Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Mobile
    • PC Hardware

    Gadgets That Just Wont Break

    By
    Molly K. McLaughlin
    -
    September 1, 2006
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Were you the type of kid who broke toys pretty soon after they came out of the box? Or maybe you just go through eyeglasses, camera, phones, and music players with abandon. Even if youre not like this at all, you probably know someone who fits this sad profile. Perhaps theyre a student returning back to campus or a business person that is constantly on the go. Although most gadgets are built to withstand normal wear and tear, only a few can survive harsh exposure to the elements. Well stay tuned, because weve dug up and appropriately abused the following rugged devices.

      Our mobile phone expert put Sprints Nextel i580 phone through the wringer and grudgingly concluded that it is “nearly indestructible”. Sascha dropped it, spiked it, froze it, threw it from a second-story window and at last resort, ran it over with a car—several times. The hearty i580 and all its functions survived, despite a few bruises. Also impressive is its big feature set. The phone comes with a bright screen, impressive sound, Bluetooth, a camera, GPS, and even MP3 capabilities.

      For those who prefer listen to your tunes on a dedicated MP3 player, there arent many rugged options out there besides sporty models with low storage capacity (less than 1 GB). But as a rule, flash-based players, like the Apple iPod nano are less susceptible to shock than their hard-drive based cousins. But if you need more music and video on the go, you can protect your video iPod with an Otterbox case. Made of clear hard plastic, the enclosure is lined with hard rubber and is airtight to boot. Your precious music player should be safe whether it falls on concrete, into a sandbox or puddle of water.

      And speaking of large quantities of water, the Olympus Stylus 720 SW is a great camera for underwater photography. Waterproof to a depth of 10 feet and the camera is shock-resistant as well. Itll survive a drop from about 5 feet. During real world testing, the stylus 720 captured splashes, dives and underwater swimmers quite well too (check out some cool watery shots in our slideshow).

      Last but not least, dont forget to protect your laptop. Most likely the most expensive mobile device you own, laptops also house lots of important data, including music, pictures, and personal info. And laptops can be rugged. The Itronix Hummer Laptop IX600 is equipped with an SUV-like chassis complete with the Hummer logo. The system is ideal if youre out in the field all day (think construction workers, architects, park rangers, field scientists.) Environmentalists make object to it, but this laptop can take a beating.

      /zimages/3/28571.gifSure, you can protect your laptop computer from damage, but that doesnt mean youll ever see it again. What are some options? Click here to read more.

      /zimages/3/28571.gifRead the full story on PCMag.com: Gadgets That Just Wont Break

      Molly K. McLaughlin
      Molly McLaughlin is the Web Producer for PC Magazine's Consumer Electronics team, and a frequent contributor to Gearlog, and guest on Gearlog Radio. She also edits and writes reviews and stories for both PCMag.com and the print magazine.Prior to her work at PC Magazine, she worked in the nonprofit sector at Carnegie Corporation. She has an M.S. in Journalism from Polytechnic University and a B.A. from New York University.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×