NEWS – Supported by Verizon, Mobvio’s newly updated TicWatch Pro now comes in a 4G LTE version that is jam-packed with all the smartphone features you want and need, like GPS, NFC for Google payments from your wrist, built-in heart rate monitor, and activity tracking. It’s also IP68+ rated so you can wear it while swimming, and it has 30 days of battery life. No, you didn’t read that wrong, I said 30 days of battery life per charge!
This new 4G version of the TicWatch Pro uses the same dual layered-screen technology as the TicWatch Pro that I reviewed last year. The watch has two displays. When the battery gets low, it automatically switches from Smart Mode which uses the AMOLED display to Essential Mode which uses the mono LCD. If you have a mixed use of both Smart Mode and Essential Mode, the watch battery will last up to 5 days per charge, but using the watch only in Essential Mode will give you 30 days of use.
The TicWatch Pro is powered by Wear OS by Google and also features Number Sharing and Cloud Synchronization to keep you connected to important messages from your smartphone, without actually tethering your smartphone. This new Wear OS standalone smartwatch can actually replace your smartphone because you can make calls right from your wrist using this watch.
Available starting today on Amazon and on Mobvoi’s brand website mobvoi.com, the TicWatch Pro 4G/LTE is priced $299.
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REVIEW – Casio manufactures a wide range of electronic goods, from calculators to musical instruments. But I would argue, Casio is best known for their wrist watches…particularly their G-SHOCK line. For decades the G-SHOCK has been one of the goto watches for rugged dependability. A watch engineered to survive a march thru hell and back without batting an eye. Well, this review isn’t about any of Casio’s G-SHOCKs but on their PRO TREK WSD-F30, a modern smartwatch with much of the G-SHOCK’s DNA which is apparent the moment you lay eyes on it.
I am not going to be diving into WearOS in detail other than how well it works operating on this watch. Like the Apple Watch OS, Android’s WearOS is a pretty well-known quantity these days. That said, my focus will be on the watch hardware and noteworthy features this smartwatch brings to the table.
What is it?
The PRO TREK WSD-F30 is Casio’s latest flagship GPS enabled smartwatch engineered for the outdoor enthusiast. The PRO TREK WSD-F30 runs on Android’s smartwatch WearOS software, has a built-in compass/mapping/navigation/barometer/altimeter, and is hardened to MIL-STD-810G (United States military standard) survivability specifications.
Fishing time (Calculated according to current location, and moon hour angle and age.)
Sunrise/sunset: Sunrise/Sunset times (Current location sunrise/sunset) Sunrise/Sunset directions: Accuracy depends on compass
Design
As I mentioned, the PRO TREK WSD-F30 is Casio’s latest and greatest Android WearOS smartwatch engineered for the great outdoors. The F30 is Casio’s third generation flagship in the PRO TREK line. And even though this watch is massive and hardened against the elements, it does have a well thought out and refined design to it. The watch takes many design queues from the G-SHOCK line and is built to survive many epic adventures.
The fixed bezel is thick and raised well about the face of the watch to protect the WSD-F30’s screen from impacts. The capacitive touchscreen has a mineral glass exterior layer with a dirt resistant coating. Shame Casio did not use a sapphire crystal instead for added durability, strength, and scratch resistance.
The case is well made from metal and hard plastic. The build quality is good but the design of this watch is much more about ruggedness than polish and finish…definitely a tool watch. The right side of the F30 has the main physical controls (aka the buttons ). The buttons are large and easy to find and press. The upper (mapping) and lower (tools app) buttons have a nice knurled pattern with the center button having more of a bulls-eyed pattern. The buttons work fine but are a bit squishy when pressed vs having a definitive click to them.
The left side of the watch has the magnetic crimped charging terminal and atmospheric/magnetic sensors. To add to the F30’s rugged good looks, Casio uses stainless steel hexbolts and screws to hold the smartwatch together.
Here you can see the proprietary charging cable and magnetic crimped charging terminal.
The charging system works well though the cable does have a habit of popping off too easily. The back of the case is a large stainless steel plate held on by six screws.
