When I'm diving 600m deep in acid, I want to be able to take pictures while listening to the radio dammit !

This is "rugged lite", you can actually lift it with one hand, what kind of phone is this ?

Also it doesn't even run Linux and doesn't have a full keyboard. How am I to email headquarters when the Russian sub taps the well head at -870m on our polar oil well ?

Pitiful I say.

I'm not even going to comment on the lack of poisoned spikes or flame throwers.

And here's a video to prove that it really does work under water - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYNf00A1QSc

@FFred - all those features you asked for are available in the iPhone App Store and only 59p each.

...environments of blowing rain, shock, salt fog, humidity, solar radiation, vibration and extreme temperature..."

Finally - a phone that will work in my server room!

If your going to shell-out for a functionally cut down handset, surely it has to be rated to at least ip65?

small ruggedized phone with a GPS. Doesn't have to be all that fancy. Doesn't even have to play music or whatever. Just has to make calls, and tell me where I am and if possible tell me how to get myself out of the mess i've landed myself into.

Easy to make a phone waterproof. Go a marine chandlers and you can buy a sealable PVC envelope. Better still you can still hear through it. Modern phone with flip-open style or slider won't work too well with this though. This phone would work ok with the PVC envelope as it is a simple keypad job. Might even survive a moderate dive in the PVC sleeve.

If you can't work this in anything other than light gloves then it won't work well for you when you hands are truly numb, as in winter watersports ! Pay attention to the number you are dialling ! Bet you get it wrong first time due to clumsiness. However I commend the strong case and design - more of these designs required. I hope it works in the environment intended.

GPS on this would be good, especially as it is most likely to be used by hillwalkers and climbers. Position fix would be good. 'Oh shit accident, location blah blah, please help'.

If the phone survives a severe impact, where you are really badly hurt, but it enables you to call for help, then it has done it's job.

Agree with two others above - a phone this rugged NEEDS GPS, especially if that could be integrated into the one predefined SOS message. Just like a DSC VHF radio that is used for marine use to call the Coast Guard and gives a fix to them. And honestly, for many coastal sailors, such a phone would actually be more useful, as so few own pocket VHF radios they can keep with them in an emergency (the radio belowdecks isn't that useful if you fall overboard!).

I was thinking about buying one as I read the article, especially as they are less than £90. But I think I will wait for the GPS version...it has to come. But nice attempt...

N.B. - the GPS version has to have the function to activate the GPS on a periodic basis, to save battery. Perhaps about one fix every 20 minutes, that is then stored in the phone, and then have the GPS turn off. That is what EPRIBs (emergency locator beacons) with GPS do...

point being, i had the 2700 version of this, and still managed to brick it within 3 months, only £20 basic phone for me from now on