The Price: $179

The Bottom Line: The Boulder's main area of expertise is surviving the elements. It's mil spec rated against water resistance, tested through driving rain, dust, shock and even submersion for 30 minutes a meter deep. During that time underwater, you can even accept calls and take photos. (Full details on mil spec ratings below.) It's a solid phone for the outdoors man, but in my experience, there are a few flaws. First off, as I said in my rules for winter gear, the buttons are ridiculously hard to press with fingers, let alone gloves. The push to talk function works but only as long as you're in range of a celltower, so don't confuse these with two way radios you can use in the back country. The speakers for the PTT function or speakerphone are covered if you hold it in your hand. The phone comes with a dock, but not a lanyard or clip or anything to keep you from losing it out of a pocket you forgot to zip on a powder day. Hypothetically. (Or not.) The digital compass is COOL and the LED has a flashlight mode. The camera is terribly blurry and the video is worse at qvga res of 176 x 144 resolution. And call quality is ok. The phone survived driving snow, dunks in water, being frozen in a block of ice, and tossed onto ice, lightly, but with a hint of malice. It would not die, and made calls all the while. (It accepted calls while frozen in a block of ice, and the cold didn't kill the battery!)

It's tough, maybe tougher than it needs to be, considering that there are other limitations to its usefulness as an outdoor tool, namely battery life, which was standard. I don't know when I'd take this phone out where it would take the abuse it can take, daily, in exchange for its 2003 feature set. If you're using this as an outdoor athlete, you probably don't need this phone. If you work on ski patrol, or as a ranger, sure, this phone makes sense. As does it for a professional sailor, police officer, etc. Rather than being a great outdoors tool for recreational use, even serious recreational use, I'd say it makes more sense for those who will face challenging conditions, yet be close enough to civilization to charge up and always have reception. Me, when I'm in the city, I don't go outside. And when I'm outdoors, I hate fiddling with most gadgets. I'll just lock a smartphone in the car or leave it stashed in my bag in a ziplock, or something. But that's just me. This phone is impressive and worth a look if you spend your working day damp.

Boulder Military Standards Testing, From Amazon.com:

The G'zOne Type-S passed all of the following tests, performed in accordance with Military Standards 810F, with all ports (battery, headset and charging) on the phone closed:

* The Water Resistance test was performed in accordance with Method 506.4, Procedure I. The G'zOne Type-S was subjected to this test with the handset open and closed, but with ports closed for 30 minutes on the front of the unit and then 30 minutes on the back of the unit. The test was designed to simulate rainfall of 2 inches per hour with a 40 MPH wind.

Result: The G'zOne Type-S showed no visible evidence of damage or deterioration caused by testing.

* The Humidity test was performed in accordance with Method 507.4. The G'zOne Type-S tested for operation after the conclusion of the tenth cycle. Each cycle was 24 hours and the entire test was performed over ten days. The temperature was cycled between 86 and 140°F with the relative humidity at 95 percent constant.

Result: The G'zOne Type-S showed no visible evidence of damage or deterioration caused by testing.

* The Drop test was performed in accordance with Method 516.5, Procedure IV. The G'zOne Type-S was sequentially dropped in non-operating mode, onto each face, edge and corner for a total of 26 drops from a height of 1.50 meters (4.9 feet). The drop surface was defined as two-inch-thick plywood over a steel plate over concrete.

Result: The G'zOne Type-S powered on.

* The Dust Resistance test was performed in accordance with Method 510.4, Procedure I. A temperature of 95°F was used for this test. Silica flour as defined by the test standard was used. Devices are given a passing grade when moving parts are not bound or blocked and if the unit powers on.

Result: The G'zOne Type-S showed no visible evidence of damage or deterioration.

* The Immersion test was conducted in accordance with Method 512.4, Procedure 1, with the handset immersed in water for a period of 30 minutes at a depth of 1 meter with ports closed.

Result: The G'zOne successfully powered on with no visible evidence of damage or deterioration.

Snowmodo is our snow sport winter meet up at Lake Tahoe, with prizes, discounts, tons of fun snow activities, a party and GADGETS. If you can make it (and people are coming from TEXAS) please RSVP. I'll let you wear my hat (below).

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – The company with the nation’s most reliable wireless network today introduced the G’zOne Boulder™ – the newest Push to Talk phone that is exclusively available through Verizon Wireless. This rough and tough phone is built to military specifications to withstand shock, water and dust environments. The G’zOne Boulder provides customers with access to Verizon Wireless’ Push to Talk service that uses the company’s Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) Revision A (Rev. A) network to ensure customers can get their jobs done quickly and efficiently. Packaged in two smart-looking finishes – black and silver or orange – the G’zOne Boulder is now available online at www.verizonwireless.com and through business sales channels. The phone will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores in mid-August.

