Casio G'zOne Boulder Review
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The G’zOne series of phones are unlike any other found in the U.S. market, and the new Boulder steps up the game. Known for their rugged nature- the phone meets Mil Spec 810F standards for water, shock and dust- the Boulder brings new innovations like a digital compass and flashlight feature that would provide useful to the outdoors crowd. It also runs over Verizon’s EVDO Rev. A network, and along with the Motorola Adventure launches their second generation Push-to-Talk service.
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Included in the box you’ll find:
- 800mAh Lithium Ion battery
- AC Adapter with charging cradle
- Splitter for 2.5mm headset and charging
- Customizable ring
- Device lock tool
The G’zOne line has never been known for its size, but the Boulder does a good job of becoming a bit more compact. Gone is the unsightly antenna, and the phone dips below the 1” mark in thickness.
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You can compare the Casio G'zOne Boulder with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.
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The left side features a small PTT key near the top, with a volume rocker and multi-function key below. When the flip is closed the key activates the compass with a press and hold. When opened a press initiates voice command and press and hold records a voice note. The right side is button-less, and has only the covered microSD slot at the top. On the bottom the charging/data/headset port is covered to ensure water resistance. The back of the phone features a locking mechanism that holds the battery in place. Flanking the lock are speaker cutouts, though only the one on the right is functional.
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Left Side | Right Side |
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As you’d expect from a Mil Spec phone the Boulder is built to the highest quality. Though constructed of plastic, the fit and finish are excellent and we have no misgivings about the phone’s long-term durability. The overall in-hand feel is pretty good, though it is a bit on the thick side. The black of the black and silver version is soft touch paint, which makes for a much better feel than the hard plastic found on the orange variant. The internal antenna makes the phone feel a lot smaller than previous G’zOne iterations, and it is indeed lighter this time around. With the bold design lines we prefer the orange version aesthetically; black and silver just look too plain for a phone of this nature.
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Verizon Wireless G'zOne Boulder
- Specifications
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- Review 5.5/10
- User Reviews (69) 5.8/10
25 Comments
1. (unregistered) posted on 20 Oct 2010, 01:55 0 0
thanks! although it doesnt look as a good phone being so rugged is so coool!
19. (unregistered) posted on 07 Oct 2008, 21:04 0 0
yeah rugged is cool your right..but would you rather have a phone you need to charge everyday maybe even several times during that same day or one that isnt water proof but holds batterylife more than 2.5 hours talk time.and if you want to use the compass or stop watch forget about making calls for the rest of the day.like everyone else i was attracted to all the features of this phone.which actually suck and make me doubt the claims...i took this thing out in driving rain..just because i could...three days later i was at verizon getting a replacement because the previous one had gone awry..similar to other phones not water proof i had dropped in some sort of moisture. non speaker phone calls are bascially unreadable and speaker phone is rather ineffective unless you cup your hand around the speaker to help reverberate the sound. PTT is comparable to nextell even tho ive never had the service myself i know many people who have, and from what i can hear it is similar.in conclusion i give this phone a 3 out of 10, if youd rather sacrafice every aspect of a phone being considered good for the lame fact its water proof, if not find yourself a different phone..i know i am
2. (unregistered) posted on 22 Aug 2008, 15:56 0 0
exept vzw's evdo/rev A service is many times larger than nextels total coverage, where even in flat florida (where revA is 100% of coverage), nextell still has major dead spots/zones/citys. There is a software update availible (OTA Download) for the boulder that fixes the voice issues and some of the PTT drop issues. If you dont need the waterproof, the moto Adventure seems to be a better overal phone for voice/battery/ and PTT. Its still ruggedized, just not waterproof. Companies are leaving in droves and getting off of Nextels shabby service and grabbing the PTT on verizon. Most companies only talk to their own emp's on PTT. And in the end, PTT may still be slightly better on nextel, but the overall quality is horrible, especially if you just want to make a call.
7. VZWGuy22 (unregistered) posted on 22 Aug 2008, 21:43 0 0
as a former sprint nee nextel employee and a current vzw one, i can tell you that companies are not leaving nextel, in droves or otherwise. they most definitely do not just talk to their own employees, ptt is like a blue collar business subculture. also, the service is terrible. i dont know why we keep putting out ptt solutions, as the review said as long as nextel is in business no one else will ever be successful with ptt
8. vzwemp (unregistered) posted on 23 Aug 2008, 11:17 0 0
i work here in FL, and companies are jumping the nextell ship as fast as they can. Heck, they were trying to do it long before the new VZPTT, but couldnt get rid of the service. its sad that in a major city like jacksonville, that they cant even keep service in large parts of the city. No, its not as solid as nextell's ptt, as its their only service of value. The software update on the boulder fixes some of the sound/ptt issues. Its not the service, its the phone. Again, the moto750 has much better call quality and less issues, but lacks the waterproofing.
