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Samsung T7 Shield 4TB portable SSD selling at its lowest price on Amazon and Newegg by Fiza Ali Today, you can get your hands on the 4TB Samsung T7 Shield portable SSD for only $219.99 on Amazon and Newegg. Samsung's rugged PSSD has been built to be tough, fast, and compact, making it durable and suitable for challenging conditions. It has an IP65 rating, providing resistance against dust and water. It utilizes USB 3.2 Gen 2 and PCIe NVMe technology, resulting in impressive sequential read speeds of 1,050 MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 1,000 MB/s. This allows you to edit files directly from the drive. The high-tech rubber exterior, along with the Dynamic Thermal Guard, ensures that heat is effectively managed, maintaining consistent performance even during intensive projects. The T7 Shield is designed to withstand rough handling. Additionally, the rugged design and advanced outer elastomer provide extra durability, enabling it to withstand drops of up to 9.8 feet. It is compatible with various devices including PCs, Macs, Android devices, gaming consoles, and more. The package includes USB Type C-to-C and Type C-to-A cables for added convenience. 4TB Samsung T7 Shield Portable SSD 9up-to 1050MB/s, USB 3.2 Gen2, Rugged, IP65 Water & Dust Resistant, for Photographers, Content Creators and Gaming, External Solid State Drive): $219.99 (Amazon US) - $219.99 (Newegg US) Furthermore, you can check out other SSD deals from SanDisk and Western Digital. For hard disk drives, you can head over to our HDD deals section to see if anything from there matches your requirements. If this is not what you want, you can also browse through Amazon US, Newegg US, or Amazon UK, or visit our Deals section to see if you find some other great deals. As an Amazon and Newegg Associate, when you purchase through links on our site, we earn from qualifying purchases. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Review: Doogee S100 is a rugged phone with a massive 10,800 mAh battery by Steven Parker The folks over at Doogee sent me the Doogee S100 a few weeks ago, and I've been taking a look at this chunky device. You may remember I reviewed the Doogee S98 Pro last summer, well this is a spiritual successor to what was already a good rugged phone, with some decent spec upgrades, but also a glaring omission, let's take a look. First up, let's dive into the specs: Specification Doogee S100 Display: 6.58" FHD+ IPS, @ 2408x1080, 401 PPI, 20:9 Aspect Ratio, 480cd/m2, 1500:1 Contrast, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Weight: 376 g CPU: Helio G99 Octa Core 2.2GHz 6nm (2 x Cortex A78 2.2 GHz + 6 x Cortex A55 2.0 GHz) GPU: ARM Mali-G57 MC2 RAM: 12 GB LPDDR4X (+ Up to 8GB Extended RAM) Storage: 256 GB UFS2.2, expandable up to 2 TB via TF Card Rear Cameras: 108 MP AI main camera Samsung S5KHM2SP03 Sensor chip F/1.8 ± 5% Aperture 90° FOV Support PDAF Supports 2 Rear Flashes SONY 20 MP Night vision camera SONY IMX350 Sensor chip F/1.8 ± 5% Aperture 80° FOV Supports 2 infrared night vision lights 16 MP Wide Angle & Macro Camera F/2.2 ± 5% Aperture 130° FOV Front Camera: SONY 32 MP Front camera SONY® IMX616-AAJH5-C Sensor chip 90° FOV F/2.0 ± 5% Aperture Dimensions: 178.5 x 83.1 x 17.98 millimeters Weight: 376 g Battery and charging 10,800 mAh, 66 W fast-charging via USB Type-C, 15W wireless Connectivity: Dual-SIM, WiFi: 2.4G/5G (802.11ac/a/b/g/n), FM, NFC, OTG, Bluetooth 5.2 Bands GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE (Global) GPS: Glonass, Galileo, Beidou Durability: IP68, IP69K, United States Military MIL-STD-810H Security: Face unlock, side-mounted fingerprint sensor Material: Alloy Enamel Process OS: Android 12 Color: Classic Black, Cyber Yellow, and Ice Blue Price: $439.99 As you can see, yet again we have another rugged phone with an IPS screen and no 5G. In 2023, I feel like not supporting 5G is a serious omission to make, it seems like this and no AMOLED is a cost-cutting measure right along with the lower-end SoC. We're not getting flagship features here in terms of display or processor power, but Doogee doesn't skimp on the rest. There's plenty of RAM and storage, and unlike a few flagships, the onboard storage can be expanded with a TF card if you should so choose. Day 1 The first thing anyone will notice when unboxing it is the weight. At 376 g, it is rather heavy, switching between this and my Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra was a fun experience. I'm a big lad with big hands, but this presents a challenge to use one-handed for any length of time. The phone came with a screen protector in the box, but I am not really a fan of those things. Why have Gorilla Glass, which is supposed to be scratch resistant, only to then put a cheap bit of plastic over the glass display? I was allowed to throw this thing around, according to my contact, but I was more worried about the damage I could do to my own floors. Dropping it from about a meter did not result in any damage to the phone, which is the minimum expectation you should have for it anyway. There were also no scuff marks that I could see after dropping it a few times, which is good news for the "Alloy Enamel Process" the company used. Design On the rear, you will find the camera array which consists of a 108 MP center main camera, to the left of that is a 20 MP night vision camera and two LED flashes. Over on the right, you'll find the 16 MP wide angle and macro camera and two infrared night vision lights. Down near the bottom of the phone, there's a DOOGEE logo which is slightly raised and makes the phone able to lie completely flat on a surface thanks to the camera array having the same small raised height. All in all, it looks like the camera array and logo add a couple of millimeters, to the already 1.8 cm thickness of the phone. The yellow back has a very pleasing feel to it, it almost feels (and looks like) leather, I reached out to my contact to confirm the material and was told it is "man-made environmental protection leather", the stitching makes for a nice addition and gives it a very premium look and feel. All of this means that when holding the phone, it does not give me the idea it could very easily slip out of my hand. I like that Doogee has thought about negating the need for a case (the S98 Pro came with a plastic back cover). A rugged phone should be able to hold its own without a need for additional coverings, and this appears to address that just fine. On the right side of the phone, you will find the volume rocker and a power key which doubles as a fingerprint sensor. The keys have a good height and are easily detected by feel thanks to the textured design on the volume rocker, although as you'd imagine the fingerprint sensor is completely smooth, but not flush with the bezel, it's also slightly raised. On the left, you'll find the SIM/TF card tray which sits flush with the device, it is protected against water ingress by a rubber seal that goes around the inside of the tray. You'll need something like a knife or sharp object to prise it free off from the bezel, but thankfully, it is done in such a way that there is a small lip you can use so you aren't damaging the bezel. Below that is the User-defined key, which is also textured. I will talk about that a bit later. On the bottom, you'll find a mic and speaker (housed behind the right grill), and tab access for the USB Type C charger port for the included 1 m USB Type C-to-USB Type C cable and 66 W Fast charger. As was the case with the S98 Pro there is no headphone jack here. so you will have to make do with Bluetooth 5.2 for headphones connectivity. The tab access was easy enough to use with my large fingers and very short nails, which is great if you're in a hurry and on the job, which this phone is absolutely suited to in terms of usage. On the top, there's just the speaker (behind the right grill) and a receiver behind the left grill. On the front of the device above the display, you'll find the main 32 MP front-facing camera, and to the left of that the notification LED, which is a decent trade-off considering the screen does not support an Always on Display. The dimensions make it slightly larger than the Doogee S98 Pro, the S100 also adds 56 grams of weight which makes it more of a challenge to hold for prolonged periods. Doogee says the housing is made from the "Alloy Enamel Process" which sounds like a lot of hocus-pocus to me, but in reality, the wording suggests some sort of fusion process between materials, which is what most phone manufacturers do already. All I can say is that despite the weight, it has a pleasing texture to it so that it can't easily slip out of your hand. Another thing I wanted to point out is that all that weight is distributed evenly, so it is not top-heavy or anything like that. Display The Doogee S100 has a 6.58" FHD+ IPS display, at 2408x1080 screen resolution, and with a 401 PPI pixel density, and 20:9 aspect ratio along with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. It's not fancy by any means, but I didn't plan on watching 4K HDR movies on it anyway. The display is bright and vibrant enough to look at. A major improvement from the Doogee S98 Pro is that the S100 display supports 60Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz and adaptive refresh rate which lets the phone decide when to use between 60Hz and 120Hz depending on the content. As you can also see in the image above, YouTube doesn't use the full-screen thanks to the waterdrop camera, but even so, the video's aspect ratio is kept at 16:9 so that explains the smaller letterbox playback. If you double tap you can zoom in to fill the screen. There's a notification LED, but unfortunately, it only has one color (blue) and it blinks exactly the same way for any sort of notification, you can only toggle the "Blink light" on or off in the Notifications settings, and you can't enable or disable it per app either which would have made it handier to set to one or two important apps like missed calls, messages, and email. Once you have set up this phone with all your apps, you can expect the notification LED to be permanently blinking because you can't set it, or the color per app, so it will look exactly the same for any notification that comes in. Cameras As I have said in previous smartphone reviews I've done, I am no camera buff, I'm a point-and-shoot kind of guy, but it is clear to me that smartphone makers seem to want to concentrate a hell of a lot on camera quality, sometimes at the expense of other features, and here is also no exception. On the rear we have a whopping 108 MP rear shooter with a F/1.8 ± 5% aperture and 90° FOV made by Samsung, there's also a 20 MP vision camera with F/1.8 ± 5% aperture and 80° FOV made by Sony, along with a 16 MP wide angle and macro camera with a F/2.2 ± 5% aperture and 130° FOV. Unfortunately, there's no optical image stabilization (OIS), which is a common omission on cheaper phones, so it is definitely a disappointment because I took some photos I had to dump due to shaky hands. Apparently, Google gets around this with its Pixel phones by using the gyroscope for stabilization, but no such luck here. Gallery: Doogee S100 Camera When taking photos, I left almost everything on the default setting. Except for the Night vision camera, all the other cameras have received decent upgrades which more than double the megapixel count. When you have good lighting conditions and a steady hand you can take some nice photos with this phone. Night Vision The Night vision camera is exactly the same one that is included on last year's Doogee S98 Pro, so you aren't going to see different results here. I can enable the night vision and use it to navigate around pitch-black rooms instead of using the built-in flashlight, it's pretty cool. I mean, most indoor security cameras and doorbells have IR night vision sensors, but finding it on a phone could be useful for any number of job descriptions that require a rugged device. No complaints here. I should probably mention that the two previous rugged phones I reviewed included a thermal camera, and one had a laser pointer measure, but the S100 does not include these options. Software The Doogee S100 has Android 12 preloaded with the December 2022 security update, which is quite some time ago considering we're now halfway through March. Doogee's policy of updating Android only "about once a quarter" has not changed here. In addition, you can expect one year of software support covered by a 12-month warranty. The phone comes with a dedicated launcher called Easy Launcher. I couldn't find much information about it online, it is pretty much like the Quickstep Launcher which was preinstalled on the Doogee S98 Pro. It is mostly near to a stock experience. On powering up for the first time, you are prompted to set up Gestures or virtual navigation buttons at the bottom of your screen. This can easily be changed in the Android settings. The User-defined key can also be found in Android Settings. It lets you assign a shortcut or an app to it through One Click, Double Click, and Long Press which is an improvement on last year's S98 Pro's user-defined key which only let you set an app to it with a single click function. I set the camera to it with a double-click so that I wouldn't accidentally keep on enabling it. Upon long pressing on the desktop, you can get to the Easy Launcher settings, which as you can see above is pretty bare bones. Upon powering up the phone for the first time and going through the setup, you are presented with a pretty much stock experience. As you can see from the above screenshot, a nice addition to the Easy Launcher is the Google app, which can be accessed by swiping to the right from the Home screen. Confusingly, the Easy Launcher settings page says you have to swipe left, which I have reported to my contact at Doogee. Performance and Battery Life The phone offers fast charging through the wall charger at 66 W or wirelessly at 15 W, and with a 10,800 mAh battery, Doogee claims to be able to charge the battery to 60% in 30 minutes. In addition, the official web page claims 960 hours (40 days) on standby, 55 hours of call time, 43 hours of music, 15 hours of web browsing or streaming, and 11 hours of video or photo recordings. For those that love benchmarks, there are a few below. I started off by running GFXBench which tests the GPU. Next up, I ran Geekbench, which returned a score of 538, up 41 points in Single-Core and 1,791 for Multi-Core, which is an impressive bump of 601 points higher than the Doogee S98 Pro which has a previous-gen Helio G96 SoC. Last but not least, the AnTuTu benchmark tests, came in at 389,350 points, which is 137,826 points higher than last year's Doogee S98 Pro and beats out the 2018 Samsung Galaxy S9+ and Galaxy Note9. For a more recent comparison, it comes in slightly better than last year's Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G. It should be noted that the AnTuTu score gave a warning that it "could not connect to the internet" despite the app being able to download test updates. I suspect AnTuTu has not added or verified the Doogee S100 yet seeing as it officially comes out today, on March 20. The Doogee S100 includes the MediaTek G99 SoC which, in terms of features is still built on the original Helio G90T that was released in 2019. The newer chip utilizes a 6 nm process versus the 11 month older 12 nm G96 that is included in the S98 Pro. Although the G99 is still only a mid-range SoC, it can still hold its own against the in 2020 released Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G, which would be a fair comparison. However, the Helio G9x series is starting to show its age here in terms of lacking 5G support in a world that is now starting to fully switch over to it. Conclusion As with all rugged phones, this has a very specific use case. It is very good at completing tasks where you would be outside, on a building site or in an otherwise dirty or dangerous environment. Dropping it in such areas, assuming you don't lose it in the process, will likely result in absolutely no damage to the device, although I do wonder how the synthetic leather on the back will hold up after prolonged use and exposure to rough environments, if it is anything like modern synthetic leather, it should actually complement its ruggedness. As I have said in previous rugged phone reviews, you can probably forget about using it as a main phone and sticking it in your Bermuda shorts or pant pockets. If you do, however, the ever-present risk of being pantsied by your own phone will haunt you. This is true even for a big guy like myself, it is proper heavy at 376 g. The User-defined key allowed me to map the Camera to it, so we can forgive the lack of a dedicated camera button in this case, and its massive battery is more than enough that anyone can ask for. However, maybe Doogee should be asking itself if it is getting carried away with the major flagship brands' obsessions with camera prowess, or instead concentrate on delivering a truly great rugged phone. The camera sensors are greatly improved compared to the S98 Pro, but for me, it loses a point for not including 5G, another for no AMOLED display, half a point for the useless notification LED, and finally half a point for poor software support and only one year of warranty backing the phone. As I said earlier, this phone is mostly for specific use cases. I can easily recommend it to construction workers who find it important to have a smartphone on hand, they can toss it around and rinse it under the tap and it will still keep working. This phone isn't going to break the bank at the current $339.99 asking price on Amazon, which includes a $100 off coupon. However, the downside is only one year of warranty and support, plus only around four Android security updates a year. The absence of 5G and an AMOLED screen is disappointing, but you do get a great mid-range SoC experience in a tough package. It's a meaningful update over the S98 Pro, but it lacks the previously mentioned features we'd come to expect in 2023. Right now, I'd say this is a good work phone. Our stories may contain affiliate links for products/apps where Neowin is paid an affiliate fee if you complete a purchase via those links.

