The Titan’s Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) interface may be instantly familiar to Android users. However, the phone is significantly different in a very interesting way, namely, its compliance to the US MIL-STD-810g military standard.

 

The shock resistant and dust proof Titan is clearly designed to handle and survive the any abuse that life outdoors and inclement weather can throw at it.

 

Every port and opening, including the battery and SIM card cover, is sealed as tight as a drum, as the phone is further intended to withstand being submerged in up to a metre of water.

 

 

The hardened glass covering does mean though that the 3.5" screen requires a bit of a firmer press to register. In all other respects, such as browsing the web, accessing the market and email, and running programmes, the Titan is responsive and quite fast for general tasks, relying on a Qualcomm MSM7227-1 turbo processor and 256 MB of RAM.

 

More importantly for a phone of this ilk, its screen is bright and readable in direct or bright sunlight, while it comes with apps that provide it with a digital compass, barometer, altimeter and pedometer saved on 4 GB of storage.

 

Additionally, the phone’s speaker volume is noticeably loud, which should cater for noisy environments such as construction sites, stampedes and warzones (although we can’t recommend texting while running away from danger).

 

These features sit alongside the standard and expected smartphone offerings of a microSD card slot for expanding its storage, a five megapixel camera and of course, Wi-Fi. Additionally, the battery is removable, but you may need to employ a screwdriver to first pry off the protective back cover.

 

 

We would have no qualms about taking this phone on a white water rafting adventure, or on a trek with Bear Grylls. It has a RRP of R3600 and is available from Leaf on +27 011-467-4104.