It may be hard to believe, but the Apple Watch has been available for nearly a year and a half now, and while it has not been the runaway success that some expected, it has still easily become the best selling smartwatch. Those of us who own one love the Watch's ability to track our fitness and exercise routines, provide text and notification alerts, pay for lunch at McDonald’s, and put a wealth of other information right on our wrists. But, Apple's tiny little device wasn't necessarily made for the outdoors, which sometimes means we have to leave it behind when we set out on an adventure lest disaster strike. But thanks to the Apple Watch Case from Catalyst, we can now take our Apple Watches with us anywhere we go, including out on the water.

Catalyst is probably best known for making durable cases for smartphones and tablets. But now the company has leveraged its considerable experience in that field and applied it to the Apple Watch as well. The result is a case, which completley enshrouds the watch in a suit of protective armor designed to keep it safe from any number of dangers, including being completely immersed in water.

Once inside the case, the Apple Watch suddenly becomes a lot more rugged. That's because Catalyst built its product to be IP68 certified waterproof, allowing it to dive to a depth of 165 feet and yet remain completely impervious to moisture. It is also MIL-SPEC 810G rated against drops as well, which means the smartwatch can now take a lot more abuse while out in the field. With the case in place, the watch feels like it has been actually designed for use in the outdoors, taking away the worry that you might otherwise feel when wearing it on a backcountry hike or paddling excursion.

Despite being incredibly tough and durable, the case doesn't interfere in any way with the Apple Watch's regular functionality. You can still touch its screen to interact with messages and alerts; the heart rate sensor still works properly, as does both the microphone and speaker. Even Apple's quirky magnetic charging cable and docks work just fine. Catalyst has cleverly designed the case with a button and digital crown that mimic those already found on the watch, allowing you to continue to operate the device just as you always have. In fact, within minutes of installing the case on my watch I had almost completely forgotten that I had done so simply because everything still worked so seamlessly.

This past week, I had the chance to put the Apple Watch Case to the test during a cruise. It worked in the swimming pools, the hot tubs and showers. It also looked good enough to keep it on my wrist for evening dinners. Catalyst even claims that it can be used in salt water without doing any harm to the device, which is nice to know the next time I'm headed to the beach. After a day or two with the case installed, I stopped worrying about whether or not my watch would survive the trip, and moved forward with the confidence of knowing it was just fine.
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If you're like me, and worry about damaging your Apple Watch while taking part in your favorite outdoor activities, then the Apple Watch Case, priced at $60, is a wise investment.

It doesn't happen often but Bluetooth is getting an upgrade all the way to a new version, Bluetooth 5. Announced last week by Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), will have double the speed, quadruple the range and increases data capacity by 800%. It should also work far better outdoors than current offerings. In an age of smart connected homes and smartwatch devices this is very good news indeed.

Bluetooth is lower power consuming than Wi-Fi, but has been limited by range and bandwidth, until now. Bluetooth 5 is expected to start arriving later this year and early in 2017 inside new devices.

Expect new smartphones, smartwatches, speakers, headphones, smart bulbs, connected cameras and more to sport the new Bluetooth 5 connection. There are currently over 30,000 companies working with the Bluetooth SIG so expect this to appear on a huge scale when it starts to arrive later this year.

This could also mean indoor location tracking, like that used by Apple in its Stores, could become wider spanning and more accurate than ever.
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Expect to hear manufacturers announcing their devices which will pack Bluetooth 5 towards the end of 2016.

Rufus Labs announced their new Rufus Cuff this past week. It’s a 3.2-inch tablet for your wrist that was designed to make the smartphone obsolete.

The Rufus Cuff, an Android OS wearable, looks like something out of a science fiction TV show. It's possibly the only device out there that can't be categorized using regular criteria. The Cuff is a wearable Android tablet for your wrist, one that might feel more aesthetically at home on the U.S.S. Enterprise .

Initial funding for the project is from Indiegogo. The Cuff is more of a wrist communicator than a smartwatch or smartband, and its highlighted voice and video call feature makes sure to differentiate its designation.

Despite the fact that the wearable minitablet looks a bit encumbering, with a 3.2-inch touchscreen (available in Jet Black, Turbo Red, and White Out) and a thick, interchangeable silicone wristband that comes in eight different colors, the Rufus Cuff more or less includes the same slew of basic features as comparable devices like the Apple Watch: apps from music to fitness, and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectors for web access. And even though it's an Android, the wearable is also compatible with both Android and Apple iOS.

"It's not just a glorified notification center, we eventually see everyone ditching their phones," said Rufus Labs CEO and co-founder Gabe Grifoni in a recent interview. "This will replace the need for smartphones, wallets, watches, fitness trackers, everything." The device is available for pre-order here at an early-adopter price of $250.