In a world where mobile phones are as much of a fashion accessory and/or multimedia business tool or mini laptop, it’s a breath of fresh air to see a new mobile that features… well, bugger all really. Vodafone’s new XP3 handset (manufactured by Sonim) isn’t a phone designed for the office, shop or club. It’s not meant for the café, gym or for teenagers. No, the XP3 is purpose built for the outdoors, the tradesman, the construction site or the farm.

It won’t win any prizes for style, in fact most people would call it bloody ugly, but the XP3 was made for those who couldn’t give a rats-arse what it looks like. If you’re someone whose only requirement from your mobile is that it makes calls, sends SMS text messages and doesn’t crap itself if it falls out of your pocket, gets left out in the rain all night or falls into your jug of Waikato Draught, then the XP3 is the dependable working tool you’ve been looking for.

Heralded as the toughest mobile to date, the XP3 is designed to withstand the wear and tear of everyday life. It’s built to survive 30 minutes submerged to a depth of 1 metre, is certified against salt corrosion (making it the perfect mobile to slip inside your wetsuit if you’re a surfer), and be resistant to humidity, heat (-20C to +55C  ideal for the beach or mountains) and shock. It can even survive a 2m drop onto concrete.

With a hardened rubber, non-porous exo-skeleton and antiglare, scratch resistant screen, the XP3 measures 119mm x 56mm x 24mm and weighs in at a hefty 140g. So comparatively, the XP3 is a brick. Hold it in your hand and you know that your holding something that’s built to last. It satisfies that primal feeling of holding something solid, something robust, something you could bludgeon a Sabre-tooth Tiger to death with.

The XP3 isn’t completely featureless, so let’s take a glancing look at what’s on offer:

• GSM.GPRS tri-band (900, 1800, 1900 MHz)

• Support for more than 20 languages

• Dedicated alarm button to send alarm messages to PoC server

• Bluetooth 1.2

• WAP, SMS and Polyphonic ringtone support

• 6 hrs talk time and 320 hrs standby time

• 2.5mm headset port and Mini USB for charging

• 128x160 resolution and 65,000 colours

• Opera Mini-Browser (Access to any webpage, landscape viewing, full screen rendering)

• Charger and belt-clip (car charger available)

Considering the nature of the XP3 and its intended target market, I’m surprised that the XP3 doesn’t have built in GPS or an FM radio. But other than that – everything a boatie, chippie, builder or outdoors lover would need in a mobile is right here.

So confident are Vodafone and Sonim in the construction of the XP3, that if you do manage to break it with everyday use in the first 3 years, they’ll replace it completely. How can you possibly lose?

Check out the NBR’s videos of the XP3 as they put the phone through some vigorous testing.

RRP $799