Kyocera DuraMax (Sprint) Video

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Kyocera DuraMax (Sprint)
Created: 12/20/2011
Video description: The rugged Kyocera DuraMax is Sprint's first PTT phone on the new Direct Connect network. It's similar to many iDEN phones that came before it.

Kyocera DuraMax (Sprint) Video Transcript

Hello, everybody. I'm Jessica Dolcourt for CNET and this is the Kyocera DuraMax. This rugged wonder is Sprint's 1st push-to-talk phone on the new Direct Connect network, that's the network that replaces the iDEN network. And this phone is very similar to many iDEN phones that came before it. Hello, everybody. I'm Jessica Dolcourt for CNET and this is the Kyocera DuraMax. This rugged wonder is Sprint's 1st push-to-talk phone on the new Direct Connect network, that's the network that replaces the iDEN network. And this phone is very similar to many iDEN phones that came before it so you'll recognize it, it's very durable. It's got this rubberized plastic coating that's very thick. The phone itself is very thick too. It's also received certification for military specifications for dust, shock, and vibration and it's also water resistant. You can hold it up to a meter underwater for up to 30 minutes and still call the phone. This is a flip phone design with 2 screens both of them are pretty small. One inch on the outside and a 2 inch internal display. The buttons are very large they're easy to press and they're pretty tactile, so you can imagine using them with gloves on. There are not a lot of extras for this phone and it's really not intended to be a future phone. It's intended for construction workers, workers who are out in the field and who really just need a durable device. But it does have a 3.2 megapixel camera. Photos are okay but they're not great especially for low light shots. Now, this is a push-to-talk phone that basically means when you enable push-to-talk on the inside, you just press this yellow button on the outside you can have what sort of a walkie-talkie experience without the network. I did test this with (Bonnie Traush?), he was up here in San Francisco and I was in LA. Now, it's pretty good for normal discussions, there was a slight delay but I would definitely caution you to avoid speaker phone, that was definitely a weak point when we tested the service. The phone costs $69 and 99 cents with the 2-year contract and that's also after a $50 mail-in rebate. If you need an even simpler phone, you can check out the Kyocera DuraCore which lacks the camera and you also can't hold it underwater. But for more advanced phone, there's the Motorola Admiral which is an Android smartphone and it's also for Sprint. I'm Jessica Dolcourt for CNET. This is the Kyocera DuraMax. You can read this review and all of the reviews on CNET.com.

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Kyocera DuraMax (Sprint) Review

Editors' rating

The good: The Kyocera DuraMax offers Direct Connect push-to-talk services on Sprint's faster CDMA network. The handset meets military specifications and feels very sturdy.

The bad: Speakerphone volume could be louder. It offers a slow browsing experience. Direct Connect service doesn't work when out of a 3G coverage area.

The bottom line: The Kyocera DuraMax is a basic but durable handset that offers Direct Connect services over Sprint's faster CDMA network, but a couple of issues will prevent some iDEN customers from making the switch for now.

Read full review

Kyocera DuraMax (Sprint) Specs

Manufacturer: Kyocera
Part number: KYE4255KIT

Product Basic Spec
  • Product Basic Spec

Read full specs