Kyocera and Sprint have announced the DuraCore, a rugged clamshell phone with CDMA-based push-to-talk (PTT) capabilities. The DuraCore will be one of the first phones to take advantage of Sprint's new CDMA-based Direct Connect PTT service.
Direct Connect – Instant, one-to-one push-to-talk communication nationwide with any other Direct Connect subscriber, ideal for quick conversations with families, friends, and co-workers. Direct Connect is the core push-to-talk feature used and is designed for interoperability across Sprint and Nextel network platforms.
Call Alert with Text – Send an audio alert with an optional text message to let another Direct Connect subscriber know you are trying to reach them and why.
Group Connect– Communicate with up to 20 Sprint Direct Connect subscribers all at once, nationwide, at the push of one button.
TeamDCSM – Communicate with up to 199 Sprint Direct Connect subscribers at the same time nationwide1.
NextMail – Send a recorded message to any email worldwide or mobile handset via text message by using the Direct Connect button.
Military Standard 810G compliance for dust, shock and vibration.
Encased in rubber, non-slip Dura-Grip material for sure hold and extra durability.
Robust, bi-directional speakerphone.
Non-camera phone for jobs where cameras are prohibited.
Bluetooth (2.0 + EDR) wireless technology.
2.5mm headphone jack (supports PTT headsets).
Large-font menu option.
GPS navigation enabled.
Sprint Family Locator enabled.
Supports SMS and MMS messaging and third-party data applications.
Dimensions: 3.9 x 2.0 x 0.9 inches; weight: 4.4 ounces.
Display: Main display, 2-inch QVGA TFT (240 x 320 pixels); Sub display, high-contrast 1-inch monochrome (96 x 64 pixels).
Removable 1360 mAh Lithium Ion battery for up to 8.14 hours continuous talk-time.
The DuraCore is slimmer, thinner, and lighter in comparison to its sibling the DuraMax. The DuraCore is not waterproof, and doesn’t have a camera either. It still is equipped with Kyocera’s Dura-Grip technology that ensures that devices aren’t easily droppable. In addition, the DuraCore is stamped with the Military’s 810G approval which means it has passed various tests with dust, shocks, and vibrations.
As seen before with the DuraMax, the DuraCore’s buttons located on top of the device and along the left side are very sensitive. I found myself accidentally hitting the buttons throughout the day. This isn’t too big of a problem once you get use to avoiding the buttons altogether, but it is bothersome at first.
The Kyocera DuraCore is my favorite out of the two Dura-Series devices. Even with the lack of a camera and waterproofing, the device has a better overall feel in the hand. The combination of its lightness and thinness gives the illusion of a smaller device even though the device isn’t all that small. The camera does play a major part in the size though.
So the tradeoff has been outlined. Both devices are the same price, so either you get a bit bigger device with a camera and the ability to be fully immersed in liquid, or the smaller device with those characteristics. Surprisingly the DuraCore was originally planned to be the cheaper version, but that is proven otherwise with its $69.99 price tag.
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