Leveraging EV-DO Rev. A technology, Push to Talk from Verizon Wireless provides customers with fast two-way communication – all with the assurance of a reliable network so customers can instantly connect to colleagues and friends. Additionally, the G’zOne Boulder supports a number of productivity tools and entertainment services from Verizon Wireless including VZ NavigatorSM, Field Force Manager, V CAST Music with Rhapsody and V CAST Video.

The G’zOne Boulder comes with the following features and capabilities:

* Rugged design that meets military specifications – 810F standards for water, shock and dust resistance; immersion; vibration, salt fog; humidity; solar radiation; altitude; and low and high temperature storage
* Flashlight
* Electronic compass
* VZ Navigator-capable – audible maps, turn-by-turn directions and location information to more than 14 million points of interest that customers can share with others
* Field Force Manager-capable – a resource management tool that provides businesses with the ability to locate, monitor and communicate with their mobile field workers
* 1.3 megapixel camera to conveniently capture an afternoon hike or a night on the town
* V CAST Music with Rhapsody-capable – download music directly to the phone from a library of more than 5 million songs and get the master copy of the song on a PC free of digital rights management software that restricts how and where music can be played. Customers can also sync favorite tracks, albums and playlists from a PC.
* Music player for .mp3, .wma, unprotected .aac and unprotected .aac+ formats
* Create and manage playlists and sync music from a PC to the G’zOne Boulder
* Carry music on an optional microSD™ card up to 8 GB (microSD card sold separately)
* Supports the following Bluetooth® profiles – headset, hands-free (car kits), dial-up networking, advanced audio distribution profile (stereo), audio/visual remote control profile, object push profile for vCard, object exchange profiles for phonebook access profiles, generic audio/video distribution profile, audio/visual distribution protocol, and audio/visual control transport protocol
* Advanced speech recognition with dedicated voice dial key
* Alarm clock, calculator, calendar, stop watch, countdown, timer, world clock, electronic compass
* Voice commands
* Speakerphone with dedicated speakerphone key
* Bilingual interface – English and Spanish language
* Phonebook with up to 500 entries with multiple contacts
* TTY compatible
* Hearing aid compatibility = M4/T4
* Display:
o Main: 2.0” 240 x 320 TFT display with up to 65K colors
o External: 1.2” 96 x 96 Mono STN display
* Dimensions: 3.9” x 2.0” x 0.9”
* Weight: 4.9 ounces
* SAR:
o Head: 1.04 W/kg
o Body: 0.489 W/kg
* Usage time: up to 214 minutes or
* Standby time: up to 63 hours

The G’zOne Boulder is available for $129.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and a new two-year customer agreement. Corporate discount pricing is available. In addition, customers may choose to purchase the G’zOne Boulder without a camera in silver and black, available today through business sales channels and through the company’s online store.

Verizon Wireless customers can add Unlimited Push to Talk to their G’zOne Boulder for $5 per month, per line to any Nationwide voice plan.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. Business customers should call 1-800-VZW-4BIZ or contact their Verizon Wireless Business Sales Representative.

• Style-wise, it's an exciting phone. It lives somewhere between steampunk and the latter-day Star Wars designs. It's chunky, sure, but in the way that some of those badass watches are. I like the combination of elements: flared sides, a brash monochrome circular outer screen, the offset "eyes" (camera and LED-photo-flash combo), the arched speaker, and the pocked battery case with a giant metal screw lock.

• It's certainly durable, too. I took it kayaking and left it in my pocket. For the record, I never submerged, but I was not afraid of getting splashed. If you keep the ports for charger, battery case and headphone closed, the phone can withstand heavy rain, unbearable humidity, drops from 1.5 meters and dust. Yes, the dreaded dust.

• In order to keep up with the Joneses, the phone has a full-color TFT screen, but quite frankly, it's the worst screen I've seen in a long time, especially—and here's the weird part—when out of doors, in the elements, where G'zOne is supposed to thrive. Hey, here's a radical thought: How about going military-grade monochrome throughout? I love the bright exterior screen. On the inside, I don't need wallpaper as much as I need the ability to see who is calling me.

• Gripes about the interior screen aside, I also find the phone's innards to be boring old Verizon all over again. I don't so much mind the fact that its 1X (and not EVDO), nor the fact that it has no removable memory card slot for moving photos, but I do hate being reminded that no matter how much the hull design can change, that same interface will be staring up at me when I open the clam.

