Back at CES, we had the chance to play with the new Casio Smart Outdoor Watch. The Android Wear ecosystem is getting pretty robust, but there haven’t been any devices for the rugged outdoorsy types. The Casio watch fills that void. This is a smartwatch that can take a beating and keep on ticking.
The Casio Outdoor watch is MILK-STD-810 certified. This means it has been tested to be used by all departments of the US military. In other words, it’s as tough as a $2 steak. The Outdoor Watch is the first smartwatch with a built-in microphone to have water resistance up to 50 meters (164 ft). It can withstand shocks from drops, vibrations, and any other type of rugged use.
Casio has thrown in a few tricks with the display. It’s a dual-layer structure featuring a monochrome LCD and a typical color LCD. The monochrome LCD can be used to drastically extend battery life, but it will only show the time and date. Great battery life is critically important for a device that will be used in outdoor situations.
Speaking of the outdoors, the Casio has a number of sensors for tracking conditions. These sensors relay information to what Casio calls “tools.” The list of tools includes a compass, altitude measurement, air pressure, sunrise/sunset times, tide graphs, and activity graphs. On the right side of the device is a dedicated button for launching tools. Activity is another thing that can be tracked. Trekking, cycling, and even things like fishing can be recorded.
The Casio Outdoor Watch will be available in green, orange, black, and red. The design isn’t the most attractive we’ve seen, but it’s fine for a rugged device. It will be available sometime in April for $500. That makes it one of the more expensive Android Wear watches available, but it’s built to last. What do you think of this rugged watch? Do you plan on picking one up this Spring?
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