Verizon to offer ultimate traveler's cell phone

SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- A new phone called the Casio G'zOne Boulder reportedly ships today on Verizon. If you travel -- especially if you spend time outdoors sailing, hiking or biking -- this may be the phone for you. Like previous generations of the G'zOne, it's very rugged and waterproof. But the Boulder adds GPS!

If it's anything like its predecessor, the G'zOne Boulder is so rugged that you can drop it from ear level on cement or tile, and it will probably survive. It's so waterproof that you can actually make calls underwater. It can survive dust and even very high and low temperatures.

The phone has a built-in compass, a 1.3 megapixel camera and a microSD slot for additional storage.

I own the G'zOneTYPE-S, and it's a joy to use. Everybody talks about the line's rugged durability, but few mention how good the numeric keypad is (very big buttons, which you can use even while wearing ski gloves).

What's new is that the Boulder now supports VZ Navigator. The phone has built-in GPS, and the VZ Navigator software can use the GPS feature to give you turn-by-turn directions, and answer the question, "where am I now?" -- great for travelers who find themselves in strange cities or even strange forests. It also has a points-of-interest finder that will quickly direct you to the nearest ATM, restaurant or -- in an emergency -- golf course.

Also new is that the antenna finally goes internal.

VZ Navigator costs $9.99 per month. If you use it only occasionally, then you can instead pay $2.99 for each day you use it.

Engadget Mobile is reporting that the Boulder ships today on Verizon.

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