12. VZWGuy22 (unregistered) posted on 23 Aug 2008, 23:01 0 0
im glad youre drinking the kool aid, but the service is terrible. i was there when ptt launched, i was then with nextel, and now im back when its relaunched on vzw and its just as awful as ever. ive used the adventure much more than the boulder, and its still unacceptable. that fact that were charging people an extra five bucks for this is laughable. we should be paying them to use it.
16. sprintbeast (unregistered) posted on 26 Aug 2008, 09:01 0 0
You don't gave a full grasp of what you are attempting to comment on. I am feeling your loyal to vz but you need an unbiased opinion. Check out the bottom of this article from this websitehttp://www.phonearena.com/htmls/Casio-GzOne-Boulder-Review-review-r_1999-p_3.html
17. C-Chicki posted on 07 Sep 2008, 16:36 0 0
Actually my father still maintains his contract with Nextel and I still retain one of their phones along with my Alltel and AT&T. I live in Jacksonville and I used to live in St.Augustine. Jacksonville was never much of an issue with me. St.Augustine though had NO service in so many parts. I couldnt even use my phone within 5 miles of my house. It was horid. Westside I never had a problem, neither did I in the South and Northside. Where are these major gasps in Jacksonville you are talking about?
3. (unregistered) posted on 22 Aug 2008, 16:21 0 0
is it really that bad? this phone looked very attractive to me.
11. (unregistered) posted on 23 Aug 2008, 18:35 0 0
I feel like the reviewer has a vzw chip in his shoulder to be honest...
4. M (unregistered) posted on 22 Aug 2008, 16:47 0 0
I wish they'd release a GSM version of this handset, the only couple of rugged handsets available don't look as nice as this one!
5. (unregistered) posted on 22 Aug 2008, 17:17 0 0
It sounds much worse than they're admitting here. It is the worst-sounding phone I've ever used -- and I've had cellphone with Verizon for nine years.
21. SportBarbie (unregistered) posted on 21 Oct 2008, 02:05 0 0
Agreed. I have always had Motorolas and been very happy. Even washed my startac and it kept working. Left it in the rain and it kept working. The Casio sound (receiving only) is so bad I couldn't understand any of my voice mail or home messages and half the words from friends. I tried it in two very different states and in extremely varying conditions (mountain, ocean, city, etc) and it was consistently bad. The update (OTA) was not available but I am curious whether it worked or not. I would recommend this phone 100% if only the receiving sound was understandable. For active people, it is PERFECT ~ except they don't take into account the large growing number of females who would like a phone like this that doesn't look like they borrowed it from their boyfriend. Waiting patiently for the 4th generation.
6. (unregistered) posted on 22 Aug 2008, 20:08 0 0
How many ptt subs does v have, reading this review doesn't put thier service in a good light seems rather dim if you ask me
9. (unregistered) posted on 23 Aug 2008, 12:52 0 0
To post 8, do you really think companies that leave will stay if the ptt works like the review says with only 2 1/2 phones, only vzw to communicate with and sub par service. When Sprint finalizes group and international there will be nothing else to be said
10. WHaaa? (unregistered) posted on 23 Aug 2008, 16:13 0 0
All that is meaningless when the company is on its deathbead. They will leave because they do not want to sign another 2 years with a bloated corpse.
15. sprintbeast (unregistered) posted on 26 Aug 2008, 08:55 0 0
"company on its deathbed"??? Sprint generates billions in revenue! You vz buttboys are incredible. Sprint will be around for a long time, probably longer than vz's push-to-wait service.
13. (unregistered) posted on 24 Aug 2008, 01:33 0 0
VZWGuy22, I never thought I would see a post that wasn't opinionated or biased towards the red in some way, very refreshing I must say
14. (unregistered) posted on 24 Aug 2008, 01:35 0 0
Clarifying the last statement, post by red subs or employees
18. g'zone boulder (unregistered) posted on 12 Sep 2008, 11:56 0 0
don't buy this phone if you enjoying hearing the people youre talking to. call quality is horrible
