If you’re like me, when you hear the name Epson, you’re more likely to think of something like your old printer, not a watch, right? Well, guess what, weary cubicle dweller? Epson wants you to get fit now! They’ve just introduced a GPS-enabled digital watch thatis supposedly the lightest on the market (once it comes out later this year, that is).
So, why might you consider this over something like a Garmin? According to the PR, this watch is not only lighter (50 grams), but should offer much better battery life – up to 12 hours on a single charge. Now, for most watches, that doesn’t sound like much. But if you’re going to communicate with satellites, that’s going to drain the juice. How long are you running for, anyways?
Somehow, they’ve even managed to keep the case size down, even with the GPS module – it’s only 13mm thick. And, should you want to go for a run in the rain (or even a swim) with the watch, you’re covered. This Epson model offers 50m water resistance (apparently others in the segment can only stand up to a light splash of sweat).
So, how did Epson suddenly get watch-making chops? From looking at their website, it looks like they’re actually owned by the Seiko Epson Corporation. Whether that’s the same Seiko we know and love, I’m not sure – but it certainly would explain some things. So, if you’re in the market for something to track your runs, you may want to stack this against the more familiar options in the segment.
