Kyocera Torque for Sprint :: Built to Survive Both the Extreme and Everyday Life

There has been a lot a buzz among outdoor extremists about the new Kyocera Torque for Sprint. It’s the latest ultra-ruggedized 4G Android smartphone on the market and is made to survive the extreme. The Kyocera Torque is MilSpec, which means it’s waterproof and protected from extreme temps, drop, dust, vibration, salt fog, humidity, solar radiation and low pressure. In short, you likely wouldn’t be able to survive what this new smartphone can handle.

Walkie-talkie users will like that Torque features Sprint’s Direct Connect push-to-talk service and Kyocera’s award-winning Smart Sonic Receiver audio technology.

It can handle extreme elements with adrenaline junkies and outdoor enthusiasts, and withstand the rough life of outdoor jobs like construction and security. But what I want to talk about is how this phone can survive the drops, dips, dunks and drool that come with everyday parenthood. If you accidentally drop this phone on a playground full of excited toddlers stomping about – no worries. Is your house currently filled with snot noses and sticky fingers? Again, no worries at all. The Kyocera Torque for Sprint can handle all of that and much more. Did your teenager just drop her phone in a bowl of cereal while texting (true story)? Well, you get the picture.

Torque has been tested to hold up against life’s extremes – including some most people will never experience – to help ensure it will be there when you need it, including:

Waterproof whether sprayed or immersed in up to one meter of water for up to 30 minutes, Torque can handle all the rain, sprinklers, hoses, spit, drool, drinks, sinks or toilet water life can throw at it – that’s more than can be said of more than 82 million U.S. handsets that have already been destroyed by liquid.

Extreme Temperatures of -22° to 140°F (-30° to 60°C) for a non-operating unit for two hours and -4° to 122°F (-20° to 50°C) for an operating unit for three hours – from backcountry snowboard trips to hikes in Death Valley, don’t sweat it.

Dropped 26 times from four feet high – or, the average week with kids at the playground.

Heavy dust for six hours – going off the grid while off-roading and camping will never be harder.

Horizontal, vertical and sideways vibrations for one hour – that mountain bike ride or roller coaster will be no match for Torque.

Exposure to salt fog, a complete 48 hour exposure cycle, including 24 hours of exposure to salt fog followed by 24 hours drying time – ideal for surfers, beach lovers or those who left their hearts and phones in San Francisco.

95 percent humidity for 10 days straight – the phone can handle it, but its owners may not.

Solar radiation exposure of 1120 W/m2 for 24 hours – you might need sunscreen, but your phone doesn’t mind soaking up some rays.

Low pressure at 57.11 kPa/15,000 feet (4,572 meters) for two hours – higher than the tallest mountain peak in the lower 48 U.S. states.

As someone who is practically always on Facebook and Twitter, and also happens to be quite clumsy, this is a great phone to have. I haven’t had my Kyocera Torque for very long, and it’s already been dropped a few times. As far as being functional, Torque has all the bells and whistles you want in a phone such as Wi-Fi, Stereo Bluetooth technology, access to thousands of Android apps, and much more. The device runs with an Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) operating system, 4GB ROM/1GB RAM memory, and supports microSD memory expansion up to 32GB. Access to Sprint’s 4G LTE network is available, in limited markets.

The phone also features a 4 inch LCD Display that is more than adequate. I really like the Touch Screen Keypad on this phone, even more than that of my Samsung Galaxy S3. The 5-megapixel rear-facing camera takes pretty sharp pictures, but is one of the few things I would like improved on this phone. Torque has excellent battery life which is something I have found lacking in some of my previous mobile phones.

This phone definitely looks different than phones I have have had in the past. The display is more recessed than normal, but provides more protection. It has a hard, rugged exterior – yet it still manages to be lightweight. I also want to mention another fun feature of this phone – a bright, easy-to-use LED flashlight app that is super handy when fishing for your keys after dark.

Overall, I am very pleased with the Kyocera Torque and feel confident it can withstand even my house full of ruffians. Visit Kyocera online to see how Bear Grylls, the ultimate adventurer, puts the Torque to the test! Kyocera Torque is currently available from Sprint for $99.99 (some restrictions apply).

Disclosure: I was provided with a Kyocera Torque to review, as a Sprint Ambassador. All opinions expressed are my own.