Tough-talking JCB quartet touch down

The Gadget Show  Monday 08 November 2010

Tough as nails, and with a colour scheme to match

Data Select’s JCB ToughPhone range has been given a serious beefing up with four new tough-as-nails handsets designed to survive in the toughest conditions imaginable.

The entry-level JCB Tradesman may cost just £75, but lays claim to an official record of being the “world’s first floating phone”. Fully water- and dust-proof, the Tradesman is otherwise understandably very basic, boasting a 1.44in colour display, Bluetooth, an FM radio, microUSB connectivity and a built-in torch.

Moving up the pay-grades, the £115 SiteMaster throws in a laser pointer and some seriously upgraded tough guy street cred. It’s built to withstand up to a ton of pressure, and won’t be troubled by drops of up to 2m either.

Topping the range are the ToughPhone Pro and Pro-Talk, at £245 and £255 respectively. Both offer much the same rugged sensibilities as their lesser cousins, but also feature a touchscreen interface, a 2-megapixel camera, dual SIM support, GPS and GPRS. The Pro-Talk doubles as a walkie-talkie too.

Designed for tradesman and other outdoor types, the distinctive black-and-yellow ToughPhone newcomers go on sale around the middle of the month.