Samsung Rugby Smart

“There is a lot to like in the Samsung Rugby Smart. The smartphone is tough, yet extremely pocketable. Its Super AMOLED screen is perfect for outdoor activities, and the battery performs really well. On the software side of things, there are no complaints either. TouchWiz 4.0 provides one of the best Android Gingerbread experiences around. Sadly, we can't tell you if Ice Cream Sandwich will make it to the device though. Of course, the hardware of the device could have been a lot better - an extra CPU core would have made the device a lot more future proof. The same goes for its looks and retail package. The Samsung Rugby Smart's retail price is $99.99 with a two-year commitment on AT&T. You can easily find a dual-core Android device for this kind of cash. None of the options however, will be even remotely close to the Rugby Smart in terms of ruggedness.”

“The Rugby Smart is tough, fast, and slick. It has almost all the components you'd want in an Android smartphone, wrapped up in one sturdy package. The Samsung Rugby Smart is the best rugged smartphone available right now, making it our Editors' Choice..”

“Well, this is a pretty easy decision to make, really. Are you on AT&T? Do you cherish the ability to give your phone a beating over laying claim to top-shelf specs? Then pretty much your only option is the Rugby Smart. Even if you're free to pick whichever carrier you please, this is still probably the way to go if you're in the market for a ruggedized smartphone. Though the Commando does seem to stand up to abuse a bit better, its significantly chunkier design, even paltrier specs and egregiously customized take on Android make the Rugby Smart the clear champion. And, unless you absolutely need a QWERTY keyboard, we can't find a compelling reason to recommend the Admiral over this. That's not to say there aren't drawbacks, obviously. The performance is hardly brisk, and the modest screen might pose a challenge to the large callused hands for which this was clearly intended. Still, if you're looking for a smartphone you'll feel comfortable taking out in a hurricane, this is it.”

“If you're looking for a rugged handset, I highly suggest the Samsung Rugby Smart by AT&T. Its design is still thick compared with regular, more-fragile smartphones, but it's not overly cumbersome and doesn't look like an ugly rubber brick. Its responsive AMOLED screen makes graphics incredibly bright and crisp, and the camera comes with tons of features. Most importantly, the device does what it's supposed to do: take a tough beating and live to tell about it.”