Samsung B2710 mobile phone,
When my trusty phone of about 5 years died (for about the 7th time) during the UltraRace 100mile in June, I wanted to get something that would be sturdy enough to stand my general keen-ness for outdoorsy activities whatever the weather! I needed something that could survive things like falling into canals whilst running along side them or wading through bogs whilst im busy getting lost during a race somewhere or survive having a pan full of water and pasta onto it, from previous experience. I found this phone on a search for waterproof phone. Read a couple of reviews and ordered one for about £95. After playing around I found it had a few cool features like a compass, gps, google maps, internet browser, torch and a reasonable camera on top of the standard stuff.
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| during kayak trip, picture taken with phone |
The screen is a bit small for looking at any internet pages in great detail but if you want to nip on for something minor its fine! The google maps is incredibly handy although I don't have nearly as much excitement when trying to get somewhere I have never been before. No guessing where to go or following my nose it's a piece of cake! For a runner specifically some of the useful functions I found...
- When reading a text you can zoom in making the letters big enough to read whilst running, meaning you don't need to break your stride to communicate!
- The torch isn't bad at all for a little thing and can be used in addition to a headtorch (I wear mine around my waist) for checking signs as you are running past.
- Torch also handy when the interior light stops working in your car and you want to find the house key you just dropped!
- It can be used with its own headset and store heaps of songs with an additional memory card, saving having to carry a music player and a phone although this might compromise the waterproof?!
- Its waterproof, I have taken it kayaking (my kayaking isn't quite equal to my running ability so it did become submerged about 3 times) and was in my pocket for a day long kayak mission.
- Google maps also shows a little cone where you are and a 'live feed' of your movement maybe a race involving lots of roads and navigating through a town it would be handy?
- Battery life... I charge it twice per week max and it gets heavy use with multiple calls lots of texts and check the emails each day.Survives a weekend away easily!
- Shock proof, ideal for when you drop it whilst cycling at around 26mph (I didn't see if any of the passing cars ran it over or not but there is no damage if it did other than the scratch from the road!)
- It has buttons not a 'touch' screen meaning you can operate it in heavy rain or with gloves on no worries!
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| also taken with phones camera |
I think thats about all I can think of with regards to running. So far I have had it nearly 6 months and for me that is quite an achievement, im not particularly careless, things just get well used!
The only minor problem I have, if you mispell a word and flick back to the word very quickly to change it, sometimes this causes it to freeze although its happening less than 1 per week all that happens is it requires turning off then back on again! Who would have thought!
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| a quiet pint |
I would definately recomend this phone to someone with an active lifestyle who might from time to time end up underwater or would just enjoy the security that their phone really can go anywhere. Being water proof it may also be useful for anyone spending a lot of time in a desert, although sand does get everywhere it hasn't found its way into my phone yet! If you want the technical specs you can find them on any sellers website, I chose Amazon!
Feel free to leave a comment for any more specific queries I'll do my best to answer them!