Samsung unveils the tough Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro by Paul Hill Samsung has announced a new tablet, the Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro. The product is lightweight, but also comes with military-grade toughness for those who may be using it in an outdoor environment. The software is also tough in the sense that it includes the Samsung Knox security platform to keep your data safe. With the Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro, you’ll get a slim 10.2 mm thick tablet that weighs in at 674 g. To give its ruggedness a boost, it comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 which is even more resistant to scratches and damage than previous generations. The tablet alone can survive drops of 1 metre or 1.2 metres when equipped with the included protective cover. The tablet and the integrated S Pen are both IP68 rated, so are resistant to both dust and water. It is also MIL-STD-810H compliant, so it can endure extreme altitudes, temperatures, vibration, and humidity. People working outdoors will likely be wearing gloves. As such, Samsung has added an option to adjust touch sensitivity, so the device can be used without removing your gloves. If you work around noisy machinery, Samsung has packed in speakers capable of loud volumes. The specifications of the device are as follows: Display 10.1-inch, WUXGA (1920 x 1200), TFT LCD, Touch Sensitivity OS Android 12.0 Dimensions 242.9 x 170.2 mm x 10.2 mm (674g) Camera Rear: AF + 13MP F1.9, Flash Front: 8MP F2.0 Memory & Storage 4 + 64 GB / 6 + 128 GB, microSD up to 1 TB Processor 6 nm Octa-Core Processor Battery User Replaceable, 7,600mAh (typical) Connectivity 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz, MIMO), Bluetooth® v5.2, NFC (eSE) SIM Dual SIM or Single SIM Interface Type-C USB 3.2, POGO Pin Sensors Accelerometer, Geomagnetic, Gyro, Light, Hall, Fingerprint, Proximity GPS GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou, QZSS Rugged IP68, MIL-STD-810H, 1.2 m Anti-Shock with Inbox Protective Cover, Corning® Gorilla® Glass 5 Pen S Pen (IP68 Rated, Inbox) Sound Dolby Atmos® Microphone 2 Microphones Security Samsung Knox Biometric Authentication Face Recognition, Fingerprint with Home Key Programmable Key Customization via Active Key The Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro will be supported with five years of security updates and three OS upgrades. This will ensure that it remains up-to-date and secure for quite some time. It will become available in September in parts of Europe. Later in the year, it will arrive in Asia, Latin America, North America, and the Middle East. No pricing details have been shared yet.

