Some time ago TELUS shipped me one of their Motorola Mike Brute i680 devices. It’s a ruggedized device that is Military Spec certified against things like rain, shock, salt, fog and more, this bad-boy is indeed, a BRUTE. A grey rubberized coating adds to the toughness of this rough little flip phone. After having spent some time with it I’d like to share my thoughts with you. Is it really that TOUGH? Will it take a beating? How about size, is the thing just too big? Keep reading after the jump for all the details.
What’s in the Box
Want to take a quick look inside the box? Let’s do that. Below is a look at what you’ll find in the TELUS Mike Brute i680 packaging:
- Of course, first is the i680 handset
- wall plug-in charger
- 1 extra capacity battery with battery cover
- 1 holster/belt clip
- 64k Mike Smart Card package
- a quickstart guide
One important thing to note… Out of the box the battery and battery cover are NOT installed. You’ll need to insert your SIM, then your battery, and THEN the battery cover to get started. But before you power up, it’s probably a good idea to charge-up your battery for the first time as well.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Definitely rugged, can withstand almost anything you throw at it
- Rubberized shell feels nice in the hand
- Flip form factor definitely a plus
Cons:
- It is a tad heavy (not a huge deal)
- Light on features
- Would liked to have seen a 3.5mm headset jack
Key Spec Breakdown
Here’s a quick look at the Mike Brute i680 by the numbers:
Antenna: Internal
Dimensions: 3.92″ x 2.09″ x 1.02″
Headset Jack: 2.5mm
Form Factor: Flip/Clamshell
Side Keys: Yes
Weight: 160 grams
Battery Type: Lithium Ion
Battery Talk Time: 5.8 hrs
Primary Internal Display: 176×220 (2.2″)
Secondary External Display: 120×160 (1.3″)
Camera: 2.0MP, with video capture, self-timer, geo-tagging, white balance, exposure and LED Flash
GPS: Yes
Media Player: Yes, MP3, AAC, WMA, WAV, MP4 and more (complete listing below!)
Bluetooth: 2.1 + EDR
Java Apps: Yes
Memory Card Slot: microSD
USB Port: Yes (microUSB)
Web Browser: Yes
Phone Book: Yes, 1200 contact capacity
Push-to-Talk (PTT): Yes
Hardware
Out of the box, the first thing you’re going to be struck by is the obvious grey color of the protective outer shell. While I’m sure Motorola could have made this almost any color they liked, there’s something about it that is very pleasing. It gives off a rugged, ‘rubberized’ kind of vibe. Something you no doubt want in a built-to-last device. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of using an OtterBox case in your travels, you may draw some similarities. The outer silicone shell on a typical OtterBox is somewhat like the rubberized shell on the i680.
Once you pick up the i680, you’ll also immediately notice how it feels in the hand. The rubberized molding gives a secure and almost soft feel in the hand. There’s a nice texture to it for sure, giving you extra confidence and grip to ensure you don’t drop the thing. And hey, if you DO drop it, that’s ok.. The Mike Brute i680 is Military Spec certified against shock… as well as blowing rain, dust, vibration, extreme temperatures, salt, fog, humidity, extreme sunlight and much more. One thing to keep in mind however, is to make sure you keep your battery door attached and LOCKED, plus check the audio jack and microUSB doors. Make sure everything is sealed up properly to ensure optimal rain, dust, humidity, etc… protection. Got it? Good!
Upon opening the ‘flip’ hinge for the first time, you’ll notice how snappy the darn thing is. There’s lots of tension in the flip mechanism, and this is no doubt done on purpose. A tight fit here helps keep dirt and debris out and away from the screen and keypad inside.
Overall, build quality and fit-and-finish are tight on this one… as it should be. Any ruggedized device should be ‘buttoned-up’ real nice to protect from damage… and I’m pleased to say the i680 gets two thumbs up in this department. There’s no ‘creaking’, everything fits and works well, and the weight/bulk of the device truly lends itself to a quality build.
Form Factor and Ruggedness
I’ve always been a fan of clamshell/flip phones for featurephones. If all you need is a basic phone, with some standard apps and contact management within, nothing beats flipping your device closed and tossing it in your pocket. The Brute i680 allows for just that.
Granted, even when you flip this one closed, it isn’t exactly ‘tiny’… But you have to keep in mind this is a ruggedized device, so it’s a trade-off. It’s heavier and a tad bulkier, so naturally you’re going to have a little extra size to deal with. For me, this wasn’t that big of an issue. Just throw the darn thing down, use the included holster, or tuck it away in a pocket (it’s not THAT big!).
