Even printer companies want a slice of the wearable device market

How do you know when wrist-worn technology is officially a trend? When a brand best known for its printers gets in on the action. As promised, Epson is launching its first wrist-based wearables, and they’re all about improving your fitness. Each line delivers a slight twist on a familiar formula. The Runsense GPS watch range can track your running even if it loses signal thanks to stride sensors on some models, and lasts for a healthy 30 hours of continuous tracking; you may not need to recharge for days. The Pulsense line, meanwhile, monitors your heart rate, activity and sleep quality using a blend of optical and motion sensors. You theoretically never have to take the tracker off, although the 36-hour battery suggests you’ll be doing that quite often.

Epson isn’t just about printers anymore. The company recently introduced a few wearable fitness trackers, including two different versions of its Pulsense heart rate monitor and the Runsense watch for measuring activity. All the wearables work with dedicated smartphone and Web apps. The Runsense series is geared more toward runners and features GPS tracking, while the Pulsense line is for the health conscious, with its continuous heart rate monitoring technology. Epson’s line of GPS fitness trackers includes the Runsense SF-310, SF-510, SF-710, and SF-810. The first three are now available, but the fourth version will arrive in November. All four look like a standard fitness wristwatch, work with the Run Connect app, and have black and white screens. The four different models come with different features, but the SF-810 is the most high-end of the bunch. No matter the model, the screen measures 28.2 millimeters and has a 128 x 96 pixel resolution. All four Runsense watches can track your speed, pace, distance, laps, and calories burned. Every model except the entry-level SF-310 can measure your stride, too. However, the high-end Runsense SF-810 is the only model that comes with a built-in optical heart rate sensor. This version of the Runsense is water resistant up to five atmospheres and even has an indoor mode to give you more accurate readings at the gym. The watch vibrates when you get alerts and follows your route using GPS, so you can see it in map form later. Epson says that the first three models can last up to 30 hours on a single charge, but the SF-810 will only make it through 20 hours.