SlashGear Japan
I usually try not to make snap decisions. I like to give things a chance to be horrible before I deem them so, however I can’t not call this phone ugly. There is not a feature in the world that would talk me into carrying the JCB Toughphone around.
Its industrial strength casing can withstand dust, shock, water and repeated dropping. It comes with Bluetooth, push to talk, and dual speakers that are extra loud. It comes in various colors: black and black, black and red, black and blue, black and green, and black and gray.
The Toughphone is also known as the Sonim XP1, and incase you were interested it’s also been nominated to represent the word “fugly” in the dictionary (by me). That being said I know it’s purpose is for a higher calling than social status and in that case it is a nice phone.
[via Chip Chick]
2 Responses to “JCB Toughphone is tough to look at”
Bob Plaschke, CEO Sonim Technologies January 29, 2008
Christina,
thanks for the compliment fugly :-). our xp1 (branded JCB in the UK) has been called a number of names, ruggeded, sturdy, tough, but I think i like fugly the best
we built this phone for people who don’t win beauty contests, people who don’t have time to get their nails done or worry about the number of SMS’s that their college friends have sent them. we’ve made our phones for people who work outside in tough conditions and need a phone that will last under rain, snow, dirt, dust and mud. a phone that won’t break if you drop it from a tractor, from a scaffold, or the 5th story of a construction site. We make our fugly phones for people care that the phone is there for them as they care that their hammer can do, not what it looks like. we have designed and manufactured this phone for people that the cell phone industry has forgotten, the people who actually bought the initial phones years ago.
so thanks for the definition, fugly, hope you don’t mind if we use it in our marketing materials.
thanks,
Bob Plaschke
+2Warren Hamilton April 24, 2008
Perfect for Yotties. Always amazed that people who spend 500 quid on ridiculous orange oilskins never had a bright yellow water- and falling-into-the-cockpit proof phone designed for them. I guess sailors are not the target market but I know guys spending 5000 USD on a waterproof laptop would certainly get one of these. The high visibility is a huge selling point. Presumably it doesn’t float, but when you drop it in the bilges at least you’ll be able to find it again, and use it. Also ideal for coming across the line in a squall. Now you can pre-order the victory round in the clubhouse without having to worry about getting your SonyEricsson K750 soaking wet. Like someone, er, I know. Now can someone make a phone that floats?
Neutral