Panasonic TOUGHBOOK 40 is a modular rugged Windows laptop that starts at $4,899 by Usama Jawad Today, Panasonic has introduced its latest rugged Windows laptop, the TOUGHBOOK 40. The modular PC is intended for use in demanding environments with eight areas of expansion packs (XPAKs). XPAKs are upgradeable by the user and include I/O ports, optical drives, authentication readers, and barcode readers. Other salient features of the rugged PC are listed below: CPU: Intel Core i5-1145G7 (4.4GHz with Turbo Boost, 8MB cache) or Intel Core i7-1185G7 (4.8GHz with Turbo Boost, 12MB cache) Display: 14-inch FHD, touch-enabled, support for stylus (included), 1-1200 nits brightness RAM: Starts at 16GB, goes up to 64GB Storage: Up to 3TB SSD Ports and XPAKs: USB-A x 2 (plus 2 more optional), Thunderbolt™ 4 USB-C (w/PD), MicroSDXC, HDMI (optional 2nd), Optional VGA, Ethernet (optional 2nd), Optional Serial, Audio In/Out, Optional DVD Drive, Optional Blu-ray Drive, Dual SIM (4FF, eSIM) Battery life: 18 hours, up to 36 hours through optional secondary battery (hot swap capable) OS: Windows 10 Pro or Windows 11 Pro You can see the full spec sheet with all the technical details here. As can be seen, this is not a device meant for your average consumer. The hardware is designed to withstand rugged and challenging conditions, such as a battlefield. However, if you fit the TOUGHBOOK 40's target market, you can find out how to purchase the hardware here. It will become available in late spring with a starting price of $4,899.

