We've all killed a phone by dropping or drowning it, but Land Rover and Sonim Technologies have created a phone that's as tough as Land Rover's cars. Designed to meet the needs of those working in the great outdoors, the Land Rover S1 by Sonim is impervious to dust, drops and shocks as well as being waterproof to a depth of one metre. If you do drop it in the drink you've some time to find it too, as the S1 remaining watertight for 30 minutes.
As Lindsay Weaver, Land Rover global licensing manager explained; "We have worked with Sonim to ensure that the phone not only meets their stringent criteria of ruggedness, but also to ensure that this is a true Land Rover product." The phone joins Land Rover's existing line-up of adventure clothing, bikes and accessories, giving those with a rugged lifestyle the perfect communication device. Launched by legendary explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes - just back from a successful ascent of Everest - the S1 should work nicely with his outdoors lifestyle.
With an extra long 1,500-hour standby battery life and 18 hours of talk time, an extra loud speaker for noisy environments, an operational temperature range from -20 to 55 degrees C and the ability to shrug off pressure of up to 400kg, the S1 is the Defender of phones. That's not to say it's old-school, as it features WAP, Bluetooth, an FM radio and a two-megapixel waterproof camera.
If you get lost or stuck out in the dark its GPS and torch functions will also come in handy. A useful companion for adventurers, the S1's toughness makes it a good all-rounder even if you're not drawn to the great outdoors. It should easily survive a night out on the tiles too, where being dropped in a bog, or getting lost are not unusual circumstances. Its extra loud speakers should mean you hear your other half telling you it's time to come home over the rabble in the pub, too.
Available now, the Land Rover S1 by Sonim costs £299.99 and is available in Go Mobile stores nationwide.
