Summer is the perfect fun season for barbecuing, tanning, and swimming in the pool. But if your friends are anything like mine, you may find yourself unceremoniously thrown into the bottom of said pool with your smartphone in your pocket. And that, rest assured, is no fun.
Fortunately, the Kyocera Hydro XTRM (pronounced "extreme") from U.S. Cellular isn't only dustproof and shock-resistant, it's waterproof as well -- meaning it doesn't have to spend a night in a bowl full of uncooked rice in case it accidentally takes a dive in the ocean.
But even with its splashproof features and low $29.99 contract price, the Hydro XTRM isn't exactly the Michael Phelps of phones. Given its less-than-desirable call quality and mediocre camera, you should keep your options open for other handsets if waterproof capabilities aren't a necessity.
Design
Because the Kyocera Hydro XTRM fulfills certain military spec standards for shockproof capabilities, it has a bulkier build than that of most smartphones. I like its dark, faux-metallic edging that encircles the body, and while the rear's dimpled battery door isn't too attractive, the rubber exterior provides more friction and helps with grip.
Because the Kyocera Hydro XTRM fulfills certain military spec standards for shockproof capabilities, it has a bulkier build than that of most smartphones. I like its dark, faux-metallic edging that encircles the body, and while the rear's dimpled battery door isn't too attractive, the rubber exterior provides more friction and helps with grip.
The handset measures 4.88 inches tall, 2.52 inches wide, 0.42 inch thick, and it weighs 4.9 ounces. Within a few moments of holding the device in my hand, its heftiness was apparent, but after a short while, I stopped noticing its weight and it wasn't distracting at all.
The Hydro XTRM's waterproof capabilities mean you don't have to worry about it around the kitchen sink.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)
Located on the left edge is a volume rocker. The top edge features a sleep/power button and a 3.5mm headphone jack, and the bottom edge houses a Micro-USB port for charging. Neither port is covered by any plug or small door.
It sports a 4-inch IPS WVGA display with a 800x480-pixel resolution. Obviously, this isn't the touch screen of a top-tier smartphone (for example, you'll see a noticeable amount of "speckling" when viewing a blank white field). However, I had no problem viewing images or text, the display was aptly bright, and the screen was sensitive and responsive to the touch.
Above the display is a 1.3-megapixel camera. You'll notice that there is no in-ear speaker next to it. That's because the XTRM features Smart Sonic Receiver technology. This means that it uses a ceramic transducer inside to transmit audio via the hard tissue inside your ear.
On the back you'll find the camera and accompanying LED flash below it. Two small slits for the speaker sit to the left of the lens. Using a small indentation, you can pry off the battery door to access the microSD card slot, which accepts cards with capacities of up to 32GB, and the 2,000mAh battery. Considering the back plate needs to be sealed tight to keep out water, removing and reapplying it does require a bit of muscle.
Software features
The phone runs on Android 4.1.2 and comes with such Google mainstays as Chrome, Gmail, Plus, Maps with Navigation, Messenger, several Google Play apps, Search, Talk, and YouTube.
The phone runs on Android 4.1.2 and comes with such Google mainstays as Chrome, Gmail, Plus, Maps with Navigation, Messenger, several Google Play apps, Search, Talk, and YouTube.
Basic task management apps include a native browser and e-mail client, a calculator, a calendar, a clock with alarm functions, a music player, a news-and-weather app, a sound recorder, and a voice dialer.
Under the Settings menu, there's also a software feature called MaxiMZR. This lets you limit the data connection of apps running in the background to conserve battery life. There is also a MagniFont Mode option for those who want to improve text readability by increasing the font size one level larger than the "Extra Large" or "Huge" setting that is common on Android handsets.
Instead of having an in-ear speaker above the display, the XTRM uses a ceramic transducer inside to transmit sound waves.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)
Other apps include several from Amazon (for its retail site, Appstore, Amazon MP3, Kindle, Audible, and Zappos), the game Oregon Trail American (which is disappointingly nothing like the original), Slacker Radio, Twitter, ICE (which stores emergency contact info), and Eco Mode, a battery- and energy-conserving app.
There are also several apps specifically from U.S. Cellular, like City ID, Daily Perks (which notifies you of deals from the carrier), Wi-Fi Now, apps for getting ringtones and games, and a navigator app.
Additional features include Bluetooth 4.0 and 4GB of onboard storage.
Camera and video
The 5-megapixel camera has six photo sizes (ranging from 640x480 to 2,592x1,944 pixels), digital zoom, a flash, three focuses, six scene modes, geotagging, three image qualities, three auto exposures, five ISO levels, five white balances, and four color effects.
The 5-megapixel camera has six photo sizes (ranging from 640x480 to 2,592x1,944 pixels), digital zoom, a flash, three focuses, six scene modes, geotagging, three image qualities, three auto exposures, five ISO levels, five white balances, and four color effects.
The front-facing camera has all the same features except it only has four photo sizes (ranging from 640x480 to 1,280x960 pixels) and four ISO levels, and it doesn't have a flash or any scene modes.Video settings for the rear shooter include six video sizes (ranging from a 30-second MMS to 1080p HD), digital zoom, a flash, time lapse, and the same white balance, color effects, geotagging, and auto exposure settings. Recording options for the 1.3-megapixel camera are the same, except there are only three video sizes (from MMS to VGA), and there's no flash.
