Well, it’s definitely a prototype. But after a proper groping, we’re more excited than ever about Casio’s new Bluetooth watch of the future.
The unnamed plastic proof-of-concept may not be much to look at, but after running through the BLE-infused prototype’s features, we’re definitely psyched to see the technology work its way into the rest of the company’s timepieces.
To be clear: The watch really only does a few things. But it does them all exceedingly well. We tested it with an Android phone and connecting was as simple as pressing a button on watch. Whenever you receive a call, the watch instantly produces the name of the caller scrolling across the digital display. Emails show up on your as a specific address. Double-tapping the face mutes the call alarm saving you the trouble of turning out your pockets or tearing through a bag. You also get alerts for texts, and two separate bars on the upper right and left corners display your received call and email counts.
While the watch does include a Find Me feature, it requires you to lose track of your smartphone within a 5m range (the limit for BLE). You can also sync your watch with your phone’s time to instantly adjust to new time zones when travelling. And that’s about it… for now.
Casio says BLE will eventually accommodate other bite-sized bits of useful information, like shooting you info on train timetables, theatre and concert info, and various health and location data.
As far as where the tech will show up first, expect it to be incorporated into the G-Shock line towards the end of this year or early 2012. Honestly, we’ve never been as excited about Bluetooth.
