The phone cannot, however, be used underwater.Īlso note that while the Hydro can withstand fresh water, Kyocera warns against taking it into a chlorinated pool or salt water. Sure enough, as soon as we wiped off the display, we were using the phone again without an issue. We tested the Hydro's capabilities by dunking it in a vase filled with water for 15 minutes while still turned on. A rubber gasket surrounds the phone's microUSB port cover. To help ensure the Hydro keeps water out, Kyocera added rubber gaskets to the back panel that are clamped shut by a locking mechanism. It has an IPX5 certification for waterproofing against water jets and an IPX7 certification for waterproofing while submerged. Kyocera says the phone can withstand up to a meter of water for upward of 30 minutes. The SIM card can't be removed unless you first yank out the battery.Click to EnlargeThe main draw of the Kyocera Hydro is the fact that it can take a dip and shrug off the moisture. The memory card can be pulled without removing the battery, but it's rather tricky. The SIM card and microSD memory cards are built into a stack with the memory card positioned on top of the SIM card. The gasket that keeps water from entering the battery cavity - and the rest of the phone - is built into the cover, which needs to be pushed firmly into place to form a good seal. The battery cover peels off pretty easily, especially considering that the device is water resistant. I held it under a running faucet for a bit, pressed it to my sweaty face after mowing the lawn, and let my neighbor's dog lick it. It can also handle blowing rain, sweat, and high humidity. I submerged the Vibe in several common household liquids and it rested comfortably in each with no problems. That's good, because of course most people drop phones into water on accident, not after careful preparation. You don't have to worry about making sure everything is perfectly sealed up (well, except for the battery cover). That means there's nothing protecting the microUSB port, which is on the bottom, nor the headphone jack, which is on the top. Like more and more devices that offer this feature, the Vibe is free of hatches and plugs. It can sit in 1 meter (a little more than 3 feet) of water for up to 30 minutes. It is easy to find, but I wish travel and feedback were slightly better. The same goes for the dedicated camera button on the right edge of the phone. It has an excellent profile, but travel and feedback felt a bit mushy to me. The lock button is located on the top edge of the Vibe. I do wish it were easier to tell apart the two directions, though, as the entire button is only about an inch long. It has a reasonably good profile and isn't too hard to find in a hurry. The volume toggle is on the left edge of the phone. The dedicated buttons (back, home, multitask) work well and offer haptic feedback. Kyocera's logo and three dedicated capacitive buttons are the only elements that interrupt the otherwise jet-black glass panel. This rim makes for a stark edge between the front and side surfaces. Glass makes up 99% of the front surface, the rest of which is composed of a thin rim circling the screen to provide some protection for the glass. It is perhaps a bit thicker (front-to-back) than I'd like it to be, but that doesn't mean you'll have any trouble carrying it around in a pocket. The size and weight are quite comfortable. Nothing about the Vibe is loose, and seams are fitted together perfectly. The assembly of the device is quite good. The glossy glass front surface feels fine under the thumb, but the textured battery cover befits the device's low price point. In all, the Vibe wears typical trade dress for a Kyocera handset.Īs is common with Kyocera handsets, the materials are good, but not of the highest quality. The front face is black, and I'd call the back surface a dark, dark gray. The Vibe is a black slab with few distinctive design elements. It's shorter than the HTC One mini 2, for example, but wider and thicker than an iPhone 5s. The Vibe is fairly compact and somewhat conservative. The Vibe is not ruggedized to protect against drops, but it can handle a short bath with no problem. The Hydro Vibe is the latest in Kyocera's line of water-resistant devices - a feature Kyocera decided is worth using to differentiate its products from the competition. Whether you have butter fingers or spend a lot of time near the water, the Hydro Vibe is worth considering. The Hydro Vibe is a budget-minded Android smartphone that can survive a dunk in the drink. Kyocera has carved a nice niche for itself by placing a priority on waterproofing devices.
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