When Casio first announced its smart ring, I almost thought it was an early April Fool's joke. Never having owned the Casio GMW-B5000 that it's based on — or any Casio watch — the nostalgia factor never affected me. I never expected Casio to offer to send me one, nor did I expect to like it so much. But here we are!

The "Casio ring watch" isn't a traditional smart ring, which sets it up for easy ridicule. The stainless steel design is impressive, but all its heavy components are designed to tell the time and start/stop a stopwatch with tiny buttons, on a screen too small to read easily. It's not breaking new ground.

Compare that to an Oura Ring 4 or Ultrahuman Ring Air that tracks heart rate, stress, workouts, sleep, and a dozen other metrics while weighing significantly less (16g vs. 3-5g). Putting it in the same conversation with a novelty mini-watch isn't really fair to Casio, especially since both smart rings cost $230 more, but it's a natural comparison to make as smart rings grow in popularity.

Now that I'm seeing Casio's ring in person — instead of looking at press photos that emphasize the display — I have to admit that it's cute, even without the nostalgia factor. It's about the size of a high school class ring, only less garish (apologies to everyone I just offended), and the ridged steel look draws the eye.

It only ships in one size, but it comes with a few translucent inserts to shrink it down; thankfully, it fits snugly on my right ring finger with one. It's on the noticeably heavy side, so I don't wear it while running. But Casio must have decided it was a necessary trade-off to get the steel, watch-like look and two-year battery life.

The grayscale screen only catches the eye at a direct visual angle; otherwise, it just looks like a flat, glossy layer above the metal, so it's not distracting. I assumed people would side-eye me for wearing a dorky mini-watch, but you don't notice that aesthetic unless you're quite close. Even then, the one or two comments I've received are more out of interest and curiosity than open derision.

My recent smartwatch fashion contest proved that I don't really know what regular, non-techy people think is attractive in wearables; maybe people are silently judging my tastes. But this ring will certainly appeal to a niche crowd that loves the bulky Casio or Garmin Instinct look and already has heart rate tracking from another device.

Frankly, most smart rings besides Casio's look the same to me; their designs are in a race towards getting as skinny and low-key as possible, but they're all these 1-inch-wide metallic bands with a few gold or silver palette swaps. Even this $1,500 luxury smart ring looks fairly generic, aside from the 18K gold or PT950 platinum materials.

I've also noticed how many smart rings are pushing to become medical-grade devices, with FDA-approved health sensors meant to target B2B sales and impress doctors instead of consumers. Basically, smart rings aren't fun; they're meant to be taken seriously and to blend in. Everything they give you is passive data that requires staring at your phone.

In that context, the budget-priced Casio "smart" ring feels like a nice change of pace. I don't need a stopwatch timer very often; a countdown timer would be more useful. But I certainly don't mind having a way to check the time whenever I get smartwatch fatigue and take mine off for the day. It does one gimmick; otherwise, it's just there to look pretty, not sell health subscriptions.

I don't think it's worth getting too philosophical about a 50th-anniversary, limited-time device that's already sold out (though you can sign up for in-stock alerts at that link). We may not see anything like this again, and I'm sure most people would find it more dorky than cool. But I wouldn't mind if we started seeing more limited smart rings that emphasize unique designs over functionality.

Look at Circular Ring, the rare smart ring with a haptic motor for silent wake-ups, notification buzzes, and even subtle guidance for meditation. We liked the concept, but Circular had to ditch haptics in the Ring 2 to add an FDA-approved ECG, until they find a way to fit both. That might be the right business decision, but the need to offer competitive health and wellness data above all else makes the field more monotonous.

Everyone thinks of smart rings as mobile, 24/7 doctor's offices. But we should shake off that impulse to judge any rings that don't offer health tracking as useless. After all, many people think smart rings are pointless because their smartwatch already tracks the same things.

I don't know what these new, non-health smart rings would do, necessarily, besides this mini-stopwatch ring. Off the top of my head, we could see ones with phone-connected haptics for alarms and notifications, NFC-based contactless payments, UWB to unlock a specific digital car key or house smart lock, fall detection for seniors and the disabled, and so on.

Because they'll focus on one or two key things instead of offering every health sensor and the kitchen sink, maybe smart rings can be (A) more affordable and (B) more aesthetically distinct, like the Casio ring. And these niche models won't be in such strict competition with fitness smartwatches.

What you need to know

• Casio unveiled an odd product for the 50th anniversary of the Casio Watch, and it's a ring.
• The "ring-sized version" of a Casio watch costs $120 and is coming in December 2024.
• Initially thought to be a Japan exclusive, the ring watch was recently spotted on Casio's US store, confirming a stateside release.

