New Casio G'zOne "Boulder" hits FCC, likely for Verizon's new PTT

The FCC has mercifully approved a new rugged G'zOne model from Casio named "Boulder," bearing a dual-band CDMA radio with EV-DO. If we had to wager a guess, we'd have to say the flip is likely the c711 we heard about a few days back, meaning that it'll be one of the very first devices to support Verizon's new EV-DO Rev. A-based push-to-talk service -- which as we learned, is most definitely not QChat. Little else is known about the device from the FCC filing, but we imagine we'll be hearing about it straight from Big Red in the not-too-distant future.

[Via Phone Scoop]

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 25th 2008 4:50PM]

Why does rugged usually equal ugly?

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 25th 2008 5:54PM]

Rugged is typically thick plastic or rubberize. Manly phones that get the job done... not for style.

You ever see a pretty Tank?

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 25th 2008 10:31PM]

Ugh... America still gets screwed. The W42CA managed to look nice while still being rugged. Why not just slap an American CDMA radio in that instead of making a new, uglier model?

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 26th 2008 9:13AM]

My belief is that America is a hyper-visual culture, and we (Americans) also tend to be remarkably lazy and ignorant of... well... most things. So, even if a phone is proven to be the most durable and indestructable phone ever, Americans will not buy it if it looks flimsy. It doesn't matter how many facts you throw at the person; Americans are immune to facts.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 26th 2008 4:16PM]

Hope they made the screen readable in daylight.

We got these at work, since they are billed as a rugged, outdoorsy phone. But you can't read the screen in daylight, worst speakerphone ever, and if it should happen to fall out of your shirt pocket and hit the ground, the battery falls off.

And if you take the cover off the battery charger port, it is no longer "water resistant."