In this indoor image, you can see a notable amount of digital noise and the harsh back-lighting.
(Credit: Lynn La/CNET)
Even with a still hand, these flowers still look a bit blurry. But the colors are accurate.
(Credit: Lynn La/CNET)
In our standard studio shot, you can see the flash casts a blue hue onto the background.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)
Photo quality was respectable, but mediocre. Though you'll have no problem capturing your main image or a general scene, photos aren't as focused and clear, especially in dimmer lighting. And despite colors being true-to-life, dark hues are hard to distinguish from one another, edges aren't very well-defined, and you'll see some digital noise with your photographs.
Fortunately, recording video on 1080p yielded better results. Audio cam in clearly, and images were adequately sharp. Moving objects, like passing cars, remained in focus and colors were accurate. In addition, there was little lag between my moving of the camera and the feedback I saw on the viewfinder.
Performance
I tested the Kyocera Hydro XTRM in our San Francisco offices. Unfortunately, call quality was poor. Though none of my calls dropped and audio didn't clip in and out, throughout my calls, I could hear a continuous high-pitched tone. I could hear this sound while someone talked and during times of absolute silence. Voices also came off scratchy, and I was told I sounded muffled and staticky as well. And while audio speaker sounded great and full of depth with music, phone calls sounded a bit harsh and tinny.
I tested the Kyocera Hydro XTRM in our San Francisco offices. Unfortunately, call quality was poor. Though none of my calls dropped and audio didn't clip in and out, throughout my calls, I could hear a continuous high-pitched tone. I could hear this sound while someone talked and during times of absolute silence. Voices also came off scratchy, and I was told I sounded muffled and staticky as well. And while audio speaker sounded great and full of depth with music, phone calls sounded a bit harsh and tinny.
Kyocera Hydro XTRM (U.S. Cellular) call quality sample
Listen now:
Because we don't have U.S. Cellular's 4G LTE coverage here, I browsed the Internet using the carrier's 3G roaming network. On average, data speeds were glacial. CNET's mobile site loaded in a minute and 38 seconds and our desktop site, oddly, took less time, a minute and 20 seconds. The New York Times' mobile site took about 27 seconds, while its desktop version took 2 minutes and 30 seconds. ESPN's mobile site took 34 seconds, and its full site loaded in a minute and 52 seconds. Ookla's Speedtest app showed me an average of 0.1Mbps down and 0.13Mbps up. It took a whopping 30 minutes and 32 seconds to download the 32.41MB game Temple Run 2.
| Kyocera Hydro XTRM | Performance testing |
|---|---|
| Average 3G download speed | 0.1Mpbs |
| Average 3G upload speed | 0.13Mbps |
| App download (Temple Run 2) | 32.41MB in 30 minutes and 32 seconds |
| CNET mobile site load | 1 minute and 38 seconds |
| CNET desktop site load | 1 minute and 20 seconds |
| Restart time | 48 seconds |
| Camera boot time | 1.66 seconds |
The device is powered by a dual-core Snapdragon 1.2GHz processor. At times, it can be slow. It takes a few moments for it to switch from landscape to portrait mode and vice versa, and for it to unlock the home screen. In general, however, it has no problem carrying out daily but necessary tasks like opening up simple apps, returning to the home pages, or scrolling through Web sites. On average, it took about 48 seconds to reboot the phone, and 1.66 seconds to launch the camera.
As for its water resistance, the handset is certainly waterproof, and it can reportedly be submerged in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. Our review unit survived multiple dunkings, 30 minutes completely submerged in a shallow bowl, and sitting inside a running shower for 20 minutes. Furthermore, I knocked it down a flight of cement stairs a few times. While that resulted in a lot of scuffs and scratches, the handset itself still kept on ticking and the touch screen didn't crack.
Although I have yet to conduct our battery drain test, anecdotally, it has a decent battery life. It has a reported talk time of up to 12.4 hours. Though it couldn't last the weekend on standby, with minimal usage, it can survive a workday without a charge. According to FCC radiation standards, it has a digital SAR rating of 1.27W/kg.
Conclusion
Currently, the Kyocera Hydro XTRM is U.S. Cellular's only waterproof handset. So if you want absolute peace of mind the next time you're at the beach or a pool party, the phone will surely survive any splashes coming its way. In addition, compared with the water-resistant Alcatel One Touch Shockwave and the Motorola Defy XT, it has 4G LTE, more internal storage, and a more powerful processor -- all at a reasonable $30 contract price.
Currently, the Kyocera Hydro XTRM is U.S. Cellular's only waterproof handset. So if you want absolute peace of mind the next time you're at the beach or a pool party, the phone will surely survive any splashes coming its way. In addition, compared with the water-resistant Alcatel One Touch Shockwave and the Motorola Defy XT, it has 4G LTE, more internal storage, and a more powerful processor -- all at a reasonable $30 contract price.
However, if having a waterproof device isn't a priority, consider the carrier's more higher-tiered devices like the reliable LG Optimus F7 (which is only $20 more), or the stylish Motorla Electrify M. The M only has a water-resistant screen, but it has a bigger, more vivid display and a longer battery life.
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