CASIO’s G-SHOCK family is set to welcome a new member with the G-SQUAD series, which pairs fitness-centric functions with casual styling while topping things off with the G-SHOCK’s legendary tough construction.The first watch to be released in the G-SQUAD series is the GBA-800, available in six different colourways.The new GBA-800 serves as a step tracker with its inbuilt accelerometer, which measures both the steps taken and the walking/running pace of its wearer.By itself, the watch can offer an immediate look into this data by displaying the steps taken.Pairing the watch with a smartphone to access the G-SHOCK Connected app via Bluetooth, however, allows a more complete picture of the wearer’s activity levels to be obtained.The G-SHOCK Connected app analyses both the step count and pace data using a new algorithm developed by CASIO, and displays this information as a graph, which breaks down the steps taken into five metabolic equivalent (MET) levels.If the wearer brings along a smartphone during an activity, the G-SHOCK Connected app will also log the location, time of the day, and calories burned on a map, for an even deeper analysis of a workout session.Finally, the app can also create timed workouts for interval training.
The GBA-800 comes in sporty yet sophisticated monotone colour palettes and uses a hybrid digital-analogue display format that maximises its varied functions’ legibility.Styling aside, the timepiece is powered by a customised module that must remain small, yet contain a Bluetooth chip and an acceleration sensor–proof of CASIO’s expertise in micromechanics and miniaturised computing solutions. The GBA-800 keeps accurate time by connecting four times per day to a time server through a paired smartphone, delivering performance and practicality as a wristwatch. The GBA-800 retails at S$189.