When we first heard about Casio's upcoming ring watch, we thought it was akin to an April Fool's joke. However, it turns out that the Casio CRW-001-1JR isn't entirely a Japan exclusive. The Casio CRW001-1 is the exact same as the CRW-001-1JR, except it'll be available in the US starting next month at a retail price of $120 (via The Verge).

It's an interesting concept, to say the least, and this "ring watch" is exactly what it sounds like. It's a ring-sized version of Casio's classic watches designed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Casio Watch. And although it's a strange product — it has none of the modern smart watch features you're probably familiar with — it took a lot of clever engineering to get here.

The Casio CRW001-1 is made entirely out of metal, and Casio says it had to use special processes to use injection-molding to create a unified case, case back, and ring. At the same time, it's still a traditional watch, so the battery still needs to be replaced. That's why Casio used a unique glass adhesive method to create a water-resistant seal that still makes it possible to replace the battery.

Speaking of battery life, it's claimed to last two years and simply uses a SR621SW button battery, and can be replaced. In a way, that makes the Casio CRW001-1 more repairable than the best smart rings — and even smartwatches — you can buy.

At the end of the day, you have to wonder if Casio saw the weirdly-positive reception to the Casio CRW-001-1JR and decided to bring it to the US — or if this was always part of the plan. With a $120 price, it's expensive for what it is, but isn't actually that overpriced when you consider the going rates for rings, watches, and collectibles.

This is clearly a novelty item, but with a December 2024 release, it could make for a great gift for a gadget-lover. I know it's something that I'd want in my personal collection, even if I probably wouldn't replace my smartwatch or smart ring for it.

What you need to know

• Casio announced the CRW-001-1JR, a "smart ring" that's actually a tiny smartwatch for your finger.
• It has a stainless steel design, LCD panel, three buttons, and a functional stopwatch and alarm tech.
• It costs about $128 USD, only ships in Japan in three ring sizes, and has no health functionality.

To celebrate its 50th anniversary of making big, rugged watches for athletes, Casio is selling an absurd, adorable little smartwatch that fits on your finger but barely qualifies as a "smart ring" or a fitness device.

The Casio CRW-001-1JR, launching in December 2024 in Japan for ￥19,800 (about $128 USD), isn't like traditional smart rings since it has no health tracking functionality. Instead, the design "combines practicality and playfulness" (via Google Translate) into a 1/10-sized watch with a stainless steel frame, LCD, and three buttons (via Techradar).

It measures 6.2mm thick and weighs 16g, well above the usual 3mm thickness and 2–5g weight of the best smart rings. Aside from being a conversation starter, the Casio smart ring has programmable alarms to wake you up and a stopwatch function for up to 60 minutes.

Aside from Casio superfans, this quirky novelty tech may not appeal to many people. But the idea of a smart ring that takes after smartwatches is a persistent one, and it's unclear how close smart rings will eventually stray into smartwatch territory with more traditional smarts beyond health.

Do smart rings need to get "smarter" like watches?

Most smart rings are meant to be invisible; unless you look at the companion app on your phone, you wouldn't even know if it's working. But a few rings specifically take after smartwatches — if not to the extent of the Casio smart ring.

The Samsung Galaxy Ring supports gesture control shortcuts for phone connectivity, just as smartwatches have gesture tricks like the double-tap.

The Circular Ring has a haptic motor for gently waking you up, signaling notifications or medication reminders, and guiding you during meditation. The original Pro had a button to end haptic feedback, while the newer Circular Slim has a reactive touch surface on the logo.

Early smart ring prototypes like the Smarty Ring and Motiv Ring had outer displays or LED indicators, following in line with smartwatches at the time. Motiv, for instance, would let you twist the ring to trigger a gesture and then light up the LED if it was successful. A green light signaled a 100% charge, a blue light meant data syncing, and so on.

If you look into the Wild West of smart ring Indiegogo campaigns today, several of them have some kind of touch strip or multi-color LED indicator. Though there's no guarantee any of them will successfully launch, and they have other ambitious promises like blood pressure tracking, people still spend millions on these prototypes, hoping for the best.

Right now, successful and established smart rings like the Oura Ring 4 have designs centered on their lightness and traditional style. Almost no one wants an LED strip or bulky design that calls attention to the ring's techy nature; they want subtlety.

But I wonder — as smart rings continue to flood the market offering the same health data — if we'll see more phone-ring integration to make rings more of a watch replacement for people who wear basic luxury watches instead of Android smartwatches or Apple Watches.