Jargon Buster: Find out what MIL-STD and IP ratings mean for your gadgets by Chandrakant Isi When going through a phone's specifications, we often stumble upon terms such as MIL-STD-810 and IP ratings. We all have a faint idea that these handsets can withstand some rough usage and pool parties. However, these ratings are more nuanced than what we are told in the device's promotional material. Your gadget's ability to put up with harsh usage and conditions differ widely based on the exact compliance rating. So, let's dive into the realm of rugged standards and settle this confusion once and for all. MIL-STD-810 Military Standard (MIL-STD) refers to hardware specs outlined by the United States Department of Defense. The most obvious reason behind this whole exercise is to ensure that the equipment doesn't fail on the battlefield. Additionally, these standards help maintain consistency and compatibility in the military gear of the U.S. and its allies. The first such standard MIL-STD-810 was put forward in 1962. Since then, it has been revised several times. For instance, the 1964's update was MIL-STD-810A followed by MIL-STAD-810B in 1967. The most recent version MIL-STD-810H, released in 2019, explains several processes to test equipment against extreme pressures, temperatures, shocks, pyroshocks, solar radiation, rains, humidity, salt fog, dust, vibrations, acidic atmosphere, gunfire shocks, ballistic shocks, fungus, and more. If you think this list was long-winded, wait till you find out it is all described in excruciating detail in a 1089 page document. For instance, take a look at the following diagram to understand how specific the impact test instructions are. In another example, you can see how the U.S. military doesn't want to leave anything to chance. Not even Greenland's ice cap is left out of the temperature simulation tests, and it is not like the U.S. is planning to invade that country anytime soon. Gallery: MIL-STD-810H documents Seeing how the military ensures high efficiency with reliable gear, many corporates embraced the idea of deploying rugged hardware to their road warriors. Soon enough, brands began introducing these products to the consumer market. However, unlike the U.S. military which can verify each claim made by the vendor, there's no governing body to actively cross-check the ruggedness of commercially available products. This allows manufacturers to self certify compliance without any actual testing. Of course, not all brands take shortcuts. Reputed brands such as LG, CAT, Dell, HP, and Lenovo have in-house special test facilities and can even hire the services of external labs. For instance, here's Toshiba performing drop tests on its laptop. Out of dozens of scenarios, companies can pick and choose a handful of tests and still wear a MIL-STD badge. That's alright to a certain extent because there's no point in testing your smartphone for gunfire shock. However, some companies skip on test parameters, which can be misleading. MIL-STD outlines equipment evaluation in storage as well as the operation mode. As highlighted in the screenshot below, LG clearly mentions the K42 passes temperature tests in both storage and operation mode. On the contrary, rugged phone maker BlackView lists scenarios such as temperature and humidity but doesn't shed light on whether the handset was tested for storage or operation mode. This becomes more crucial for laptops because shock tests can lead to quite different outcomes depending on whether it was performed in operation mode or in storage mode with the lid closed. This is why if you're looking for a rugged device, don't purchase something just because it has a MIL-STD-810 badge. You should look for a device that has been tested for scenarios and modes that match your requirement. IP Ratings While MIL-STD evaluates equipment for a comprehensive list of factors, Ingress Protection (IP) focuses on the device's resistance against liquids and solid objects. The latter can be anything such as a pen, your finger, or a grain of sand. However, when dealing with handheld gadgets, the discussion of solids is mostly limited to dust particles. Sometimes you also get to see 'X' in IP ratings, which simply denotes the lack of data. IP ratings are defined by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. These codes help cut the confusion caused by vague marketing terms. To explain the nitty-gritty, let's talk about Apple's iPhone 12 Pro Max, which is rated IP 68. In this code, the first digit '6' represents iPhone's effectiveness against solid objects. Let's see how it fares on this chart. Protection against solid objects 0 – The device offers no protection against solid objects. 1 – Protected against the entry of solid objects larger than 50 mm. 2 – Protected against solid objects larger than 12 mm. 3 – Protected against solid objects greater than 2.5 mm. 4 – Protected against solid objects greater than 1 mm. 5 – Protected against dust. 6 – The device is sealed to stop dust from entering. Going by the ratings, the iPhone 12 Pro Max offers the best possible protection by blocking even tiny dust particles. Oh, and if you are wondering what could be the possible use of IP 2X rating, take a good look at this wall socket that prevents people from jamming their fingers inside those holes. Back to the iPhone, let's see how the second digit in its IP code '8' holds up against liquids. Protection against liquids. 0 – Not protected at all. 1 – Can withstand dripping water that simulates 1 mm rainfall for 10 minutes. 2 – Protected against dripping water equivalent to 3 mm rainfall at a 15-degree angle. 3 – Protected against water spay at an angle of up to 60 degrees. 4 – Protected from water splash from any angle. 5 – Can withstand low-powered water jets delivering up 12.5 liters of water per minute. 6 – Protected against high-powered water jets spraying up to 100 liters of liquid per minute. 7 – Protected against water immersion at 1 meter for 30 minutes. 8 – Can withstand water immersion at the depth of over 1 meter for 30 minutes or more. 9K – Protected against high-temperature water jets. The iPhone 12 Pro Max can survive immersion for up to 30 minutes at depths exceeding a meter. Unlike the first digit in the IP code that deals with the solids where a rating of 6X implies the device also fulfils the criteria for every rating below that, things are a bit complicated when it comes to liquids. Just because the iPhone 12 Pro Max is rated IP X8 for water immersion, that doesn't mean the phone can also survive water jets outlined by IP X6. Gadgets that offer protection against water jets and immersion have a dual-rating of IPX6/X8. We hope to have cleared some of your doubts with this article. If you're confused by any of this, sound off in the comments section below.

