First Direct Connect push-to-talk CDMA phones announced by Sprint, and they are rugged

Kyocera DuraCore and Kyocera DuraMax are the first Direct Connect handsets that allow you to use the beloved PTT service on CDMA handsets. We've experienced a few moments when push-to-talk proved indispensable, like in New York during the 2003 blackout, when Nextel subscribers were chatting freely with friends and relatives, unlike the rest of the cell phones services which mostly went down.

The two PTT CDMA handsets will be launched in the last quarter of the year, followed by one Motorola phone. Kyocera DuraCore and Kyocera DuraMax both have color displays - 2" internal and external - as well as Bluetooth connectivity, full duplex speakers and 2.5mm audio jacks. The Kyocera DuraMax supports up to 32GB microSD cards (1GB included) and also has a 3.2MP camera.

Both phones are rugged, with the rubberized Dura-Grip, and comply with military standards for dust, shock and vibration. The Kyocera DuraMax also adds waterproof body, which can withstand three feet immersion for up to 30 minutes.

The rugged Direct Connect handsets will surely be appreciated by PTT fans, and international push-to-talk is coming next year, all the while Sprint winds down its iDEN network, until it shuts it down completely in 2013.

source: Sprint