Basically, I'm curious if future smart rings will take the same approach as hybrid watches, with a tiny strip that looks "normal" but can occasionally light up with a tiny notification, letting you know whether or not to take your phone out of your pocket.

But until smart rings can pull that off more subtly than Casio's unintentionally hilarious design, smart rings and smartwatches should probably stay in their own lanes.

What you need to know

• Casio has launched the first Wear OS smartwatch in its G-Shock lineup.
• The GSW-H1000 features a dual-layer LCD and an ultra-rugged build.
• The watch will retail soon for $699 in the US.

Casio is no stranger to Wear OS, and its line of Pro Trek watches offers some of the most rugged options for anyone on Google's platform. The company wants to take things up a notch and has launched its first Wear OS smartwatch under the iconic G-Shock lineup, offering the ultimate level of protection and peace of mind. That extra protection doesn't come cheap, though.

The GWS-H1000 features a 1.2" dual-layer display with a 360 x 360 resolution. It's not the first smartwatch to feature this type of display; the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro GPS has a secondary monochrome display on top of an OLED, which helps to preserve battery life. The difference here is that both displays on Casio's watch are LCD, so colors won't be as punchy on its small display. Unfortunately, battery life isn't great with the main LCD panel, clocking in at a day and a half of "normal" use, which is par-for-the-course for many of the best Wear OS watches, while the monochrome display will keep the lights on for up to a month.

Despite the battery life, this watch is built to last with its bulky metal and urethane casing and titanium back panel. Its tough design provides shock resistance and 20-bar water resistance, meaning it's been tested to withstand the equivalent water pressure at depths of 200 meters, well above that of even the best Android smartwatches.

There's built-in GPS, an altitude sensor, a pressure sensor, and Bluetooth 4.2 on board, as well as Wear OS staples like Google Pay, Google Fit, and the Google Assistant. Casio has included its own extras in the watch UI with color theming and quick access to various built-in functions.

Casio aims for this to be one of the best fitness smartwatches and is targeting this watch for sports enthusiasts who like to push things to the extreme. GSW-H1000 features a heart-rate monitor and multi-sport measurements and can even sync measurements to the companion app when shooting photos or video so you can show off your progress on social media. Unfortunately, the price might deter some interested parties, given that the retail price is $699 in the U.S., but there are definitely more expensive models in Casio's G-Shock lineup.

Casio also seems pretty mum on certain details, like the RAM and chipset. Most Wear OS smartwatches these days are shipping with at least 1GB of RAM and come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100. For Casio's asking price, this watch should come with no less than the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100, but even then, it's hard to recommend. The watch will be available in the in the U.S. in about a month, although it's still not featured on the U.S. site yet.

Amazfit T-Rex

Amazfit might be a lesser-known name in the wearable world, but its product line continues expanding with new watches, including the T-Rex. You'll have onboard GPS, health/activity tracking, heart-rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and nearly three weeks of battery life. You'll get it at a super low price, too.

Casio Pro Trek

The Casio Pro Trek lineup is as robust as ever. The WSD-F30 runs on Wear OS and is definitely worth considering. It's large and in charge, to say the least. You'll have a clever dual-layer display with battery saving modes, GPS with full-color maps, Google Assistant, and 5 ATM water resistance.

Whether you're a hardcore cyclist or an avid hiker, it's important to find a rugged watch that can handle your outdoor lifestyle. There are a plethora of options to choose from, including the Amazfit T-Rex and the Casio Pro Trek WSD-F30. On the surface, these two watches look remarkably similar, but they cater to slightly different crowds. If you're on a budget or buying a wearable for the first time, the Amazfit T-Rex is a good pick. Those who are a bit more advanced in the world of fitness tracking and looking for a very specific type of watch might prefer the Casio Pro Trek.

Tracking at a low price

The Amazfit T-Rex is far more versatile than the Casio Pro Trek. If you want to enjoy a broad range of sport modes, this is the watch for you. Take your wearable for a run on the treadmill, hit the elliptical, go for a hike, or swim some laps. There are 14 different sport modes on the T-Rex as well as built-in GPS, heart-rate tracking, sleep monitoring, and more. It's tough as nails with military-grade durability, so it can accompany you on all of your outdoor adventures.

You'll also have 5 ATM water resistance on the Amazfit T-Rex, which means you can take it for a swim (and track the workout) without worrying. The 47mm polymer case comes in black, army green, and khaki. You'll have a bright AMOLED display with a touchscreen for easy navigation. Unfortunately, the straps on the T-Rex are not interchangeable, so the silicone band it comes with is all you have to work with.