The WSD-F30 has a dual-layer OLED/monochrome display. The monochrome display shows the time, power level, and either the day/date and your step count or sensor information (altitude, barometric pressure, and compass heading) while saving power by turning off the full color display. The 390 × 390 pixels OLED layer provides a vibrant viewing experience when using apps. The touchscreen’s clarity and responsiveness is excellent.
Outdoor Features
Casio includes a handful of very outdoor-centric functions on this smartwatch including: digital compass, mapping & navigation, altimeter, and barometer telemetry. And even though this watch can provide you your notifications, music, current news, etc…one of its main missions is help you navigate and survive when you’re getting back to nature, escaping the modern world. Even though the screen is pretty small, the mapping and navigation capabilities of the F30 are impressive with the ability to download offline maps, preset routes, and waypoints, backtrack, etc. Barometric pressure data lets you know of a potential change in the weather. And the usefulness of the compass and altimeter when you’re lost in the middle of nowhere are pretty obvious.
Just one thing is missing…
I would say the most glaring omission on the PRO TREK F30 is the lack of a built-in heart-rate sensor. For being such a get out and get moving, outdoor and explore smartwatch not having an HR sensor could definitely cause the fitness crowd to pause when considering the F30 as their next wearable purchase. With the likes of Apple, Polar and many others doubling down on accurate, always monitoring fitness, I think Casio probably should have added this function by the third generation of this watch. That said, the F30 does count your steps, monitor activities, and does include Google’s and other various fitness apps.
Setup
The Casio WSD-F30 is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. Setting up the F30 with my iPhone was quick and easy. Since I already had my Google WearOS app setup, getting the F30 talking to my iPhone didn’t take long at all. The app configures all my preferences, info, and music nearly seamlessly, though music transfer did take a bit of time.
Performance
Overall the performance of the WSD-F30 is surprisingly good. I have tried/reviewed more than my fair share of smartwatches and most, if not all, of the WearOS devices fell well short in the performance category (especially compared to the Apple Watch). The F30 is relatively responsive with less lag than previous WearOS devices, apps don’t crash, and the special features/tools actually work as advertised.
With its dual-layer display technology you can get one to two days of use out of the PRO TREK before needing to recharge it…pretty standard for today’s smartwatches. The F30 has an Extended Mode for when you don’t have power and need to stretch battery life for many days. Extended Mode does limit functionality but can be switched off when need be.
Comfort & Wearability
Even though the F30 is smaller than its predecessors, this watch is HUGE. The width is 54 mm with a lug-to-lug wingspan distance of over 60 mm. I typically wear 38 – 40 mm diameter watches with a lug-to-lug distance under 50 mm, so this watch does feel large and a bit cumbersome. Here you can see the watch on my 7 inch wrist and the lugs overhang the sides of my wrist. The F30’s dual layer display measures 1.2 inches with much of the watch’s overall diameter coming from the thick bezel.
The WSD-F30 is pretty thick as well. The watch sits 14.9 mm high on the wrist and does occasionally bump into things while moving through the world. Though at 83 g / 2.9 oz, the WSD-F30 feels light on the wrist especially when you consider its overall dimensions.
The band is made from a black plasticky rubber material with a carbon fiber-like look on the exterior. The watchband is OK, definitely not my favorite, feeling more like plastic than rubber. The band wears fine but not nearly as comfortable as my Everest or RubberB watchbands or even the bands of my Apple and Polar watches.
The F30’s watch band has many notches for a precise/better fit as your wrist expands and constricts due to weather conditions and effort level.
A nice feature of the WSD-F30 band is that Casio uses a quick release spring bar system for easy tool-free removal/swapping of the wristband. Funny thing is, the tiny quick release slider is recessed into the band and after a minute or two I gave up trying to make it work with my fingernail. My spring bar tool made quick work of getting the band on & off of the watch. But in reality, if your fingernail wasn’t working a paperclip or toothpick would work just as well.
What I like
Well made rugged design
Solid build and material quality
Created for the outdoor enthusiast
Pretty responsive for an Android WearOS smartwatch
Feature rich
Offline navigation and compass
Good dual layer screen design
Decent battery life
What I’d change
Make it smaller
Lower the price
Watchband is too plasticky
Include a heart-rate sensor
Charging plug disconnects easily
In addition to the orange-red color I received, the PRO TREK WSD-F30 is also available in blue and black.
