Perhaps the idea is to distract yourself with a few rounds of Tetris until help arrives, or with the first-aid software included, do some self-diagnosis. UK mobile device maker The Medical Phone is rolling out a rugged 3G handset originally built for the British military that is both emergency handset as well as gaming device, reports PC World. And while the trend has been to try to pack more features into a more slender phone, the GPS-enabed iCEphone, which can also be used as a mini-notebook and a satellite navigation system, does away with this, and instead unfolds into three separate panels—a screen, a QWERTY keyboard, and a game pad with multiple triggers.
When hit, the phone’s prominently displayed panic button—the “in case of emergency button (ICE)”—alerts emergency services that the caller is in trouble. It also gives the phone’s location through GPS and if users have made them available, their complete digital medical records and identification. It also comes loaded with a first aid manual that gives step-by-step instructions on how, for example, to resuscitate someone. The phone, which has a rubber casing and is both waterproof and shockproof up to four feet, is mainly being targeted at the military, police forces and emergency services, though will also be available to consumers willing to part with around $1000 for it.