One of the most impressive features here is the seemingly never-ending battery life. Amazfit boasts a new circuit design that was specifically developed for the T-Rex. It consists of an advanced low power-consumption chip and a deep power optimization that give the watch longer battery life. With typical daily use, you can expect the battery to last for 20 days. If you keep your wearable in basic watch mode with Bluetooth turned off, the battery can last up to 66 days. You'll have 20 hours of battery life in continuous GPS mode.

As big as it gets

The first thing to understand about the Casio Pro Trek WSD-F30 is that it's not designed for broad activity tracking. This is a specific wearable designed for a specific user. Don't expect a host of sport modes. For example, the activity app is programmed for cycling, trekking, fishing, paddling, skiing, and snowboarding. When you're out in the wilderness enjoying these types of activities, you need a reliable GPS. Fortunately, the Casio Pro Trek has built-in GPS and full-color mapping functionality with the option to download maps for offline use.

As you may have noticed, this thing is ginormous. It's not so bad once it's on the wrist due to the weight being well distributed over a large space, but it's big alright. The 60 mm resin case comes in blue, black, and orange. It has a dual-layer OLED/monochrome display. The monochrome display shows the time and sensor information including altitude, barometric pressure, and compass information while saving power by turning off the full-color display. Oddly enough, there's no heart-rate sensor present, which is a bummer at this price point.

The Casio Pro Trek is 5 ATM water-resistant and was built to meet military-grade durability standards. The battery life isn't phenomenal, but there are ways to stretch it. With typical use, the battery should last about a day and a half. The Extend Mode will show an offline color map and provide GPS tracking for three days without charging, which is ideal for multi-day excursions. You can also use Timepiece Mode, which only uses the monochrome display without any smartphone connection for up to a month of battery life as a traditional watch.

Bottom line

Both of these rugged smartwatches are great for outdoor enthusiasts. How you plan to use your wearable and the features you need will determine which one you should choose. If you want the ability to track both indoor and outdoor activities while monitoring your heart rate and sleep patterns, the Amazit T-Rex is the better pick. It's also the one you'll want to choose if you're a first-time buyer or someone who's on a budget.

If you plan to do all of your tracking outdoors when you're exploring, then you'll want to go with the Casio Pro Trek. You'll always be able to find your way with full-color map GPS navigation. This watch runs on Wear OS, so you'll have Google Assistant on your wrist whenever you need it. The dual-layer display helps extend the life of your battery while you're conquering your next challenge This wearable might be the more expensive choice, but it's a worthwhile investment for those on a mission.

For my money, nobody builds a better summertime smartwatch than Casio. The company's ProTrek series has it all: alti-barometers, rugged casings, standalone GPS, and dual-layer displays that offer incredible readability in direct sunlight. Even occasional outdoorsmen such as myself can appreciate the ProTrek F10 and F20 for the sheer boldness of their oversized designs, while those in search of more petite wearables have understandably gone elsewhere.

With the ProTrek WSD-F30, Casio seems to have gotten the memo that bigger is only better up to a point. It's still a thick watch, barely half a millimeter thinner than the F20, but it's now almost 4 millimeters narrower, which makes a real difference on the wrist. Casio has also made the watchband more flexible, while also adding notches for more granular sizing options. On the tech side, the older LCD watchfaces have been swapped out for a higher-resolution OLED panel, while the monochrome secondary display now includes health info alongside the time.

Most exciting for fans of Android-powered wearables is the fast that the WSD-F30 is our first look at the newly renovated Wear OS. It was tough to get the F30 out of its locked retail demo mode long enough to get more than fleeting impressions of the new software, but the UI's simple mechanic of swiping in from the cardinal compass directions became second nature almost immediately.

For more, check out the ProTrek F30 Hands-On above, and be sure you're subscribed to MrMobile's YouTube Channel so you don't miss the full review once the time comes for a real-world test drive!

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Casio has made some of the most unique-looking smartwatches in the business, and is iterating its lineup with the new rugged WSD-F30 running Wear OS. At a glance it looks very similar to its predecessors, but it actually has some important changes both externally and internally to keep it compelling heading into 2019.

The WSD-F10 and -F20 models were unabashedly large, which kind of fit with their capabilities, but was a serious hinderance to anyone who wanted to wear the Casios on a daily basis. The WSD-F30 is still easily the biggest Wear OS smartwatch, but it's smaller than its predecessor — 3.9 mm narrower, 0.4 mm thinner and now under 90 grams including the strap. It's still larger than the LG Watch Sport, which was regularly ridiculed for its size, but the WSD-F30's large case — along with the chunky design and bold colors — kind of fits the persona of the device.

