Go ahead, throw this phone

The XP3 isn't a looker, but it's strong.

(Credit: Sonim)

Last year we reviewed the Sonim XP1, one of the most durable cell phones we've ever had the pleasure of throwing to the floor. As it never made it to a U.S. carrier, the XP1 wasn't widely available in the United States. But thanks to Best Buy's welcome interest in unlocked phones, an XP1 descendant will live in a big box store.

You wouldn't call the Sonim XP3 Quest attractive--the yellow version is particularly ugly--but brawn before beauty is the whole point. Sonim claims the phone can withstand drops to a concrete floor, excessive shock and vibration, punctures and pressure, extreme temperatures, dust and particles, and even a full dunk underwater. Sonim has a nifty video on its Web site showing the phone enduring torture tests. We're expecting a review model so we'll see just what it can handle.

Features include a 2-megapixel camera, a music player, GPS with turn-by-turn directions, Bluetooth, messaging, a music player with an FM radio, a flashlight, and an external memory card slot. At $399 it's not cheap, but you should be able to shoot it out of a cannon.

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