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Gadget guy Ben Gracewood reviews "invincible" gadgets - phones and cameras that will survive the elements.
Vodafone XP3 Enduro (phone)
Price: $799 (or cheaper with a plan)
Product website
Rating: 3 / 5
Ben says: The XP3 can take anything you care to throw at it.
Rated to Milspec 810F for dust, shocks and water, which in reality
means you can drop it off a roof, accidentally put it through the
washing machine, drop it into a cowpat, or even run over it with
your car and it will keep on trucking. It's fairly basic
feature-wise, with no 3G or camera. It does have a rudimentary web
browser, and Bluetooth so you can use a headset. If you need a
super-durable phone, the XP3 is certainly going to handle the
knocks, but the price-to-feature equation is not too good.
Panasonic FT1 (digital camera)
Price: $799
Product website
http://www.testdrive.co.nz/
Rating: 4 / 5
Ben says: Looking like it's carved from a little block of
aluminium, the FT1 doesn't compromise size or looks for its rugged
abilities. The FT1 is dust proof, shock proof for a 1.5m drop, and
waterproof if dropped in water up to 1.5m deep. You won't be scuba
diving with it, but it will be fine on the beach or the farm, or
just a good Auckland downpour. The 4.6x optical zoom is
respectable, and AVCHD hi-definition video is a nice bonus.
Canon D10 (digital camera)
Price: $749
Product website
Rating: 2 / 5
Ben says: If you're really keen on underwater photography,
you might be better off getting a higher quality camera with an
underwater enclosure. The D10 is compact and sturdy, but as ugly as
any camera I've ever seen. Waterproof to 10 metres, it's fine for
snorkelling or shallow diving, but again, why not spend a couple of
hundred dollars on an enclosure for a nicer camera? If you just
want a durable camera, not one for diving, I'd go for the Panasonic
FT1 - it's much prettier, and has better features.
Mini Submarine (water toy)
Price: $30 (US $15 plus shipping)
Product
website
http://www.testdrive.co.nz/
Rating: 4 / 5
Ben says: What you want from a gadget is fun for your money.
For the price, this neat little submarine is hard to beat. It's not
fast or accurate, but you can't really complain. Use it in the bath
or the sink.
