What on Earth is the Panasonic FZ-T1?

HARDHAT HANDSET

Rugged gadgets that can survive the rough-and-ready lifestyle of a construction site are usually bulky, heavy and even more unpleasant to look at than Alan Sugar’s tweets. Panasonic’s new FZ-T1 smartphone, though, fits snugly in one hand and is surprisngly lightweight weiging less than 240g.

TOUGH EXTERIOR

There’s been no compromise in terms of ruggedness here either, with IP68 water and dust resistance as well as tempered glass that can withstand a drop up to 1.5 metres without cracking. But what’s the point in being so tough if it’s as feature-loaded as a paperweight?

FASTER THAN YOU’D THINK

Fortunately, this handheld device has Android Oreo on board, a Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor and a 5in HD display for quick Netflix binges during your lunch break.

A SCANNER DARKLY

Business folk will no doubt be glad to know there’s a barcode reader built in too, while the 12-hour battery life should outlast even the most gruelling work shifts.

TOUGHBOOK, TOUGHER PRICE

You’ll want to make sure the money’s coming out of your company’s pocket for the T1 however, as the Wi-Fi-only version will cost over $1,000 once it’s available in August. And if you want 4G included, you’ll have to wait until September and stump up even more cash. It pays to be tough, apparently.