On the wrist it doesn't feel as big as it looks, probably because it's flattened out a bit and the weight is well distributed over a large space. The band has also been redesigned for greater flexibility, and there are more holes for size adjustability, so I was able to get it wrapped around my wrist comfortably. The size of the watch will definitely be a hinderance to wearing long sleeves or gloves, though, especially if you're trying to wear it with casual clothes rather than technical outdoor gear.

Aside from the size, Casio has notably improved its unique dual-layer display technology. Like its predecessors the WSD-F30 has a pair of screens — one monochrome, one color — stacked together, so you can use the monochrome mode to save battery and the color mode for more advanced functions. Casio's new monochrome screen is capable of showing more information — like atmospheric pressure and compass information — while extending battery life dramatically. The color display is now OLED, with an improved 390x390 resolution, for finer detail on this 1.2-inch circular screen.

That color display can be used in a new Extend Mode to show an offline color map and provide GPS tracking for three days (8 hours of screen and tracking use per day) without charging — another great tool for those multi-day excursions without a charger. Timepiece Mode is still here to use just the monochrome display without any smartphone connection for up to a month of battery life as a regular watch. The standard battery life with all of the usual smartwatch functions enabled is rated at 1.5 days.

As you'd expect the WSD-F30 is extremely robust. It's rated for water resistance up to 50 meters, and has a MIL-STD-810G rating. And just look at the thing ... it can clearly handle the abuse of being out in the wilderness (or whatever other punishing terrain) with you.

The WSD-F30 is our first opportunity to see the new Wear OS interface as well, and in my few minutes poking around with a demo version it seemed just as intuitive as it did at first glance. The interactions are all the same across any Wear OS device, so what you see here will translate directly to other Wear OS devices that get the update. The only differences in the software you see here are what the extra hardware buttons are used for — in Casio's case it's outdoor-related tasks like mapping.

Casio hasn't yet detailed the exact specs of the WSD-F30, so we can only assume that it's still running the same basic internals as the last generation and not the new processor Qualcomm is teasing for a September announcement — but we'd love to be proven wrong in that assumption. Also yet to be announced are pricing and availability details.

Press release:

Casio to Release PRO TREK Smart with Color Maps Usable for Up to Three Days

Tokyo, August 30, 2018 — Casio Computer Co., Ltd. announced today that it will release a new addition to the PRO TREK Smart series of wrist devices for outdoor enthusiasts. The WSD-F30 enables use of offline maps and GPS log recording for up to three consecutive days.

In 2016, Casio marked its entry into the smartwatch market with the release of the WSD-F10 wrist device for outdoor enthusiasts, with water resistance up to 50 meters and environmental durability built to military specifications. The WSD-F10 was built to run Google's Android Wear (now Wear OS by Google) and the device and OS have been evolving together. The following year, Casio released the PRO TREK Smart WSD-F20 with GPS, which is winning over outdoor enthusiasts and other users with its wearable map functionality.

Extend Mode for using color maps and GPS offline up to three consecutive days

The new WSD-F30 comes with Extend Mode which enables use of offline color maps and GPS for up to three days on just a single charge. In Extend Mode, time and measurement data is continuously shown on the monochrome display, and a color map can be displayed with a push of button. Extend Mode also conserves energy by switching the operating system to energy-saving stand-by mode on a schedule set by the user. It also ensures optimal power management based on the activity plan, allowing the user to track his or her current location on an offline map and record tracks during activities longer than a single day.

New and improved dual-layer display

The WSD-F30 features a new and improved dual-layer monochrome and color display. The new color display employs an OELD that shows maps and data in finer detail. The layout of the monochrome display now shows more than just the time; it also displays atmospheric pressure/altitude and compass bearing, as befits the PRO TREK outdoor gear brand. The wrist device also comes with Multi Timepiece Mode, an evolution of the popular Timepiece Mode that allows only time data to be shown in monochrome while toggling off smartphone communication and the color display. In addition to the time, Multi Timepiece Mode now shows measurement data such as altitude and atmospheric pressure in monochrome, while still extending battery life without a charge to about a month, like its predecessor. This feature provides useful information for outdoor activities at a glance while conserving energy.

