When you think of a smartwatch, you normally think of something that looks sleek, like the Apple Watch. However, Casio is going in a completely different direction with its new, rugged-looking Rangeman G-Shock wearable.
There will be two models at launch: the Rangeman GPR-H1000-1 and the GPR-H1000-9. They are both made from a “bio-based resin” with intricately placed metal protectors around the dial. These protect the more delicate parts of the smartwatch, such as the main control button, sensors and GPS antenna, from shock. The knobs themselves are made of stainless steel and are “equipped with gasket fittings” to prevent contaminants such as mud or dust from entering. Casio designed the Rangeman duo especially for the outdoor enthusiast or athlete looking for a wrist assistant that won't break the bank in the face of adventure.
Internal hardware
Each device contains a series of sensors that track your bodily functions. It can monitor your heart rate via an optical heart rate sensor. It has an accelerometer for analyzing movements and a gyroscope for swimming. According to Casio, the last sensor can track and keep track of how often you have swam in the pool.
In addition, the Rangeman series features robust GPS functionality. Not only does it come with a compass, but it also includes a thermometer, altimeter and barometer to inform you about changes in the environment. Having an altimeter and barometer may seem like overkill to some, but they are for the nine activities supported by the smartwatches.
These activities include cycling, trail running, open water swimming, and gym workouts if you decide to exercise indoors. Over open water, the wearables have a tide graph that lets you know when the tide is high or low, so you can 'get the most out of water sports'.
Other notable features include analysis tools that show how much pressure you're putting on your body, self-management tools to gauge how well (or poorly) you're recovering, and solar battery charging on the device.
Are there any differences between the two models? We don't know yet.
We compared the devices side by side and couldn't find any major differences between the two. They are the same size, same weight and have the same features and hardware. The only thing different, as far as we could tell, is that the GPRH-1000-1 is black, while the GPRH-1000-9 is bright banana yellow. That's why we approached Casio to ask whether the smartwatch has something unique or whether it's really just the color. This story will be updated at a later date.
Availability
The Rangeman G-Shock wearables are available for pre-order on Casio's website with a price tag of $500. No word on when the smartwatches will officially launch, but news site Hypebeast states that the devices will release in Japan on January 19. So we could see a similar release date for the United States.
If you're looking for an athletic device that isn't quite as rugged, check out Ny Breaking's list of the best running watches.