Energizer Hard Case H280S: A KaiOS-powered blower that can withstand a few knocks Energizer is best known as the battery maker that isn't Duracell. Few, however, are aware of the Energizer phone brand, which today announced its latest effort – the KaiOS-powered Hard Case H280S. Although the Hard Case H280S sounds like it could be a cyborg Millwall supporter, it's actually a rugged handset resembling a …
This is some nice background but has the author actually held the phone and used it?
I'm intrigued by KaiOS (and open source GerdaOS) but what I've read about devices using it so far is negative, mainly on usability factors like button press, navigation, readability of displays, etc. For all I know Energizer may have put in the time to fix all those, if so please include that in the article.
My problems (with another KaiOS phone) have been VoLTE hampered by tinny sound; Google Assistant has been great; Google Maps is reassuring to have; apparently there's a big problem with WhatsApp in that while the version in principle supports recorded voice messages (and not WhatsApp calls as such), pressing the mic button to record calls up Google Assistant and shuts down WhatsApp.... it's causing a lot of users to tear their hair out. The App Store makes the Symbian app store look good by comparison - although there's a nice internet radio app (not many stations though the maker charmingly invites you to email in your requests to add your favourite).
It would be interesting to have a price for this phone.The equivalent HMD Nokia (as in, almost identical in every respect) 800 Tough seems a little expensive at around £110 at most places, for example Clove, which is slightly odd given that the other two phones in Nokia's KaiOS range, both of which seem to have identical electronics but differing form factors, the 2720 flip and the 8110 slider are cheaper at around £90 and £60 respectively, though the latter is getting hard to find.
I see that Energiser does a basic KaiOS phone with similar specification for £38 but it doesn't seem to be widely available. CAT does a ruggedised KaiOS phone at around £90.
I may be wrong, but all KaiOS phones seem to be built to the same reference hardware. In that case, cost differences are down to the badge on the front and any differences in case design.
I'm tempted by a rugged phone that will survive a few knocks but which has 4G and hotspot capabilities so I could use it for mobile access on a tablet or laptop, but it's an edge case, and when even Nokia do some very good specification Android handsets under £120 - for example the 4.2, it is a little difficult to justify.
M.
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