Phones with names that give no indication about what they do are pretty commonplace. Such is not the case, however, with the Motorola Brute i680, a clamshell handset that's every bit as rugged as its moniker implies.
Physically, it's impossible to mistake the Brute as anything but a durable device. The bulky chassis, industrial looks and thick skin pretty much give it away. As you may expect, it has a very solid feel in hand and survives drops with nary a scratch.
It sports two displays, a 1.3-inch external LCD (120 x 160 pixels of resolution) and a 2.2-inch internal screen (176 x 220 pixels). Both come in color and are sufficiently bright. Resolution is a bit lacking for both, but it will do for most common tasks. Unlike many durable phones, both the navigation array and keypads are comfortably raised, making them easy to use.
As a phone, the Brute manages excellent calls, living up to the level of reliability we've come to expect from handsets on Nextel's network. Quality is admirable, with clear audio, strong volume and natural-sounding voices. Speakerphone performance is similarly topnotch. Battery life is rated at 5.8 hours, which should make for two days or more of regular handling.
Being a Nextel device, it comes with the company's range of Direct Connect PTT services, such as Direct Talk, Group Connect and International Direct Connect. Basic features include a 600-contact phone book, regular messaging capabilities (SMS and MMS), PIM tools, stereo Bluetooth and aGPS (using Sprint's Telenav).
The 2.0 megapixel camera is fitted with a good amount of editing options, producing average-quality shots. It comes with flash, which also doubles as a rather good torch light. The music player is rather basic, but quality is decent. Other features include a WAP browser and microSD card expansion (up to 8GB).
Overall, the Motorola Brute i680 isn't a flashy phone, but it delivers where it matters most: topnotch call quality. The array of extra features and durable properties make it a well-rounded handset too. Priced at $119 (with Nextel's service), it's makes for an excellent value.
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