Panasonic introduces its new TOUGHBOOK 33 detachable PC by Rich Woods Today, Panasonic is introducing its second-gen TOUGHBOOK 33, its detachable PC with a 12-inch 3:2 display. Given the form factor, you'd be forgiven for drawing some parallels with Microsoft's Surface Book, but obviously, this is designed for the rugged market. Indeed, the TOUGHBOOK 55 that we reviewed back in 2019 was considered to be semi-rugged, but this is full rugged. The TOUGHBOOK 33 actually has two batteries that are located in the tablet portion. That way, users can hot swap batteries without having to turn the PC off. As you'd expect, if hot swapping isn't for you, you can also get larger batteries to put in there. It actually has a switch on the display to remove it, so it's not a software thing like you'll find on Microsoft's detachable. Internally, the specs have been bumped up to Intel's 10th-generation 'Comet Lake' processors. Naturally, it uses vPro variants, and Panasonic tells me that the reason it's not 11th-gen is simply because this product has been in development for too long, and it wasn't really a priority given the customer base that buys a product like this. Of course vPro comes standard because security is a priority. This is something that can be used by various government agencies, so things like Intel Hardware Shield are important. It's also a Secured-core PC. Unlike the TOUGHBOOK 55, this one actually has the handle on the back, and that's on purpose, because it actually serves as a kickstand. After all, it's a top-heavy machine that includes the CPU, batteries, and everything else in the display. And that display gets super-bright at 1,200 nits, and super-dim at two nits, the latter being what you need for it to work with night vision. Panasonic anticipates that the PC will be used by enterprise workers, utility workers, in the federal space, and more, and much of the time, it's actually mounted in vehicles. Panasonic also bumped up the RAM and storage configurations. You'll now get 16GB RAM and 512GB as a base model, and you can configure it with up to 32GB RAM and 1TB storage. As for connectivity, it naturally gets Wi-Fi 6, but there's 4G LTE as well. It has eSIM support as well as support for a physical SIM, and it has support for Band 48, which is for a private cellular network. Other improvements include louder speakers and an FHD webcam. If you want to buy one, you can contact your Panasonic sales representative.

Panasonic Toughbook A3 review: The tablet that does everything by Rich Woods Panasonic is the market leader when it comes to rugged personal computing devices, which can be handed out to those that work in the most extreme conditions. These can include fire departments, police department, the military, and a whole lot more. Those using the device need to be able to get the job done from wherever they are, and the device needs to be up to the task without the user having to worry about something silly like breaking it, or connecting to Wi-Fi. The reason that I love Panasonic Toughbooks, however, is that they're made to do just about everything. I reviewed the Toughbook 55, a Windows 10 PC, back in September, and just about every piece of it is modular. You can swap out batteries, the SSD, add an extra SSD, and more. You can use your imagination on this one. That's why I was interested when the company contacted me about the Toughbook A3, its newest Android tablet. Panasonic says that it's been moving toward Android for tablets since the end of Windows CE, and businesses are buying in. While it has a full portfolio of Android devices, the A3 is the biggest and the newest. Specs CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, quad 2.2GHz, quad 2.8GHz GPU Adreno 512 Body 10.7x7.72x0.65in, 1.98 pounds Display 10.1 inches, 1920x1200, 10-point capacitive multitouch with rain sensing and glove touch modes, anti-reflective screen treatment, up to 800 nits Audio Integrated microphone, Loud Speaker 94dBA Input Five definable buttons Ports USB Type-C USB Type-A Docking connector 3.5mm audio Nano-SIM MicroSD Power Connectivity Qualcomm WCN3990 IEEE802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/d/h/i/r/k/v/w with MIMO Optional Sierra Wireless AirPrime EM7511 – 4G LTE and HSPA+ Certified with Verizon, AT&T and FirstNet Nano SIM card slot (x2) Bluetooth V5.0 Class1 n GPS GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/Beidou/QZSS Near Field Communication [NFC – Type A, Type B, FeliCa Battery Dual Li-ion 5580mAh Storage/memory 64GB eMMC/4GB LPDDR4 Durability MIL-STD-810H certified16 IP65 dust and water resistant 6' drop-resistant and tumble tested (500 tumbles, 3.3ft. 5 rpm) Price $2,699 Design The Toughbook A3 has the kind of design that you'd expect from such a product. It's thick, it's heavy, and it looks like you could chuck it across a room and it wouldn't even scratch. It's all black, except for the traditional silver bezels found on Panasonic devices. It's also IP65 rated, despite having tons of ports and removable parts. Most ports have covers though, which can be lifted to access the port, or can be removed entirely. The left side has a power port under the DC IN cover, and next to that, you'll find both USB Type-C and USB Type-A. The Toughbook A3 actually can come with an optional second Type-A port. Remember, these are meant to work in the field for whatever you need it to do, so connecting to an additional peripheral might be necessary. On the other side, you'll find a pen garage, and a covered 3.5mm audio jack. Pen input seems to be one of those things that Panasonic always includes, even on something like a clamshell laptop. Presumably, there's just a lot of demand for it. On top, there's a bar code scanner. That's actually optional and removable. And on the bottom, there's a dock connector. I may have buried the lede here though, because the Toughbook A3 actually has two batteries. Not only that, but they're hot swappable, meaning that you can swap one out without ever having to power down. This can be really useful during mission critical tasks where powering down to change a battery would take up just too much time. Removing the battery is simple enough. There's a switch next to either one that you can flip to unlocked, you slide up to release, and you can just lift the battery out. Underneath, you'll find a nano-SIM slot (yes, it's dual-SIM), and you'll also find the microSD slot under the battery on the right. This is really cool stuff. Panasonic says that this is the only Android tablet with hot swappable batteries, a feature really only found in laptops. It's also cool that it supports dual SIMs, something common on phones but rare on tablets, especially when cellular connectivity is rare on tablets to begin with. Display and audio The Toughbook A3 includes a 10.1-inch 1920x1200 screen, giving it a 16:10 aspect ratio. What I find really cool is that it offers 800-nit brightness. That means that you can use it anywhere, including in the brightest of sunlight. It's pretty wild. Again, I keep coming back to this idea that this is meant to do anything, go anywhere, and handle all conditions. Full brightness The same goes for audio quality. The speakers go up to 94dBA, which means that you'll be able to hear it in a loud crowd. This reminds me of law enforcement and military use cases, which might operate in loud environments. Normal brightness Back to the screen, it can handle all kinds of input. As I mentioned, it supports pen input, and of course, it supports touch. That's not all though, because it's meant to work in the rain and with gloves on. You'll also notice on the front of the device that there are a whole bunch of buttons. That includes six on the bottom and one on each side. Everything except for the power button is customizable. Using an app that Panasonic preinstalls, you can set what these buttons do, what combos of these buttons do, what they do when you long-press, and what happens when you wake up the device. Software and battery life These things are meant to handle extreme conditions, but also certain kinds of conditions. For example, a Snapdragon 660 chipset, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of eMMC storage doesn't sound very premium, but most of the people using the Toughbook A3 are only going to be running one or two apps. That's why Panasonic's focus is elsewhere, on things like connectivity, incredible display and audio, and more. That connectivity includes 4G LTE, which is certified for AT&T, Verizon, and FirstNet. If you're unfamiliar with FirstNet, that's the LTE band that's reserved for first responders, so they don't have to worry about a congested network in an emergency. Oddly enough, I wasn't able to use my Google Fi SIM in it. Panasonic never promised Fi support, of course, but it's just the first time I've seen something from T-Mobile's network not work in an unlocked device. Panasonic also includes a selection of apps for use with the A3. For example, UserButtonManager is the one I mentioned above that lets you customize the buttons. That app also lets you customize what happens when you wake up the device, so it can, for example, load up a kiosk app. There are also apps for hardware diagnostics, device management, and a barcode reader. There's an app called StylusNote, which is exactly what it sounds like, and there's an app for signing documents. There's also a Rapid Configuration app, which will let you configure a wide array of Panasonic Toughbooks in a short amount of time. You can take them and use NFC or scan a QR code to configure the new devices. Speaking of configuring the new Toughbook A3 units, if you have an issue, such as if one breaks, Panasonic sends out a new one as soon as it gets the report. The new unit is pre-configured, so it's ready to go as soon as it's put in the user's hands. Battery life is also fantastic. Panasonic promises up to nine hours with both batteries, and I found that it got those numbers easily. I assume that this is while connected to cellular and doing some active tasks. Of course, if you're using this out in the field, you might have extra batteries with you, since one of the key features to this tablet is the ability to hot swap batteries. Panasonic also has a battery replacement program, just in case your business doesn't know how many extra batteries to order. It detects your battery's health, and if it's going to fail soon, the company will ship out a new one immediately. One other thing worth noting is that it runs Android 9 Pie. Yes, to most, this seems like an odd choice, but the whole idea is to not create fragmentation in whatever business is using Android tablets. Panasonic says it does have a plan for upgrading to Android 10 when a customer wants it. Also, I didn't run benchmarks on the Toughbook A3. This really isn't that kind of device, as should be indicated by the mid-range specs. Conclusion I really love Panasonic Toughbooks. As I've said a few times, it just feels like they can do anything. They're expandable, they have cellular connectivity, and more. With 4G LTE, a super-bright screen, and powerful audio, I feel like the Toughbook A3 can be used anywhere. The biggest issue is probably the price, as this thing starts at $2,699. Of course that, and my issue with the OS version, is by design. While the A3 has mid-range specs, it's not a mid-range device. It's a rugged tablet with pen support, dual-SIM 4G LTE connectivity, dual hot swappable batteries, an 800-nit display, and 94dBA audio You'll also notice that in a lot of these photos, the Toughbook A3 is wet. Yes, I took the photos on a rainy day on purpose, because with a device like this, why not? It can handle just about anything, just about anywhere. To pick up a Toughbook A3, you'll have to contact your Panasonic sales representative.

