Because Android is available for anyone to build a phone with, we see some really odd and unique devices running the operating system. Take the Samsung Galaxy Beam for instance. Or the dual-screen Kyocera Echo. Well, Kyocera is back with what appears to be another odd device. And as much as people try to convince us other wise, being unique is not always a good thing.
The Kyocera Toque E6710 has passed through the FCC. The documents alongside the device say it has cellular bands for Sprint’s network. It appears to support LTE, NFC, and WiFi 802.11 b/g/n. The Torque also looks to be running near-stock Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
Unwired View got its hands on the first picture of the Torque last week. Judging by its design, it’s a rather rugged smartphone that is water, dust, and impact resistant. It has a pretty small screen, most likely less than 3.7-inches. The device has a rear camera with flash, as well as a front-facing shooter of some sort. It has physical menu, home, and back buttons underneath the display, while the power button and volume rocker appear to be on the left hand side.
As always with devices that pass through the FCC, there’s no guarantee the Torque will ever see the light of day on Sprint. If it does launch, the Torque will be the first rugged device to support LTE here in the United States. Kyocera devices have never been too expensive, either. So there’s a good chance this will cost less than $50 on contract if it comes to market.
Kyocera currently offers two devices on Sprint. The Rise runs Android 2.3 and features a QWERTY keyboard, while the Milano runs Ice Cream Sandwich and also has a QWERTY keyboard. Both devices are currently free with a new two-year agreement from the Now Network.
What do you think of rugged Android devices? Is being able to dunk your phone in water worth the drop in sheer power? Or would you rather put a case on a higher end phone and just avoid dropping it in liquid? Let us know what you think down in the comments!