Here's the bottom line:

– Wilson Rothman

VERIZON WIRELESS INTRODUCES G'ZONE TYPE-S RUGGED PHONE

Streamlined Bluetooth-enabled G'zOne Type-S Meets U.S. Military Standards for Water Resistance, Humidity, Shock and Dust

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. - Just as the weather begins to warm and outdoor activities kick into high gear, Verizon Wireless, owner of the nation's most reliable wireless network, today announced the Verizon Wireless G'zOne Type-S will be available nationwide tomorrow. The second phone from Verizon Wireless that is built to provide reliable performance for customers with outdoor lifestyles, the G'zOne Type-S is exclusively available through Verizon Wireless. The G'zOne Type-S not only meets multiple Military Standards specifications, but also offers customers a streamlined form factor and Bluetooth® capabilities, making it the ultimate outdoor communications tool.
In addition to meeting rigorous testing standards, the G'zOne Type-S is able to access some of the key services that Verizon Wireless customers have grown to expect, including access to Verizon Wireless' Get It Now® virtual store and VZ NavigatorSM, a tool that includes mapping, audible turn-by-turn navigation and access to information on more than 14 million points of interest. Features of the G'zOne Type-S from Verizon Wireless include:
• Get It Now - to download games, Ringtones, wallpapers and more
• VZ Navigator - for audible maps, turn-by-turn directions and location information
• Mobile Web 2.0SM - customizable, enhanced wireless access to the latest in news, sports, weather and more
• TXT, Picture and Video Messaging capability - send and receive messages with text, sounds, photos and videos
• Mobile IM - send and receive instant messages using AOL Instant Messenger (AIM®), Yahoo! Messenger or MSN Messenger
• Bluetooth-capable* for the following profiles: headset, hands-free, serial port and dial-up networking (DUN)
• 300K CMOS digital camera/camcorder with flash and digital zoom
o Take 15-second Video Messages
• Main Display: 1.8" 65K color TFT (176 x 220)
• Sub Display: 1.3" black and white STN (96 x 96)
• Address book with up to 500 contacts and picture Caller ID
• Calendar, Alarm Clock and World Clock
• Calculator and Notepad
• Countdown Timer and Stopwatch
• Speed dialing
• Voice activated dialing
• Speakerphone
• Frequency: CDMA2000 1x EV-DO, 800MHz/1900 MHz-band compatible
• Dimensions: 3.8" h x 2.0" w x 1.1" d
• Weight: 5.1 ounces
• 1050 mAhLi-Ion battery
• TTY compatible
• Hearing aid compatibility = M4
• Up to 203 minutes usage time or up to 170 hours standby time

The G'zOne Type-S passed all of the following tests, performed in accordance with Military Standards 810°F, with all ports (battery, headset and charging) on the phone closed**:
• The Water Resistance test was performed in accordance with Method 506.4, Procedure I. The G'zOne Type-S was subjected to this test with the handset open and closed, but with ports closed for 30 minutes on the front of the unit and then 30 minutes on the back of the unit. The test was designed to simulate rainfall of 2 inches per hour with a 40 MPH wind.

• The Humidity test was performed in accordance with Method 507.4. The G'zOne Type-S tested for operation after the conclusion of the tenth cycle. Each cycle was 24 hours and the entire test was performed over ten days. The temperature was cycled between 86 and 140°F with the relative humidity at 95 percent constant.

• The Drop test was performed in accordance with Method 516.5, Procedure IV. The G'zOne Type-S was sequentially dropped in non-operating mode, onto each face, edge and corner for a total of 26 drops from a height of 1.50 meters (4.9 feet). The drop surface was defined as two-inch-thick plywood over a steel plate over concrete.

• The Dust Resistance test was performed in accordance with Method 510.4, Procedure I. A temperature of 95°F was used for this test. Silica flour as defined by the test standard was used. Devices are given a passing grade when moving parts are not bound or blocked and if the unit powers on.

Pricing and Availability
G'zOne Type-S will be available tomorrow online at www.verizonwireless.com and in more than 2,200 Verizon Wireless Communications Stores, including those in Circuit City, for $149.99 after $50 rebate and a new two-year customer agreement.
For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.
*The G'zOne Type-S supports Bluetooth headset, hands-free, serial port and dial-up networking. In order for Bluetooth devices to communicate with one another, they must utilize the same Bluetooth profile. For vehicle/accessory compatibility, go to www.verizonwireless.com/bluetoothchart.

**Verizon Wireless customers should not attempt any of these performance tests on their wireless phones. The company does not accept responsibility for phones subjected to neglect, misuse, water damage, unreasonable wear and tear, and the phone will not be eligible for any return or exchange program.

# # #

Verizon to Get its Second G-Zone Soon [Phone Arena]

bouncing it off concrete and playing a few games of "phone bowling" with it. They even dunked it in a pool (along with the reviewer) and successfully took some underwater pics with it. They nix it for not having Bluetooth and lacking media features (no music player, no expandability), but otherwise give it a 4/5 rating. As someone who always loses their Verizon phone in bars, trains, and puddles of whiskey, this phone is a nice welcome to the Verizon family, indeed. It's out later this month for $299. – Louis Ramirez

Verizon G'zOne [via PC Mag]