Dell announces the Windows 10-powered Latitude 7220 Rugged Extreme tablet by Rich Woods If you're in the market for a Windows 10 tablet but the ones on the market are too fragile, Dell has a solution for you. The company today announced the Latitude 7220 Rugged Extreme, a tablet that can handle four-foot drops, and extreme temperatures between -20 and 145 degrees Fahrenheit. It's MIL-STD-810H tested, so it's tough; it's IP65 rated for dust and water resistance as well. The tablet comes with an 11.6-inch 1080p display that goes up to 1,000 nits brightness, along with anti-glare and anti-smudge coatings, so it shouldn't be a problem in direct sunlight. It uses Intel's Whiskey Lake CPUs, and comes with up to 16GB RAM and up to a 2TB PCIe NVMe SSD. In the connectivity department, it supports up to Wi-Fi 6, and you can get it with a Snapdragon X20 4G LTE modem for cellular connectivity. It comes with the features you'd expect from a rugged device that's meant to be used in the field, such as a hot-swappable battery. You can have it configured with up to two 34Whr 2-cell li-ion batteries. You can pick up the Latitude 7220 Rugged Extreme today, starting at $1,899.

Garmin debuts Instinct, a rugged GPS watch by Timi Cantisano Garmin, known for its fitness wearables, has introduced a new watch to its line, the Instinct. The Instinct is a bit different from its previous offerings, being marketed as a "rugged GPS watch built to withstand the toughest environments". While other companies claim its devices are meant to stand up to abuse, Garmin perhaps takes this to another level by offering a watch that has "U.S. military standard 810G for thermal, shock and water resistance (rated to 100 meters)". The watch has a "fiber-reinforced polymer case" that is meant to add durability to the outer shell and also has a "chemically-strengthened, scratch-resistant display" with high contrast that will make it easy to read in most conditions. You can see the full details of its features below. Constructed to U.S. military standard 810G for thermal, shock and water resistance (rated to 100 meters) Built-in 3-axis compass and barometric altimeter plus multiple global navigation satellite systems (GPS, GLONASS and Galileo) support helps track in more challenging environments than GPS alone Monitor your heart rate¹, activity and stress; train with preloaded activity profiles Stay connected with smart notifications² and automatic data uploads to the Garmin Connect™ online fitness community Use the TracBack® feature to navigate the same route back to your starting point; use the Garmin Explore™ website and app to plan your trips in advance Battery life: up to 14 days in smartwatch mode, up to 16 hours in GPS mode, up to 40 hours in UltraTrac™ battery saver mode Like other Garmin watches, you will still be able to use it for training as well as monitoring heart rate and activity using its built-in sensors. Like many of Garmin's more recent watches, you can see notifications on the Instinct when you have it paired with your smartphone. The Instinct is now available for $299.99 and comes in three colors. Source: Garmin

