Kyocera DuraForce
Phone Scoop Review
Feb 24, 2015 by Eric M. Zeman
The DuraForce is a rugged handset from Kyocera that can survive a significant amount of abuse without blinking. It's worth a look if you need a durable Android smartphone. read review ›
User Reviews
Average Ratings
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Avoid this phone
Carrier: AT&T
As a current owner of this phone, I recommend you AVOID IT AT ALL COSTS!!
Why?
It didn't take long before the company forced an update on me and took away everything I liked. I can't even use their music player to play my own music now. I have to use google play which is taking my data. I have my music on my SD card but I am required to pay extra to listen to it!
I just found out I can no longer send photos in my text messages anymore.
One thing I liked was multiple screens on the lock screen so I could access things like my flashlight ASAP. I also had the compass and barometer on the lock screen. Now it is a horrible lock screen that can't even be personalized.
AVOID THIS PHONE AND COMPANY!! They don't care about you at all! If I could get rid of it, I would!
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shattered after 6 inch fall
Carrier: AT&T
This rugged phone's screen shattered from a 6 to 8 inch fall. ATT sold it to me after I told them I needed a tough phone since I was in construction. They said the duraforce was the one. I asked to buy a case and screen protector and they said they didn't sell them because this phone was unbreakable. Ten days after I bought it I was down on my hands and knees reaching under a shelf, the phone slid out of my top pocket, fell less than a foot, and the screen is shattered. I've dropped my cheap flip-phone from the roof of a two story building and it survived, but my new Duraforce shattered from a short drop. Even though I bought insurance, my deductible is $125. Disappointing to buy this phone and have it break from a small drop.
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Kyocera DuraForce
Carrier: AT&T
I am really pleased with this phone. I've only had it for a few days but I have no problems with it at all. I'm not a fan of the trend to make phones as thin as a dime and light as a feather. The trade off for this type of design is a flimsy device. Take for example the Iphone 6+ which you can bend. Being an electronics technician that just doesn't work for me. My last phone was a Samsung Galaxy S3. Thin I guess until I put an Otterbox case on it for protection. That made it about as thick as the DuraForce.
I have run it under water in the sink and it still works. I haven't thrown it around to test it but you can tell by the feel it isn't going to shatter if you drop it. It might break your toe but you'll still get a dial tone.
There is a button where you can switch a call to speakerphone, a very nice feature. And by the way, the speakers on this phone are LOUD when you turn it up.
You can use it with gloves on but the gloves need to fit pretty well. My floppy work gloves didn't work but some with a better fit worked when I gave the screen a good jab with my finger.
The 3100 ma battery is awesome. I charged it and used it for 24 hours and it was down to 66%. I don't use the phone constantly like some people seem to. I don't stream music or videos. I think if you do that and expect the battery to last a long time you are in the weeds.
I have it weighing 7.15 oz naked and 8.8oz with the holster.
This isn't the phone for the skinny jeans set. If you are really active, work in the trades or just want a tough, reliable piece of gear this is the set for you.
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Great Phone
Carrier: US Cellular
I have the Kyocera DuraForce , and I enjoy it very much . I'm eligible for an upgrade from US Cellular , but have decided to remain loyal to my DuraForce . It has excellent speaker quality , and it had many features that I enjoy , like it's ruggedness . The only drawback I have is their are too many pre loaded apps , which drains the battery .
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Worthless
Carrier: AT&T
This phone is absolute junk. Too many glitches to list.Don't buy this phone.
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You'll Be Dissappointed
Carrier: US Cellular
This phone has all of the ruggedness aspects that I want and need. It shortfall is in the software and the fact that you can't lock the settings that you have chosen.
So as is sits in your pocket, it will arbitrarily change your time zone, change the clock to a 24 hr clock, lose or change your alarms, go into airplane mode so you miss calls, plus another handful of annoying changes. Restoring all of these settings requires multiple strokes & selections for each.
It will take you 20 minutes to restore all of your settings and then you have to call all of those people who called you and didn't get thru because the phone chose to be in airplane mode. Once you put it back in your pocket it will start changing settings again.
The screen lock is no substitute because unless you choose a complex PIN the phone will unlock ands start changing settings. The screen lock makes the phone un useable so that is also a problem.
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Not recommended phone
One year of heavy (industrial/commercial) usage-
Pros- large size makes it easy to find in a pocket. And is a substantial paperweight.
- with the Sim card removed and no wifi, device gets almost 15 days of standby
Cons- (this is a partial list)
-Screen brightness is limited, doesn't go nearly as bright or dim as Samsung, htc, apple, etc
-Screen scratches easily (like iPhone 5) compared to a rugged phone (Rugby smartphone)
-screen touch is poor, inaccurate and can't do gloves. Also is confused by dust, debris and light rain (again, not a problem on Rugby smartphone)
-battery life is poor while being used (2 hrs talk, 4 hours video while on dim screen and eco mode)
-device goes from 20% to 0% battery while on call in 14 minutes (17 minutes while on screen usage)
-device gets uncomfortably hot while being used, to the point where it needs to be cooled before going in pocket
-device comes with too much bloatware
-device can not build up charge while being used (using supplied charger the charge % stays constant while using device)
-device will often reset itself (delete all non-sim and SD card data) if it runs out of battery while being used
-device really likes to turn it's screen on for little reason
-sounds are not customizable (you get one sound for all events, incl text, email, other)
-kyocera support is terrible. All devices need to go in thru carrier for warranty (not useful when out of region and/or country)
-kyocera warranty might do something aside from re-inspection all their bloatware again, but the failures always reappear shortly
-kyocera will do everything possible to avoid replacing a multiple failure phone.
End result is I carry my old rugby around, so when the duraforce dies (nearly weekly) I have a working phone. Aside from the old OS (can't run some apps), the 7 year old rugby outperforms in every other way.
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Not Impressed
Carrier: US Cellular
If you're shopping for a new cellular phone, keep looking. As mentioned in some other reviews, the phone changes its settings often with no prompt or permission from the owner. Time changes, airplane mode, deleting alarms... all very frustrating, and, when it deletes an alarm, it can be costly!Recently, it "detects unusual activity" in the messages function and won't allow me to reply to text messages. I have no idea what it thinks it's detecting or how to fix it. It would be nice to just have a phone do what I tell it to do and stop worrying about my well being. It's not nearly as smart as it thinks it is.