Smaller, thinner case for enhanced wearability

The inner components have been rearranged to realize a watch case that is 3.9 mm narrower and 0.4 mm thinner than before, for a more compact profile that also looks good on trim wrists. Nano treatment gives the resin bezel a metal-like luster for a luxury feel. The watchband has been improved and is now more flexible and has more holes for greater adjustability and fit.

Phone manufacturers have more or less gotten the hang of naming schemes in recent years. They find a name or two that sticks, and just tack a new number onto the end with each new iteration; Galaxy S9, Pixel 2, LG V30, etc. Sometimes it doesn't even have to be sequential, like when Samsung jumped from the Galaxy Note 5 straight to the Galaxy Note 7, skipping over the Note 6.

Naming schemes weren't always this formulaic, though. Particularly in the early days of smartphones, before we had well-established series like the Galaxy S line, phone manufacturers regularly experimented with wild branding, and the results weren't always great. Here are some of the worst, most embarrassing names manufacturers have chosen for their phones over the last decade.

#1: Sprint Samsung Galaxy S II, Epic 4G Touch

It's impossible to make a list like this without including the atrocity that was the Samsung Galaxy SII, Epic 4G Touch on Sprint. In all fairness, this was a fine phone — it was one of Sprint's first 4G-capable phones, and the Galaxy S II regardless of carrier variations was shockingly thin, fast, and powerful for its time. It had a huge 4.52-inch display (at least, it seemed huge back then) and a healthy rooting community, which was about all I could've asked for.

#2: Acer Liquid Zest Plus

I'd like to shake the hand of whoever approved the name for this product. Announced just over two years ago, the Liquid Zest Plus was a $250 mid-range option that sounded more like a L'oreal shampoo than a phone. You could remove the plastic backing and replace it with a window cover, but the most notable part of the Liquid Zest Plus was its 5000mAh battery, which Acer said could last for three days at a time.

#3: LG G7 ThinQ

This is the most recent phone on the list — in fact, it isn't even available for purchase yet. But while the LG G7 is already shaping up to be a great phone, the ThinQ tag added onto the end has been wildly unpopular. It sounds ridiculous — almost as if the phone is trying to say "thank you" — and it's about to get even more ridiculous. ThingQ is actually the name of LG's AI ecosystem, and the company already has a wide range of SmartThinQ-branded home appliances. This probably won't be the last ThinQ-branded phone.

#4: HTC ChaCha

Remember the HTC ChaCha? Probably not, since it was discontinued just months after its initial release. It was also released under different names in various parts of the world — those of us in the U.S. knew it as the HTC Status, while others called it the HTC ChaChaCha, my personal favorite. In any case, this phone preceded the HTC First as a Facebook-centric phone with a physical keyboard and a dedicated Facebook button in the bottom-right corner.

#5: Casio G'zOne Commando

How do you even say this? "Jee-zone?" "Guh-zone? "Jeez-won?" It's actually the last option, tragic as that may be, but horrible naming aside, the G'zOne Commando was actually a pretty interesting phone. Built for durability first and foremost, the G'zOne was one of the first water-resistant phones, with an industrial rubberized casing and a locking battery door.

Casio didn't want you to be able to escape its inexplicable branding, adding hardware shortcuts to the phone called the G'zGear buttons, which launched outdoor tools like a compass, thermometer, or stargazer.

Honorable mentions

Though we wanted to keep the list limited to Android devices, I have to give an honorable mention to a few feature phones that always stuck with me thanks to their atrocious names.

The Samsung :), verbalized as the Smiley, was a phone I troubleshot time and time again during my tenure as a T-Mobile sales rep. While there was nothing inherently wrong with the phone (nothing really right either), calling a phone the :) was an absolute SEO nightmare — I'm thankful this is the first time I've had to write about it!

Here's one for you — Samsung also released a phone back in late 2008 called the Messager. No, that's not a typo, it was legitimately called the Messager, not the Messenger. In fact, the company thought it was such a good idea that it released another one, the Messager Touch, in the same year it put out the :). I can't make this stuff up.

Maybe I'm just being childish (I am), but I've never been able to get over the Virgin Lobster. Well, technically it's called the Virgin Mobile Lobster 700TV. Made by HTC in 2011, this candy bar phone had a bold lobster logo on its forehead and a lump to its side for a dedicated TV button. If HTC ever decides to make a second-gen model, I'll be the first in line.

What's your (least) favorite name?

If there's any phone whose name has always gotten under your skin, I'd love to hear about it. In fact, why keep it limited to just phones? Share the worst names you've ever heard for any product in the comments below — let's have some fun.

