Ruggedized Cell Phones Put to the Test

Ruggedized cellphones are typically designed to comply with Military Specification 810F, able to withstand light shocks, short falls and splashes. But just how far can they go? We took three and pushed them way beyond their spec sheet to approximate real-life mishaps—if real life was a demolition derby run by Navy SEALs. For the phones, it proved to be a one-way trip to PMs lab.