm x 47mm x 15.3mm and weighing 94-grams, the handset will retail for approximately €125 ($174) before subsidies or taxes. More
Nokia 3720 is the company’s new rugged phone that will be released to the mass market very soon. Nokia Conversations has tested this phone to see how tough it is. There are five videos that show the Nokia 3720 still working after being hit with a golf club, sunk into a pint of beer, or dropped from a height. Videos after the jump. More
Chinese manufacturer QiGi has rolled out a super armored smartphone known as the AK007. This ruggedized handset is built for operating in generally extreme conditions. As for the specs itself, it sports a 2.8-inch QVGA display, 2MP camera, 624MHz core processor, 256MB ROM, 128MB of RAM, Windows Mobile 6.1 OS, GPS, 200 mAH battery and comes in two variants supporting CDMA and GSM networks. Unfortunately, pricing and release dates are still unknown. [MobileWhack]