Casio's second Android Wear watch is just as huge, feature-packed and ostentatious as the last, and it's running Android Wear 2.0. It's the not-so-smoothly named WSD-F20, a follow-up to the F10, and just as the brand name and a single glance at the watch would lead you to believe it's a perfect match for those with an active lifestyle.

Just as before we're looking at a huge, hulking watch that will dwarf most wrists and even put my lowly Gear S3 Frontier to shame. The new watch has a bigger bezel than its predecessor with some extra wording to accompany its bevy of screws, knobs and buttons. The 1.32-inch display honestly doesn't look as great as others out there (plus, yes, there's a "flat tire"), but then again this watch is built for strength.

The WSD-F20 didn't feel particularly heavy considering its size — perhaps that's just a weight distribution thing — but Casio has put a ton of stuff inside, including standalone GPS, a considerable battery and storage to download offline maps. With a MIL-STD 810G rating and water resistance up to 50 meters, along with this brawny case, the WSD-F20 is likely to survive most situations in which your wrist would ever be in.

Playing around with the build of Android Wear 2.0 loaded on the demos here at the show the software seemed quick and had some very aptly designed watch faces that complemented the thick size and bold black and orange color schemes. The side buttons can also be mapped to instantly launch favorite apps. There are built-in tools for tracking your speed while skiing or snowboarding, finding your depth while diving or elevation while hiking.

Though Casio didn't officially unveil pricing at the show, representatives from Casio informed us the launch price was expected to be $449 when the watch goes on sale in late April.

Casio unveiled its first smartwatch last year with the rugged WSD-F10, and now the company is launching an update that adds GPS functionality and Android Wear 2.0. The model is aptly called the WSD-F20, and shares similar features as its predecessor that sees three buttons on the right and MIL-STD-801G rating for protection against the elements, as well as water resistance up to 50 meters (this thing can take a lot of abuse).

The design of the smartwatch makes it look even more rugged when next to its predecessor. Casio added a larger bezel around the screen, which contains text labels for the side buttons and one that highlights the GPS module. As always, you'll be able to launch your preferred apps or one of Casio's built-in tools with the side buttons, and the home button in the center is slightly larger.

The smartwatch also retains the dual display mode, which allows you to conserve battery life by toggling a monochrome mode that just displays the time (like a regular watch). What's new is a low-power GPS sensor that works with the maps feature to enable location tracking even when you're offline. Casio will also roll out a Location Memory app that lets you mark locations on a map.

As noted by Digital Trends, map data is sourced from Mapbox, and you'll be able to download maps for offline use. There's also an "anti-fouling coating" on the screen, and you get two new watch faces that leverage the GPS — Location and Traveler.

The WSD-F20 will be up for sale starting April 21, and will be available in orange and black color options. Casio didn't reveal the pricing, but it is likely to be in the same $500 range as its predecessor.

Verizon is set to roll out the latest iteration of its Casio-made rugged smart phones soon if new images are to be believed. A press render shown off by perpetual device leaker evleaks shows an extremely rugged and bold-looking device that follows right in the footsteps of the original Casio G'zOne. The new design seems to take on even more rubber, metal and exposed screws -- with no shortage of black and red Verizon branding. We don't know much in the way of specs, but the new Commando will of course support Verizon's LTE network, something that it's predecessor didn't have. The screen gives us a look at a moderately skinned ICS or Jelly Bean interface, with four capacitive keys as well. We can expect this one to hit stores quietly in the coming months.

Source: @evleaks

Casio and Verizon are continuing to roll out software updates for the G'zOne Commando, following the rugged phone's Android 2.3 Gingerbread update late last year. The latest software for the Commando brings it up to version C771M100, and adds free push-to-talk capability, along with the usual sprinkling of bug fixes. The new software is also apparently built on a newer build of Gingerbread than the last version, and includes the "latest Google security patch."

G'zOne Commando owners can find a full list of changes over at the source link, along with update instructions. The update is marked as "coming soon", so we'd expect to see it rolling out over-the-air in the weeks ahead. If you've received your update already, be sure to shout out in the comments.