Now, I can’t say I put the device to any ULTIMATE tests, but I did put it through a few small tests… and yes, it passed every one. First, I played catch with it. The neighbor’s kid and I grabbed our ball gloves and tossed it around. Sure, we dropped it a few times (ok, some on purpose), but thankfully no damage. I also left the phone outside overnight. There was a bit of a rain, but no worries, the i680 was working just fine-and-dandy when I picked it up in the morning. Last, and perhaps the most practical test, I brought the i680 with me to help finish a friends’ basement. We were doing drywall… if you’ve ever worked with drywall before you’ll know how dirty and dusty things can get! Again, after 2 days of putting up drywall, mudding and taping and SANDING… no worries, the i680 came through in the clutch and performed just as well as it did going in.
Software
The software and OS preloaded onto the i680 is a ‘proprietary’ Motorola build, and it’s basic for sure… But provides most of the necessary functionality those seeking a rugged feature phone will need. Inside you’ll find the following apps and features:
Recent calls: provides a quick history, and easy re-dial of missed calls
Contacts manager: Add, edit and manage contacts on-the-go.
Messages: Manage your email, plus listen to and delete voice messages as they come in.
Web browser: Pull up your favorite websites as you need to.
Multimedia player: Allows you to view images, play music and watch videos. You can also trigger the built-in camera to take pictures or videos right from the phone.
Alarm Clock: Setup daily alarms when you need them.
Profiles: A built-in profiler has 6 presets including standard, vibration, in-car, browser, phone only and dc only. You can add new profiles as needed.
Bluetooth: Pair your headset or other Bluetooth devices to your i680 using this setup tool.
Memo: Take down quick notes with this handy memo pad.
My Location (GPS): Use this handy app to find your current location, set waypoings, view maps, pull up a compass, or even find ‘buddies’ .
The TELUS Mike Brute i680 comes with enhanced PTT (Push To Talk) capabilities. One Touch PTT can be configured to perform any of the following actions:
Last call: call the most recent ID or group from your recent calls list
Assigned number: call an ID you assign
Send message: go to an empty message screen, where you can begin composition of a new message.
PTT can also be configured to send a picture, event, your info, a contact or even your current location.
One more feature built-in to the software is something called ‘Mike Talk Around’. With this, you can make and receive two-way radio calls WITHOUT network coverage. Awesome for the job site or when you’re traveling outside of coverage area… for all intents and purposes this turns your i680 ‘fleet’ into a bunch of walkie talkies! Range on this feature does vary depending on terrain and conditions, but it’s pretty awesome.
Web browsing, Multimedia, Camera and Video
Need to browse the web? Well, I hope you’re prepared for a lackluster experience. The i680 does indeed have a web browser, but with such a small screen, and a ‘proprietary OS’ with very little in the way of web browsing features… If you’ve ever used an iPhone or any number of today’s smartphones, you’re going to be underwhelmed. That said, if pulling up basic info is all you need in your web browser, the one on the i680 is more than capable… Just don’t expect to be streaming video, pulling up hi-res images and interacting with the websites you see on the 2.2″ display. It’s not going to happen.
The i680 does an admirable job at trying to handle many media formats. You can use it to listen to music, take a look at images, and even watch video. The OS makes it easy to navigate to and from and through all of your media… once you get a hand of the directional pad and navigational features you should be well on your way. Supported file types on the i680 include AAC, AMR, H.263, H.264, iMelody, MP3, WAV, WMA, AU, AAC+, WMV v9, MIDI and Real Audio.
The camera you find in the i680 is 2MP, comes with a 4x digital zoom, flash, and is fixed-focus. Nothing too crazy here, but for all of your basic on-the-go photo needs, it certainly fits the bill. If you need to take some short video, it can handle that too! Video is taken at 15 fps, with a max resolution of 352×268. Small video for sure, but for a rugged flip phone, not too shabby at all.
Call Quality and Battery Life
No qualms here. For everyday use, the call quality was always crystal clear. Granted, I wasn’t usually in a busy place, but actually, at one point during my ‘hands-on’ I took it into a bowling alley to meet some friends. I’d say it was fairly loud in there… and YES, I took a call while inside. No issues with sound quality while in amongst the crashing pins and clinking beer bottles!
Battery life is solid as well. It’s got a Lithium Ion battery, with a posted talk time of up to 5.8 hours. Granted, I didn’t come close to pushing the battery to its limits with 5.8 hours of talk time… But I did talk, and I did fiddle with the OS quite a bit too. With regular use I only needed to charge this bad boy up once every 3 or 4 days. Sure, I know the battery life will tail off after regular use, but out-of-the-box I was quite happy with the battery. Two thumbs up.
Conclusions and Final Thoughts
Overall, the TELUS Motorola Brute i680 does what it is built to do. It’s rugged, takes a beating, and works as a rough-and-tumble phone for on-the-job needs. If you’re looking for a smartphone, look elsewhere. If you’re in construction, or need a device with phone functionality, a smattering of basic apps, and a ruggedized shell that can take a hit… the TELUS Motorola Brute i680 is an ideal addition to toss on the passenger seat of your truck.
For more information on the Motorola Mike Brute i680 from TELUS, hit up their website, or visit noordinaryphone.com… Be sure to check out a little image gallery below as well. Enjoy!