Final thoughts
Even though it is not perfect, I really like the PRO TREK WSD-F30 smartwatch. It is unapologetically big, bold, and engineered to weather whatever Mother Nature throws at it. Casio has done a good job combining the latest wearable technology and navigation/survival tools into a rugged, mil-spec watch. This smartwatch provides the outdoor enthusiast tools to get around the middle or nowhere with confidence. It would have been nice if the F30 had a built-in heart rate sensor but if I had to choose, I’d rather have a map and a compass than know my calories burned when lost out in the woods.
One more thing: the Gadgeteer Kid is heading off to college soon and will be attending the Colorado School of Mines, located in Golden. Along with studying engineering, he plans on embracing all that Colorado has to offer: skiing, hiking, rafting, etc. while he’s there. I can’t think of a better tech-tool to hand him as he walks out the door and heads off to God’s country.
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CROWDFUNDING REVIEW – Airpower, an innovative smart device developer, is unveiling their Wearbuds, dubbed the “world’s first wristband-housed true wireless earbuds.” They will be available for preorder on Kickstarter starting today June 20th, 2019.
What is it?
The Wearbuds are touted as the “World’s First True Wireless Earbuds Housed in a Fitness Band.” And indeed, they are indeed sporty wireless earbuds that click securely into the body of a wrist fitness tracker.
Obligatory promotional material shot.
In combining the earbuds, charging case and fitness tracker into one wearable package, Airpower hopes to solve the problems of lost charging cases and digging around in your backpack for your earbuds.
There is an invisible wire that has long plagued true wireless experience. The innovative patented design of Wearbuds enables the earbuds to be stored and charged in a fitness band, bringing both audio and fitness tracking experience to consumers. — Oliver Sha Fei, co-founder of Aipower
What’s in the box?
Wearbuds Fitness Band + Earbuds
Getting Started cards
Charging cable
Features & Specs
True wireless and Bluetooth 5.0
Qualcomm smart audio chipset
Support aptX codec
Graphene-augmented drivers
Instant pairing
Earbuds playtime: 4h (12h with the band)
Fitness band battery life: up to 7 days
Earbuds: IPX7 waterproof
Fitness band: IPX6 water-resistant
On-wrist fitness data: heart rate, steps, sleep patterns, etc.
On-wrist notifications for call, message, apps (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram)
Hands-on Experience
Note: The supplied Wearbuds unit that I was given is a prototype, so my experience with the wrist tracker, earbuds and app may differ from the final shipped product.
Airpower was kind enough to ship me a prototype of their Wearbuds. I’m going to break down my early impressions into three sections to cover everything the Wearbuds professes to do: wrist-worn fitness band, wireless earbuds, and the companion mobile app.
Fitness Tracker Band / Charging Case
When I first laid eyes on the Tracker Band, it sort of reminded me of a kids GPS smartwatch. It’s certainly a lot more fashionable than something a kid would wear, but it still had that rounded clunkiness to it.
The strap of the Band felt very similar to the function of a sports tracker, and was easy to place on my wrist. After wearing it for a few moments, I could feel the metal disc attached to the nub keeping the strap in place begin to rub against the inside of my wrist, depending on the angle of my hand.
The self-consciousness of wearing something this thick on my wrist was apparent for the first few hours, but would come right back every time I would accidentally brush my wrist against something. I don’t know if I could ever get past it, maybe in time, but it definitely is meant to be an all-day type of device. And, it apparently tracks sleep, so it’s meant to be an all-night type of device, too.
There are no buttons to speak of. Not even a power button. It was already “on” when I received it, and the only way one could tell if the battery had actually died is by attaching or detaching the earbuds to see if the display would react.
There is a proprietary USB charging connector that attaches to the “underbelly” of the Band, held in place by strong magnets.
The charging port and heart rate sensor.
The Band’s functionality was extremely spotty. For instance, I don’t think I ever really “learned” how to raise my wrist to get the display to light up. It would take several dips and twists and flips of my wrist before I saw the time light up. And from what I can tell, the only way to switch modes is to have that display turn on, first.
