Runbo Announces Walkie-Talkie-Styled Android Smartphones

Chinese handset manufacturer Runbo has announced two unique Android-powered smartphones, Engadget reports.

The Runbo X3 (pictured on the left) and Runbo X5 (shown in the middle) smartphones are built to be durable; drops onto concrete are not expected to cause significant damage. They're also IP67-certified, which is when a handset can survive in water for up to 30 minutes to a depth down to 3 feet.

As depicted in the image through the noticeable antenna situated on top of the smartphones, users will also receive a walkie-talkie that works at a distance of up to 10 kilometers.

The Runbo X5 houses a 4.3-inch WVGA screen and a 1GHz dual-core chip by Mediatek, as well as boasting a front-facing camera, a 8-megapixel rear snapper and a built-in loudspeaker. Elsewhere, the 4 GB of storage can be expanded through a microSD card, accompanied by a 3,800mAh battery.

The Runbo X3, meanwhile, features the majority of technical specifications stemming from the X5. The most notable difference is that the screen is 3.5 inches, which was implemented to integrate a portrait QWERTY keyboard. Both smartphones run on Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Elsewhere, a Runbo X1 (displayed on the right) is also available, but it's nothing more than a feature phone. That said, it does sport an IP67 rating for being water and dust resistance.

The trio of products are available on eBay, where Runbo are selling them to U.S. consumers for less than $400.

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