Hasta La Gadget!

[CES 2014] It is that time of the year again, and this time around, we have the Caterpillar Cat B100 introduced to the masses which will offer yet another option if you are in the market for a handset that is able to handle all the rough tumbles in life. Available immediately in Europe, the Caterpillar Cat B100 should also arrive in other markets some time in the first half of this year. Just to get a rough idea on how rugged this bad boy can be, here are some details to stoke your interest. The Caterpillar Cat B100 happens to be IP67 certified and comes with MIL 810G protection, where the former indicates that this handset is well protected against dust, and is more than capable of surviving on its own when immersed under water for up to 3 feet. Not only that, it should also be able to shrug off drops, extreme changes in temperature as well as additional accidents that might just spell the end of your average smartphone.

As for its hardware specifications, forget about a large display as the Caterpillar Cat B100 comes with a 2.2” 240 x 320 screen, running on a custom operating system. You will find a 3MP shooter on board, and a microSD memory card should be mandatory for any Caterpillar Cat B100 owner. A basic feature phone that can take all that life throws at it, but forget about using apps with this puppy.

Caterpillar Cat B100 Rugged Phone Unveiled original content from Ubergizmo.

Just as some people are put on this earth to create things, others are prone to destroy everything they touch. Those people should probably spend some time with the Caterpillar-branded CAT B15, an aluminum-and-rubber-clad Android smartphone that (inadvertently) encouraged people to work on their stress issues here at MWC.

Naturally, Caterpillar isn’t actually making the phones — it’s a very far cry from the engines and bulldozers that the company is better known for. The device itself is made by a licensee called Bullitt Mobile, a U.K.-based company whose sole reason for existing seems to be churning out these sorts of rugged handsets.

In fact, It’s actually rather hard to get a firm idea of how tough this thing actually is. Sure, it’s completely dust-proof (assuming all the ports are properly closed) and the 4-inch display is swathed in second generation Gorilla Glass, but it’s all sort of abstract until you hold the thing in your hand the feel the urge to heave it somewhere. In spite of its considerable chubbiness, the B15 is actually lighter than you’d expect, though it’s still going to elicit some stares should you shove the thing into your pocket.

In a classic case of brawn vs. brains, the B15 isn’t the snappiest thing you’ll ever see with its dual-core 1GHz Qualcomm processor and but it’s still got enough horsepower to handle most daily tasks. If anything, performance is aided by the fact that the particular build of Android loaded up on the B15 is totally stock — no garish, cumbersome UI to be found here.

And perhaps best of all, the 4-inch display recognizes touch input even when it’s wet — mostly. After a booth representative shot down my attempt to hurl the thing like baseball (not a huge loss, my fastball is pretty lousy), I settled for dunking the B15 in some water a few times. For the first few instances, things worked fine, but at some point you’ll eventually have to wipe the thing down for it to start behaving properly again. Hardly a big deal, but those of you looking for an Android-powered diving buddy will have to look elsewhere (especially because it’s only waterproof until you go deeper than 1 meter).

In the event that your current smartphone is just too puny to keep up with your lifestyle, the CAT B15 will be available in March for €395 — try not to hurt yourself until then.

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Ah, Russia, you neverending source of amusement and absurdity you, please never change. Take this man, who somehow sunk himself into the mud up to his waist and then he couldn’t get out—until the man with the caterpillar decides to scoop him out, complete with all the mud around him. [Thanks Karl!] More »