Blackview's latest rugged smartphone, the BV6800, goes on sale today by Muhammad Jarir Kanji While not necessarily at the top of everyone's wish list when it comes to their next smartphone purchase, a good rugged smartphone can be a big priority for those working in heavy industries, such as construction, and need to know their phone won't break after the slightest drop. Enter Blackview, a Hong Kong-based smartphone manufacturer that has been making rugged smartphones for a few years now. The company claims to have sold over 10 million units of its previous flagship rugged phone, the BV6000, since its launch in 2016 and is now following up with a sequel in the form of the BV6800 Pro. Sporting a 5.7-inch Full HD display, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, the phone is powered by the octa-core MediaTek MT6750T. It also features an array of certifications: IP68, IP69K and MIL-STD-810G, the latter of which is a US Military Standard for environmental durability. What all of that means is that the phone is both dust- and water-resistant and able to withstand high temperatures or pressures. Blackview's promotional video includes a bevvy of tests designed to show off the phone's ability to withstand whatever you may throw at it, such as repeatedly hammering the phone against a metal rail, drop testing from a height of several floors, driving a car over it and dipping the phone in a bucket of wet concrete and washing it off afterwards. As expected from a rugged phone, the BV6800 Pro also features a large 6,580mAh battery, with support for 24W fast charging. The company claims a 0-100% charge should take about 2.5 hours. Support for 10W wireless charging is also thrown in for good measure. The BV6800 Pro is available for preorder starting today on the company's various stores on Aliexpress. The phone's pricing strategy is interesting, to say the least. It will be available to buy for $189.99 from today, with the price increasing by $3 every day until October 1, when it will reach its regular price tag of $249.99. If you purchase the phone in that period, you are also eligible for a wireless charger, which normally goes for around $40. There are two models, with support for European and US bands, respectively.

Google adds new rugged section to its Android Enterprise Recommended programme by Paul Hill Earlier this year, Google announced the Android Enterprise Recommended programme which is is designed to highlight those devices with the best support from vendors. Today, the software giant has decided to add a rugged phone section to the programme for those businesses which operate in a tougher environment. Currently there are ten rugged devices that prospective buyers can find, they are Dolphin CN80, Dolphin CT40, Dolphin CT60, Point Mobile PM45, Sonim XP8, Zebra Technologies TC25, Zebra Technologies TC51, Zebra Technologies TC56, Zebra Technologies TC70x, and Zebra Technologies TV75x. According to Google, some of the requirements for rugged devices to join the Android Enterprise Recommended programme include: Minimum hardware specifications for Android 7.0+ devices Delivery of Android security updates within 90 days of release from Google, for a minimum of five years Certified for ingress protection Rated for drop testing Support for bulk deployment of devices including Android zero-touch enrollment Support for at least one additional major OS release Google said that the programme is still in its early stages but has received positive feedback from customers, partners, and industry analysts. Even though it is aimed at enterprise, it’s also good for general customers who want to find a device that won’t get abandoned on release by its vendor.

Samsung unveils the rugged Galaxy Tab Active2 by Ehtisham Ul Haq Shams Back in August, Samsung announced the rugged version of its flagship device, the Galaxy S8 Active. The firm has now launched an extremely rugged tablet that can take a lot of abuse. Having MIL-STD-810 certification, the tablet can "survive excessive pressure, temperatures, environments, vibration, and drops". The tab also offers 1.2m anti-shock inbox protective cover and IP68 water, and dust resistance. Galaxy Tab Active2 is powered by an Exynos 7870 processor and packs 3GB of RAM along with 16GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 256GB through a microSD card. It has an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front-facing shooter. The tablet offers an 8-inch display with a resolution of 1,280 x 800 pixels, which can also be used with gloved and wet hands. The device packs a removable 4,450mAh battery, which supports reverse charging, meaning it can charge other devices. Moreover, it supports the S Pen, features a fingerprint sensor, has a USB type-C port, and comes with Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box. The tablet will become available for purchase in select markets this month. The price of the device is not yet confirmed but it is expected to come around $500. Source: Samsung

Caterpillar unveils two affordable rugged handsets by Ehtisham Ul Haq Shams At IFA 2017, Caterpillar has unveiled two new ultra-rugged devices, S31 and S41, that are capable of taking a lot of damage. While both smartphones come with IP68 and MIL STD 810G certifications, the former is the low range device and the latter is the mid range handset of the series. Cat S31 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 chipset and packs 2GB of RAM along with 16GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 128GB through microSD card. The smartphone offers a 4.7-inch HD display that can work with gloved and wet hands. It has an 8MP rear camera and a 2MP front-facing shooter. The handset features a 4,000mAh battery and comes with Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box. S31 can last for up to 35 minutes 1.2 meters deep under water and can survive a fall of up to 1.8 meters on concrete. S41, being the bigger sibling, can go even deeper in water, down to 2 meters, and can last for an hour . Powered by a MediaTek Helio P20 processor, the phone packs 3GB of RAM, coupled with 32GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 2TB via a microSD card. It offers a 5-inch full HD display that also works with gloves and wet fingers.. The device features a 13MP rear camera, a 8MP front-facing shooter and a larger 5,000mAh battery. Cat S31 and S41 will go on sale later this year in Europe and will be priced at £299 and £399 respectively. Source: CatPhones

Samsung drops S8's curved-edge display for its rugged new Galaxy S8 active by Andy Weir The Galaxy S8 active - Samsung's rugged new variant of its latest flagship smartphones - has been revealed ahead of its official announcement. A listing for the new device appeared on the Wireless Power Consortium site, showing the design of the handset for the first time. The listing confirms that the Galaxy S8 active will have Samsung model number SM-G892A, but more significantly, it also shows that the new device will lack the curved-edge display that Samsung established as a standard feature on both the Galaxy S8 and S8+, which it announced in March. Instead, the S8 active will have a flat screen - just like the Galaxy S6 active and S7 active that it released in previous years. However, it still features rounded corners like the S8 and S8+, giving it a similar aesthetic to the new LG G6. Unlike its earlier active models, though, the new device won't have physical buttons on the front of the handset, relying on the same on-screen navigation controls as the 'standard' S8 handsets. The decision to 'flatten' the display on the S8 active was likely the result of efforts to ensure that the handset is as robust as possible, reducing its vulnerability to damage upon impact. The device also appears to have slightly 'flared' bodywork at the corners, further reinforcing its shock-absorbing capabilities. The Galaxy S8 active is expected to be exclusively sold on AT&T in the United States, like its predecessors. Details of pricing and international availability remain unclear. Samsung will be hoping to avoid the controversy that surrounded the Galaxy S7 active with the launch of its new model. Shortly after that handset's release last year, Consumer Reports said that the S7 active wasn't as water-resistant as Samsung had claimed. Samsung stood by its claims, and promised to "replace any Galaxy S7 active under its standard limited warranty, should water damage occur." Source: Wireless Power Consortium via The Verge