Sometimes I would see it come on without even really moving my wrist around. I couldn’t tell if it was just a delay from a previous movement or if I was keeping my wrist resting on the table at the perfect angle to keep triggering it.
Once the display is on, which actually takes up a relatively small strip of the “face” of the tracker, you can switch modes by swiping to the left or right, and then enter that mode by double-tapping on the display. Once in the selected mode, like “Daily Report” for instance, you can get back to the main menu by swiping to the right to display a large “< BACK” and then double-tapping on that.
This took a lot of trial and error.
Animation displaying how the earbuds pop in and out of the Band.
To be fair, I received a note with the prototype explaining that this interface “needs to be fine-tuned.” So there may be some drastic improvements in using this.
The functionality of the Band is somewhat limited. You can enter heart rate mode, which (accurately from what I can tell) determines your heart rate, but not passively throughout the day. There is also a “daily report” mode that shows your steps and other stats, and a sport mode used for starting a walk, run or biking workout.
It’s also capable of displaying notifications from apps such as texts, WhatsApp, and phone calls, as well as a programmable “sedentary” reminder to get up and walk around periodically.
For the most part, the Band acts as a pedometer and portable earbud charging case. I would have vastly appreciated a more reliable way to turn on the display, such as a tap or even a small button.
The steps recorded from the Band were within a couple hundred steps of what was recorded by my iPhone, which seems pretty accurate.
I recorded a walk using the Sport function, but again ran into some trouble. During the walk I somehow got back to the main watch screen, and didn’t know how to get back to the workout in session. So I tried to start a new walk workout and after a very slow 3-2-1 countdown, it resumed the current walk. Very odd. I thought for sure I was going to crash something.
Again. Prototype stuff.
I should mention the battery life is listed at 7 days in the specs, but I can’t imagine it would last nearly that long. After a full day of wear (14 hours) the Band was at 35% power. I believe I had given the earbuds a full charge from the Band’s battery … this action alone would reduce it by about 40%. I suppose not charging the earbuds would boost the longevity of the Band, but having something that acts as a charging case for your earbuds is the entire point of this device.
At the current state, this prototype fitness band is clunky and unreliable. It’s hard to say how much better it will get since Airpower has a couple months to work on it. But, good news, the device is capable of receiving firmware updates via the app.
Earbuds
The true wireless earbuds housed within the Band are quite small. They only come with one earbud size, and while they did fit my ears snugly, I’m not sure they would be a fit for everyone. They pop in and out of the left and right sides of the Band with a push-snap mechanism, reminiscent of the action of inserting an SD card. They don’t shake out when inserted and remain flush against the side of the Tracker.
Here they are, little guys.
However, once they’re removed, the Band itself looks a bit odd, two gaping holes on either side of the body. I think that’s why most earbud charger cases have a cover on them, I think … and I snickered immaturely when I had this thought … for modesty’s sake.
They pair with your phone as independent devices. The pairing sequence was fairly easy, following the provided instructions.
The earbuds are able to be operated in single or dual mode, and have a touch sensitive area on the flat part of the bud itself. In dual mode, double tapping either earbud will skip or rewind the track, respectively. Tap and hold will increase or decrease the volume, and a single tap will answer or hang up a call. Additionally, a triple-tap (!) will activate Siri.
When using a single earbud, which activates mono audio, I think, the taps are limited to increasing or decreasing the volume, answering calls, and invoking Siri. I appreciate the extra attention in this detail.
The effective tap area is most of the flat surface. I think that surface is capacitive. I could touch this area twice very lightly and it seemed to react, it didn’t require a forceful double-tap like Apple’s AirPods.
The earbuds sound pretty good. They’re a little flat, and not very punchy in either the bass or treble. That can be helped by a little in-app equalization, if available, but they do block out a good amount of external sound. They’re decent. The batteries seemed to last around 4 hours of constant use on a full charge, which is very close to what was listed on their Kickstarter page.
They were a nice, snug fit, for me, but perhaps not all.
