I’m always looking for cool gadgets, especially those that can work in conjunction with my iPhone 5. One of the top items on my need to buy list is a watch that will work with my iPhone. I’ve seen a few already out there but most look like toys and the one Citizen watch that I do like is a bit on the expensive side for me. That’s why I was really happy about finding out that Casio has just released their long awaited G-Shock GB6900AA Bluetooth 4.0 compatible watch.

Now this isn’t a full fledged smart watch. Like the Citizen Eco-Drive Proximity watch, it’s only real function is to alert you of notifications such as incoming calls and email, Bluetooth time syncing with your device, and the Find Me function which will allow you to find a misplaced phone by activating the phones alarm and vibrations. It will even alert you if you are too far away from your iPhone, which means you have forgotten it somewhere. All of these new features and it won’t compromise what the G-Shock watches are known for, tough, durable watches that look great.

The Casio G-Shock GB6900AA is available in 4 different colors as shown above and will retail for $180 at these select retailers – Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Tourneau, Independent Jewelers & Fashion Boutiques, and http://www.gshock.com.

For more details about the new G-Shock, check out the specs below as well as the full press release.

Specs

• Mineral Glass
• Shock Resistant
• 200-meter water resistance
• Case / bezel material: Resin
• Resin Band
  • LED Backlight (Super Illuminator)
    Selectable illumination duration, afterglow
  • World time 35 time zones (100 cities + coordinated universal time), city name display, daylight saving on/off
  • 1/100-second stopwatch
    Measuring capacity: 23:59’59.99′
    Measuring modes: Elapsed time, split time, 1st-2nd place times
  • Countdown timer
    Measuring unit: 1 second
    Input range: 1 minute to 24 hours (1-minute increments and 1-hour increments)
  • 5 alarms (daily or one-time)
  • Hourly time signal
  • Mobile link (Function linking using Bluetooth(r) v4.0 wireless communication)
  • Vibrator
  • Tap function
  • Full auto-calendar (to year 2099)
  • 12/24-hour format
  • Button operation tone on/off
  • Power Saving (Mobile Link turns off automatically after a fixed amount of time to save power.)
  • Low battery warning (A warning appears on the display whenever battery power drops below a certain level.)
  • Regular timekeeping: Hour, minutes, seconds, pm, month, date, day
  • Accuracy: ±15 seconds per month
  • Approximate battery operating time:2 years on CR2032
    (Mobile Link used 12 hours a day.) *Incoming call alert: 3 times/day *Incoming mail, other event alert: 10 times/day *Light: Once (1.5 seconds)/day *Alarm: 10 seconds/day
• Dimensions/weight: 53.2 x 50 x 17.7/64g

Press Release

DOVER, N.J., Dec. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Casio America, Inc. is proud to introduce their latest technological achievement, the G-Shock Bluetooth Low Energy Smart Watch. Casio has been redefining the wristwatch for years by applying the latest technologies. Now, Casio’s application of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) positions the company to create new possibilities for the way people use their watches. The GB6900AA collection provides Bluetooth time sync, alerts for incoming calls and emails, in addition to a Find Me function in which alarm and vibration functions on an iPhone can be activated using the buttons of the watch. To silence the vibration of the alarms, Casio has added a tap function in which the user double taps the face and the alert is automatically dismissed. In addition, the Bluetooth G-Shock will provide a notification when the phone is out of range of the watch, making sure the phone is never misplaced and the watch will automatically adjust itself to the correct time zone by using the time data received through the iPhone.

Taking advantage of the low power consumption of BLE, the new watch powers wireless communication functions with a single, ordinary button-cell battery, and without consuming any more battery life than a conventional wristwatch. Users can wear it every day just like they normally do, without the hassle of recharging or replacing a battery. Battery life is estimated at approximately two years, assuming that the Bluetooth wireless communication function is used for 12 hours per day.

As the wireless link between smart phones and watches gains in adoption, and as the universe of smart phone applications continues to grow, G-Shock expects to see new possibilities for watches in everyday life.

The GB6900AA collection is available in four sleek colorways: black GB6900AA-1, gray blue GB6900AA-2, brown GB6900AA-5 and white GB6900AA-7. All models include shock and 200M water resistance, world time (35 time zones / 100 cities + UTC), LED super illuminator, five daily alarms (beep or vibrate), 1/100th second stopwatch (24H), countdown timer (24H, beep or vibrate), 12/24hr formats, mute function and a 2-year battery (12H of use per day).

“G-Shock continues to be a leader in cutting-edge technology for timepieces,” said Shigenori Itoh, Chairman and CEO of Casio’s Timepiece Division. “With the release of the Bluetooth LE Smart Watch collection, we are pushing the boundaries of inspired timepieces for the business savvy, technology conscious consumer.”

Available this November, the GB6900AA collection will retail for $180 and will be available at select Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Tourneau, Independent Jewelers & Fashion Boutiques, and http://www.gshock.com.

For more information please visit: http://world.g-shock.com/us/en/ble/

[via Casio]