NOMU S30 smartphone tests its mettle and endurance in a washing machine by Boyd Chan While we are seeing water and dust resistance becoming a feature in flagship devices such as Apple's iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus and Samsung's ruggedized Galaxy S7 active smartphones, they still command a rather hefty price tag. However, you don't need to break the bank in order to get your hands on an IP67 or IP68 certified device that can put up with a bit of punishment. Perhaps of some interest to those looking for rugged phones is NOMU, a Chinese phone manufacturer with just under a decade of manufacturing experience under their belt. With the company's three smartphones, the NOMU S10, S20, and S30, each IP68 certified and waterproof at up to 1.2 meters for 30 minutes. In addition, the devices are shockproof and can also continue to work in extreme temperatures. However, in a demonstration of the device's resilience, NOMU has put its S30 to the test in a washing machine. Having been subjected to a washing cycle by itself for a total of 15 minutes, the S30 managed to survive, even managing to record video from within the washing machine (which is initiated about 2m50s into the above video). For a device that can be had for around $250, the NOMU S30 also boasts some notable specs, which include: Android 6.0 Marshmallow 5.5" 1080p display with Gorilla Glass 4 MediaTek MTK6755 64-bit 2GHz octa-core SoC 4GB RAM 64GB storage with microSD expansion 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera Dual micro SIM, dual standby capability Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n @ 2.4/5GHz Bluetooth 4.0 / NFC / GPS 5,000mAh battery MediaTek Pump Express 3.0 fast charging 162 x 83 x 13.35mm, 260g If the NOMU S30 phablet does pique your interest, stay tuned for Neowin's forthcoming review and verdict on the device in the near future.

Panasonic unveils rugged Windows 10 2-in-1 that's waterproof and folds like a briefcase by Vlad Dudau Panasonic unveiled a new 2-in-1 Windows 10 device today, aimed at companies and workers who require hardware that can withstand some punishment. Part of its Toughbook line, the detachable tablet and keyboard combo will be available this May in the US. The Panasonic CF-33 is a 2-in-1 or standalone 12-inch tablet that comes in a rugged exterior, and can be utilized in bright sunlight or heavy rain. The 3:2 aspect ratio of the device supposedly offers superior viewing angles while the QHD (2160 x 1440 pixels) resolution allows for higher image quality. The device features six modes of use when paired with a keyboard, even folding up as briefcase. Meanwhile, the four-mode input: keyboard, touch - including with gloves on - voice with Cortana, and pen, allows users to do work whenever needed. The device and its sturdy build comes in at 1.52 Kg (3.3 pounds) as a standalone tablet and 2.76 Kg (6 pounds) as a 2-in-1. Panasonic also mentioned several other features for the CF-33, including ones that are optional: Powered by Windows 10 and up to a 7th generation Intel Core processor A 2MP webcam with stereo microphones and 8MP documentation rear camera that allows you to login quickly and easily with Windows Hello A 4G LTE option, and the option for the latest U-Blox NEO-M8 GPS for precise navigation USB 3.0, HDMI, LAN, micro SD-XC and headset ports Twin hot swappable batteries provide you with the ability to extend the battery life and the choice to change the battery while in use The sleek Desktop Port Replicator allows the Panasonic Toughbook CF-33 2-in-1 detachable laptop to be used as a high-performance desktop device. The four-bay battery charger is ideal for large organizations where the ability to charge multiple batteries can reduce work downtime. Unfortunately, the CF-33 doesn’t come cheap. In the US, the device will launch in May and pricing starts at $3,499 for the standalone tablet and $4,099 for the 2-in-1 experience. In Europe, the device will become available sometime in Q2 of this year with pricing starting at €2992 / £2213 plus VAT for the tablet or €3552 / £2627 plus VAT for the full package.

Archos announces rugged budget tablet powered by Android 7.0 Nougat by Usama Jawad With Mobile World Congress 2017 just around the corner, many companies including LG have started debuting their products ahead of the event. Another such company is Archos, which has unveiled a rugged tablet powered by Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box, and designed with budget customers in mind. The Archos 101 Saphir is designed mostly for budget-conscious customers who want to use their tablets outdoors. Archos claims that its tablet is for "everyone out there", saying that the device is water, dust and drop-resistant. However, on the technical specifications end, the Archos 101 Saphir is very modest. The full list of specifications and features include: Display: 10.1-inch IPS LCD, 1280 x 800 pixels Operating System: Android 7.0 Nougat CPU: Mediatek MT8163, Quad core @ 1.3 GHz, Cortex A53 GPU: ARM Mali T720 MP2 RAM: 1GB Storage: 16GB (expandable via microSD card up to 128GB) Camera: 5MP rear, 2MP front-facing Ports and sensors: 3.5mm headphone jack, USB Type-C, USB OTG, Micro-HDMI, G-sensor, Accelerometer Connectivity: b/g/n with Wi-Fi hotspot capability, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0 Battery: 6,000mAh The Archos 101 Saphir is slated for a release in June and while Archos hasn't revealed pricing details as of yet, the specifications indicate that the 101 Saphir is targeted at budget-conscious consumers. The company plans to show off the device in the flesh at Mobile World Congress 2017 in a few days. Neowin will be on-site at MWC 2017 to bring you the news as it happens, stay tuned! Source: Archos via Android Authority

Samsung's ruggedized Galaxy S7 active dons camo gear, heads exclusively to AT&T by Andy Weir Samsung unveiled its latest flagship phones, the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, back in February. Today - a year, almost to the day, after its predecessor was announced - Samsung has revealed the Galaxy S7 active, the ruggedized version of its newest Android range-toppers. Without a dual-curved display, the S7 active shares more in common with the standard Galaxy S7 model than the S7 edge, although there are some key differences. The new handset - which Samsung refers to as "the toughest Galaxy device ever" - also has a 5.1-inch Quad HD display, but it differs from the regular S7 by adding shatter-resistant glass, which can withstand drops from around 5 feet onto a flat surface. The S7 active also has a huge 4000mAh battery, compared with 3000mAh on the standard S7; that's also around 14% larger than last year's Galaxy S6 active. Living up to those rugged credentials, the Galaxy S7 active boasts IP68 protection, meaning that it's dust-tight, and water-resistant while continuously submerged in up to 5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes. It will be offered in three colors: Sandy Gold, Titanium Gray and Camo Green - because camouflage is important when you're in the wilderness watching YouTube videos on a bright Super AMOLED screen with the sound blaring out. Aside from that, the S7 active is pretty similar to the regular Galaxy S7 - which isn't a bad thing, given that the standard model is such an impressive device. The Galaxy S7 active will be exclusively available on AT&T in the United States, priced from $26.50 on a Next plan, and will go on sale on June 10. Source: AT&T via Engadget