Casio G'zOne Commando heads to Verizon

Casio has typically made rugged feature phones for Verizon Wireless (the G'zOne Brigade, the G'zOne Ravine, etc.), so it was a welcome surprise to see the company finally branch out to Android smartphones with the Casio G'zOne Commando.

Like its brethren, the Commando is designed to withstand a variety of environmental hazards with its tough and durable construction that should protect it against immersion, rain, shock, dust, vibration, humidity, and more. It even comes with the G'zGear software that includes outdoor-friendly tools like a compass, a walking counter, a tidal graph, a thermometer, and a tool for tracking the phases of the moon.

More than that, it ships with Android 2.2 and boasts robust security features to support corporate e-mail. Other features include Wi-Fi, a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus, an LED light, stereo Bluetooth, GPS, and the ability to act as a mobile hot spot with up to five devices. If you want 4G/LTE, however, keep looking, as the Commando has 3G/EV-DO instead. The interface also features XT9 and T9 trace input for typing and a menu that snaps out for frequently used apps.

The Casio G'zOne Commando will be available starting April 28 for $199.99 with a new two-year agreement.