Rugged

Ricoh's Theta 360-degree camera has come a long way since it first appeared in hammerhead concept form at CES 2013. Now the company has toughened up the panoramic immersion machine so it can get to work in extreme environments.

They're chunky and heavy, and not the most attractive handsets around. But rugged phones are designed to shake off abuse, while boasting huge batteries and useful tools. The latest model from Ulefone has all that in spades, plus pocket cinema chops.

Though slim is in as far as smartphones are concerned, they're probably not going to be the first choice for adventurous types. That's likely to be a multi-function rugged phone, such as the latest night-vision beast from FossiBot.

Oukitel has launched what it's calling as the world's first industrial-grade modular rugged phone, the WP300. It's seriously tough, but also the most fun I've had with a smartphone in a long time.

Rugged smartphone specialist Doogee has added a new model to its V Max family, which is pitched as the first starter-level flagship phone. As well as being a tough cookie, the handset packs a huge battery, 120-Hz screen and dual camping lights.

With the threat of a US ban looming over Chinese drone maker DJI, keen flyers throughout the land will likely be on the lookout for alternatives. Homegrown Ascent Aerosystems may have an answer with its somewhat oddball Helius.

The second of three rugged phones announced at CES 2025 in January has now been launched. Following a Kickstarter for the monstrous WP100 Titan, mobile tech brand Oukitel has revealed the direct-to-sale WP200 Pro – with a rather unusual feature.

Late last year, Chinese rugged device maker 8849 unleashed a beast of a tablet called the Tank Pad that boasted a powerful camplight and built-in pico projector. Now the Unihertz sub-brand has followed up with an adventure-ready power brick phone.

Mobile tech company Oukitel made a splash at CES last month with what's claimed to be the first 33,000-mAh rugged smartphone with a built-in projector. Now the WP100 Titan adventure toolkit has launched on Kickstarter.

Volvo's EX30 just got a glow-up that adventurous drivers will appreciate. The compact electric SUV's Cross Country variant gets a bunch of off-roady features, as well as a few styling updates to differentiate it from its city slicker sibling.

A UK-based company is on a mission to make goods haulage easier and cleaner for producers in developing nations. Now thanks to a multi-million-dollar deal, its electric-truck-as-a-service model is about to expand in Rwanda and neighboring regions.

A Chinese mobile tech company known for its rugged devices has launched what's claimed to be the world's first 5G rugged tablet that also packs a built-in DLP projector. The Tank Pad also features an 800-lumen light to brighten up camping adventures.