Possibly the most recognizable name in the
group for warranting the stamp of ultimate protection, but its price and specs
pale badly against the DEFY
The JCB Toughphone is surrounded with an
integrated rugged case which is easily the most durable in the group. However,
this does make the phone heavier and a little bulky to handle. Its protective
nature continues with the call, home, camera, flashlight (which utilizes the
camera’s LED effectively) and volume buttons all being covered in a hard rubber
material. However, the hard nature of the buttons makes changing the volume -
during a call -more of a challenge.
JCB Android Toughphone
As with the other phones in the test, the
ports are all covered (to protect from water), but the Toughphone takes this to
another level by recessing them deep into the handset. The only drawback is
that you need a specially designed USB cable -included in the box-to charge the
device.
To gain access to the battery and micro SD
card or SIM you also have to remove two screws. This, of course, makes swapping
out cards a challenge. However, the back cover is certainly well protected and
the battery itself has a meaty 2000mAh rating. It was no surprise that the
battery life was easily the best in the group from both video and heavy use.
Also its ruggedness easily helped the phone
withstand being dropped to the floor, though it does tend to bounce more due to
the extra rubber coating! It also proved excellent at resisting water.
The
screen is a little dull and is certainly no match for the Sony or Motorola
The only drawback with the phone is the
lower 3.2-inch screen resolution and Vanilla Android UI that greets you on boot
up. The screen is a little dull and is certainly no match for the Sony or
Motorola. Additionally, the performance produced a Vellamo score of 360 to the
Sony’s 910. Yet in the real world, apart from not being able to play many top
games -due to the lower resolution (which to be honest you wouldn’t be using
too much for gaming anyway) - it coped well enough for general use.
At least the JCB toolbox that is included
with the Motorola is also provided, and the spirit level, calculator and
decibel meter could certainly come in handy when working out on site.
Surprisingly, outdoors the screen was not
that effective to view in brighter conditions. With the phone’s camera option
you have a means to boost the screen’s visibility, but it has to be said that
the camera quality is poor.
JCB Toughphone Pro-Smart
Flashlight
The JCB Toughphone has various buttons
around the edges but the most useful of these is the flashlight which utilizes
the camera LED to provide you with a handy light source for when things get
dark
Screw it!
Gaining access to the battery compartment,
SIM card and micro SD card is not straightforward. You need to remove two
screws first and then pull the cover off. On the flip-side the level of shock
and water resistance that it subsequently offers is absolutely excellent!
Screen resolution
Unlike the Sony Xperia Active, the lower
screen resolution is more noticeable and colours can be a little dull at times.
The lower resolution and overall look of the phone does hinder its use for
games, though to be honest we wouldn’t expect it to be used for this purpose
anyway
Rugged personal
The outer casing is integrated with the
phone. Essentially the case is the phone! It provides extra durability and this
enabled it to survive a fair few falls. The only downside is the phone can bounce
more due to its rubberized material
Head-to-head
Design
The phone is integrated with the rugged
casing which provides ample protection and grip, but it can be a little bulky.
The flashlight button is handy, but the volume buttons are quite hard to press
and you need a special USB cable for charging.
Protection
The rugged nature makes this an ideal
handset for protection - it survived being dropped multiple times to the floor.
Every port is recessed slightly and alongside the rubber seals it makes the
phone extremely effective for resisting water!
Features
The screen looked quite dull and the UI
comprises of the bog standard Android UI and apps. However, the JCB Toolbox app
is included which provides lots of useful tools. Performance is solid, but it’s
not the fastest of devices.
Battery
life
The Battery life was easily the best in the
group. Its 2000mAh rated battery and lower screen res gave us 85 per cent
remaining from our two-hour video test. It will easily last the day.
Verdict
The phone has great battery life and
protection, but sadly its features don’t match the price you pay for it
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Information
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Price
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$488
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More information
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www.jcb.com
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Supplied
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www.clove.co.uk
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Technical specs
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Operating system
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Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
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Processor
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800 Mhz CPU
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Memory
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512MB RAM 256MB ROM, micro SD card
expansion
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Dimensions
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125 x 62.2 x 20.5 mm
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Weight
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Approx 200g
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Display
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3.2” (IP67 certified - scratch, dust and
water proof (up to lm for 30 minutes)
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Connectivity
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Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth V2.1, GPS,
HSDPA, HSUPA
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Camera
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5-MP rear, front, VGA video
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