They charge using the Band’s power, so the battery life of the Band itself is highly dependent on how often you’re charging the earbuds. They’re listed as having 35mAh battery in each earbud, and the Tracker Band has a 160mAh battery, so charging the earbuds twice in a day would nearly deplete the Band’s power.
Airpower Companion App
The Airpower app is available on iOS and Android, and is specifically made for the Wearbuds. At the moment, it doesn’t look like it will sync with other devices, but it could when and if they’re developed.
The app itself does a good job of displaying fitness data generated from the Tracker, such as steps, floors climbed, heart rate and workout stats. From what I could tell, this information doesn’t sync with the iOS Health app, so this information is only stored within the Airpower app.
The app itself can only be used to interact with the Band in a couple different ways, such as starting the heart rate monitor and putting it in “Find” mode, which lightly vibrates the Band if within range.
While limited in use, the app is almost necessary, as it’s the only way one could feasibly keep track of the fitness data history without write access to the Health app.
What I Like
Ambitious concept
Audio quality is pretty good
What Needs to Be Improved?
Again, this is an early prototype review, so there’s no telling what will be addressed before launch.
Ease of use of the fitness tracker interface, it’s extremely buggy
Incorporation of tracker data with Apple Health app
Would like a ‘tap to wake up display’ on the Band
Wish the Band was a little more trimmed down, but it’s basically a charging case on your wrist
Final Thoughts
The inherent problem in reviewing an early prototype is that any oddity I came across had to be approached with the possibility that it might get fixed or improved when the final product is released. My opinions should be taken with a $49 grain of salt.
While the earbuds were decent enough, this is a market that is positively exploding right now with the popularity of true-wireless earphones. There are dozens of them on Amazon, ranging in price from tens to hundreds of dollars.
The same can be said of fitness trackers.
The Wearbuds feels like one of those Kickstarters that falls into the “World’s First” category of devices and products that answers a question that nobody asked. While I’m sure there is a demographic of people who both want to track their workouts and like to listen to audio, there are thousands of existing products that address both of these subjects collectively better than solving the mild issue of misplacing a charging case.
Where can I find more info?
Starting on June 20, 2019 at 1pm ET, Airpower’s Wearbuds Kickstarter campaign will begin, aiming to hit a $50,000 goal by mid-August and begin shipping in September. You can begin pledging during this time, and your Super Early Birdpledge of just $49 will secure your preorder.
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NEWS – Here’s a unique watch to add to your timepiece collection, it’s the PSI watch from Tokyoflash Japan, and it’s designed to look like mechanical pressure gauge. Available with a black or white dial and a black or silver stainless steel case, the PSI watch is a fun way to tell time because it has a needle that jumps to the hour, then two more jumps to show the minutes. Take a look at the video below to see how it works.
The watch charges via USB and a full charge will let you enjoy the watch for up to 2 months before you need to charge it again. You can buy the PSI watch for $189.00 from Tokyoflash Japan
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NEWS – Shinola, Detroit’s darling that produces high-quality watches, bicycles, audio gear, leather goods, and jewelry is updating their flagship Runwell watch line with the new Runwell Automatic.
Automatic watches have a rotating weight inside the caseback. As you wear the watch, the movement of your arm causes the weight to rotate, winding the watch. There are no batteries. You can also wind the stem, like a traditional mechanical watch if you don’t wear it for a day or two.
This is my well-worn 41mm Shinola Runwell.
The new automatic Runwell will be larger, at 45mm.
Shinola worked hard designing the Runwell Automatic, updating it slightly, while staying true to the original Runwell design.
The addition of the exhibition caseback showcases the automatic movement through a sapphire window.
This isn’t Shinola’s first automatic. Last year’s Monster series featured the company’s initial automatic movement in a diver-style watch. The Runwell Automatic is a return to the company’s design roots.
Pricing and availability have not yet been announced. To read more about the Runwell Automatic watch, and to join the waitlist for updates, visit the Runwell Automatic story or Shinola.com.
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). The buttons are large and easy to find and press. The upper (mapping) and lower (tools app) buttons have a nice knurled pattern with the center button having more of a bulls-eyed pattern. The buttons work fine but are a bit squishy when pressed vs having a definitive click to them.
