BD+C’s sister publication, Construction Equipment, recently field tested Caterpillar’s entry into the rugged mobile device market, the Cat B15 smartphone.
Manufactured by Bullett Mobile Ltd. under license from Caterpillar, the B15 is billed by Cat as “the most progressive, durable and rugged device available on the market today.”
Among the listed features are drop-resistance up to 1.8 meters (nearly five feet), water resistant (submerged up to one meter for 30 minutes), imperviousness to dust, and easy wet-finger tracking ability. The phone starts at $349 and ships unlocked to work with any carrier.
CE Contributing Editor and long-time construction industry professional Pat Crail put the Cat B15 through the paces to see if it actually lived up to the company’s claims. Crail offered the following feedback:
• Wet fingers? No problem. “The first rugged feature that I tested was wet-screen finger tracking on the VGA touch screen. I have used several other touch-screen phones and have always had difficulty with wet-finger tracking, especially if there is any oil or grease present. The B15 masterfully handles wet finger gestures on its screen, even with some oil residue or grease on the fingers.”
• Built to take a beating. “I then tested the phone’s ability to handle the 1.8-meter drop onto a concrete surface. Its aluminum-and-rubber construction lived up to claims. I dropped the phone from 1.8 meters a number of times, with no apparent damage.”
• Passed the water test. “After submerging the Cat B15 for 30 minutes in a meter of water, I pulled it out, shook off the excess moisture, and was able to use the phone immediately for both voice calls and Internet connectivity. I repeated this trial a few times over the several months of testing. To its credit, the B15 easily handled multiple submersions over the three months I used it.”
• Lack of 4G could be an issue for some. “The B15 seemed a bit sluggish when opening large, photo-heavy Web pages and video files, likely a result of the phone’s lack of 4G connectivity. The B15 operates on the latest version of Android and supports 3G wireless connections. According to Caterpillar’s Sarah Crab, there are no plans for the B15 to support LTE (4G) data connections.”
Read CE’s full report. For more on the B15, visit Catphones.com/phones/b15-smartphone.aspx.
Related Stories
Healthcare Facilities | May 28, 2024
Healthcare design: How to improve the parking experience for patients and families
Parking is likely a patient’s—and their families—first and last touch with a healthcare facility. As such, the arrival and departure parking experience can have a profound impact on their experience with the healthcare facility, writes Beth Bryan, PE, PTOE, PTP, STP2, Principal, Project Manager, Walter P Moore.
Urban Planning | May 28, 2024
‘Flowing’ design emphasizes interaction at Bellevue, Wash., development
The three-tower 1,030,000-sf office and retail development designed by Graphite Design Group in collaboration with Compton Design Office for Vulcan Real Estate is attracting some of the world’s largest names in tech and hospitality.
MFPRO+ News | May 28, 2024
ENERGY STAR NextGen Certification for New Homes and Apartments launched
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently launched ENERGY STAR NextGen Certified Homes and Apartments, a voluntary certification program for new residential buildings. The program will increase national energy and emissions savings by accelerating the building industry’s adoption of advanced, energy-efficient technologies, according to an EPA news release.
Women in Design+Construction | May 28, 2024
Commerce Department launches Million Women in Construction Community Pledge
The U.S. Department of Commerce launched its Million Women in Construction Community Pledge this month to boost the ranks of women in construction companies. Federal investments are creating a construction boom that is increasing job opportunities for construction and trade workers.
Laboratories | May 24, 2024
The Department of Energy breaks ground on the Princeton Plasma Innovation Center
In Princeton, N.J., the U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) has broken ground on the Princeton Plasma Innovation Center (PPIC), a state-of-the-art office and laboratory building. Designed and constructed by SmithGroup, the $109.7 million facility will provide space for research supporting PPPL’s expanded mission into microelectronics, quantum sensors and devices, and sustainability sciences.
MFPRO+ News | May 24, 2024
Austin, Texas, outlaws windowless bedrooms
Austin, Texas will no longer allow developers to build windowless bedrooms. For at least two decades, the city had permitted developers to build thousands of windowless bedrooms.
Resiliency | May 24, 2024
As temperatures underground rise, so do risks to commercial buildings
Heat created by underground structures is increasing the risk of damage to buildings, recent studies have found. Basements, train tunnels, sewers, and other underground systems are making the ground around them warmer, which causes soil, sand, clay and silt to shift, settle, contract, and expand.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | May 23, 2024
The Cincinnati Open will undergo a campus-wide renovation ahead of the expanded 2025 tournament
One of the longest-running tennis tournaments in the country, the Cincinnati Open will add a 2,000-seat stadium, new courts and player center, and more greenspace to create a park-like atmosphere.
Mass Timber | May 22, 2024
3 mass timber architecture innovations
As mass timber construction evolves from the first decade of projects, we're finding an increasing variety of mass timber solutions. Here are three primary examples.
MFPRO+ News | May 21, 2024
Massachusetts governor launches advocacy group to push for more housing
Massachusetts’ Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll have taken the unusual step of setting up a nonprofit to advocate for pro-housing efforts at the local level. One Commonwealth Inc., will work to provide political and financial support for local housing initiatives, a key pillar of the governor’s agenda.