Source: Verizon Support

Today Casio announced an Android-based Point of Sale terminal. The Casio VX-100 EPOS terminal will run an custom version of Android 2.2 and Casio has built a software development kit that is compatible with the unit allowing not only their applications to be run on it, but other developers to develop applications as well. Some of the features of this device are:

• Sales Management -Conduct a multitude of sales calculations including calculations by product (items, departments and groups), time and clerk. An optional cash drawer can be added to operate the VX-100 as a cash register.
• Customer Relationship Management - Build a customer database associated with sales management data. Analyze the purchase frequency and monetary amounts for each customer, in order to identify create a list of preferred customers. Operators can send emails to a list of preferred customers who have agreed to receive them, or they can specify automatic discounts when ringing up bills for preferred customers, all associated with the sales management application.
• Reservation Management - Take various kinds of orders and reservations from customers, including reservations for meals. Use the customer relationship management and sales management applications to manage databases’ of customer names and reservation details including names, number of persons and time, all from the VX-100.
• Remote Control By E-mail - Receive e-mail messages from a cellular phone or computer, and automatically execute instructions contained in the messages. Even check sales data from a separate location, an ideal feature for busy business managers.

Hit the break for the full press release.

Casio launch VX-100 EPOS terminal using Android™ operating system

LONDON, October 21, 2011 – Casio Computer Co. Ltd., today announced the release of the stylishly designed VX-100 business support terminal. Customer relationship management, reservation management and sales management applications will be available on this terminal. Associated with those applications, the terminal provides business operators with a variety of data that they can use to stimulate business demand. The VX-100 business support terminal will begin shipping in December 2011.

The VX-100 is a compact EPOS terminal equipped with a colour main display with full-touch screen operation, a sub-display that is great for showing information to customers, and a built-in thermal printer to generate receipts. The VX-100 is designed for use in SME retail stores, and works as both a standalone system or as part of a networked system.

The VX-100 comes installed with a sales management application offering a host of data management capabilities. With the optional cash drawer, the terminal can also function as a cash register.

Additional customer relationship management and reservation management applications can be installed to enable database management of the purchase history of individual customers. The purchase history can then be used to identify preferred customers and formulate marketing strategies tailored to them.

The VX-100 EPOS terminal uses the Android™ operating system, and Casio has provided a software development kit that supports the VX-100 hardware. Casio plans to leverage the VX-100 to support a variety of businesses such as retail stores, restaurants and other service enterprises by developing its own additional applications as well as facilitating development of applications for the VX-100 by other developers of Android applications.

Application Software for VX-100 Business Support Terminal

Sales Management

Conduct a multitude of sales calculations including calculations by product (items, departments and groups), time and clerk. An optional cash drawer can be added to operate the VX-100 as a cash register.

Customer Relationship Management

Build a customer database associated with sales management data. Analyze the purchase frequency and monetary amounts for each customer, in order to identify create a list of preferred customers. Operators can send emails to a list of preferred customers who have agreed to receive them, or they can specify automatic discounts when ringing up bills for preferred customers, all associated with the sales management application.

Reservation Management

Take various kinds of orders and reservations from customers, including reservations for meals. Use the customer relationship management and sales management applications to manage databases’ of customer names and reservation details including names, number of persons and time, all from the VX-100.

Remote Control By E-mail

Receive e-mail messages from a cellular phone or computer, and automatically execute instructions contained in the messages. Even check sales data from a separate location, an ideal feature for busy business managers.

Note:

1.      Android is a trademark of Google Inc.

2.      Other company and product names are generally registered trademarks or trademarks of the respective companies.

Specifications in the table above are current as of October 2011, and are subject to change.

Netflix just got itself a little update in the Android Market. First and foremost, new phones are officially supported, with the LG Revolution, Motorola Droid and Casio G'zOne Commando getting access. That brings the total number of supported devices eight, including the Droid Incredible, Nexus One, EVO 4G, T-Mobile G2 and Samsung Nexus S.

There also are a few bugfixes, including:

• Fixed application failure on startup when phone's embedded storage space is almost full.
• Removed check that prevented attempt to playback on unsupported devices.

And we've noticed that the volume's not as low as it used to be, so that's nice, too. If you've got one of the supported phones, get your download on in the Android Market. We've got links after the break.

The time has come for anyone who may have been holding out for either the Droid Incredible 2 or the Casio G'zOne Commando. Yes, unsurprisingly -- both devices have now gone live on the Verizon website and are up for ordering. Either or will set you back $199 on a new 2-year contract but if you're opting to go with the no contract offering this is what you'll be looking at for pricing:

• HTC Droid Incredible 2: $439.99
• Casio G'zOne Commando: $449.99

The reason behind the Casio G'zOne Commando costing ten dollars more than the Droid Incredible 2 is shrouded with secrecy so, we can't tell you why that is. What we can tell you though is that, if you head on over to the Verizon Wireless website right now you can place an order for the device of your choosing.

Oh, and as for the Droid Charge? Word is it's delayed while we wait on the Great Daylong LTE Outage of April 2011. Stay tuned.

Source: Verizon Wireless

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