Those who need a phone to wander around with impunity in flammable gasses, vapors or dust can find what they need to talk today on Sprint, where the Motorola i365IS has recently landed. The carrier added the new “intrinsically safe” push-to-talk phone in its lineup on Friday.
The intrinsic safety standard was developed for situations where fuel and oxygen are present in the atmosphere, like during fuel transfers, necessitating that they’re incapable of producing a spark to set off an explosion. Manufacturers use ultra-low-voltage batteries and special components to ensure that devices, like the i365IS, can’t produce enough heat or electricity to supply that spark.
As a workplace phone, it also includes push-to-talk capability with group talk for addressing up to four people at a time, and an emergency tone that can override all other phone functions to let a crew know when there’s trouble. It’s also built into a rugged monolith case that passes military specifications for humidity, blowing rain, dust, shock and vibration resistance.
Sprint hasn’t yet announced pricing information for the phone, but the non-intrinsically-safe version goes for $90 after a $150 rebate, with two-year contract.
