Tag: Dog

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Pets Wearables

Smart Connected Collar keeps Fido in line, trains and teaches pooches

Dogs are arguably the greatest pet a person can have. They’re loyal, fun, and offer invaluable companionship. They are, however, fairly high maintenance because of their size, bathroom needs, and required walks.

patent-claimedThe Connected Collar promises to lend a hand in training and keeping a dog as a pet. This Bluetooth-enabled device is powered by an accompanying app. It offers health monitoring, training tools such as simulated leash tugging and whistle blows, GPS locating, LED lights, and more. This collar promises to help with controlling barking and running away as well. Connected Collar also teaches dogs simple commands like “sit” and “stay”. Take that, Apple Watch.

This collar makes any pet owner seem a little lazy. However, its functions are dynamic and valuable. One will cost dog owners $120 for a black collar with delivery in August 2015. This smart collar is looking for a goal of $25,000 on Indiegogo.

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Connected Objects Pets

Uknekt lets you give remote pets food, video chat tips

Pets make a great addition to any home, but can be a pain when owners want to travel. There always needs to be someone around to make sure the pets get fed.

Uknekt offers a way for pet owners to not only feed their pets while they’re gone, but also interact with them. The feeder comes equipped with a compartment for food, water, and treats. Controlled by an Android and iOS compatible app, owners can control the flow of sustenance for their pets. Uknekt also has a microphone, speaker, camera, and motion sensor so that footage and sounds from the pets are transmitted to the app. Uknekt also comes equipped with a backup battery and waterproof cable.

Uknekt joins similar products such as the PetPal and Romeow, but is more versatile. Not only does it allow for interaction, but it also serves up food, water, and treats. For their own, backers can donate $259 to the campaign. This product is looking to raise $87,500 on Indiegogo.

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Connected Objects Pets

Out There: Disco Dog LED vest lights dogs up, alerts strangers to lost dogs

Out There is a feature that highlights weird, wacky or woeful projects.

Pet owners love their dogs almost beyond comprehension. And most would do anything to make sure that their dog doesn’t get lost.

patent-claimedThe Disco Dog combines a pet owner’s fashion frenzy with function. The vest comes equipped with 256 LED lights that can be controlled from an accompanying smartphone app. It lights up in different colors and patterns allowing owners to show off just how sassy their dog can be. Best of all, if the dog strays too far from its owner and loses Bluetooth connectivity in the process, the vest will automatically say “Lost dog”. The app allows complete control over what the vest says when the connection is good and includes options for customized text or even advertisements!

Disco Dog should consider changing its name to Humiliated Dog. The number of dogs that will probably end up donning this weird light show is slightly upsetting, even if that number is only below 10. Disco Dog’s only redeeming feature is the “Lost Dog” mode as that actually serves a useful purpose. Otherwise, pet owners may want to consider sparing their pooch the humiliation and preventing them from becoming walking billboards for advertisements. If not, backers can have their own for a ridiculous donation of $300 for the smallest size with estimated delivery set for November 2015. Disco Dog is looking for $15,000 in funding. Before contributing, however, please look at the sad little dachshund in the campaign wearing the vest with an expression of ennui and reconsider donating.

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Connected Objects Technology Wearables

Multifunction dog tag boosts luck of finding lost pooch

Dog owners dread the idea of losing their pooch. So, the idea of a smart, wearable device is a no-brainer for many pet owners.

The new Lucky Tag, developed by Los Angeles-based Beaconpliance, is a dog wearable device that combines three main features into one. The on-collar tag can be used as a tracking device to find a missing dog, but also offers location-based service social functionality among nearby dog owners, along with pet healthcare functions. The tag uses beacon technology to help users find their dogs. Each device has a unique ID configured for each dog and constantly sends out a Bluetooth signal as far as 250 feet for Android and iOS smartphones nearby to detect and locate the ID.

The “Find My Dog’ feature helps users locate their missing pooches with the collaborative efforts of Lucky Tag devices nearby. Lucky Tag owners can also exchange contact info with each other, enhancing the device’s social functionality. The device, meanwhile, tracks and logs each dog’s activity level and ambient temperature, and syncs the data with the user’s smartphone. Early bird backers can get a Lucky Tag by pledging as little as $29 and are expected to get the device in February. Beaconpliance is looking to raise $40,000.

Lucky Tag supposedly consumes less power than similar devices like Pawda and Tagg that use GPS technology. But GPS devices cover a much larger area. As Beaconpliance concedes on its Kickstarter campaign, the biggest challenge with beacon technology is that it relies on the collaborative support and power of a mass community. That means unless many consumers buy the device for their dogs, a key part of its functionality will not work well. That is a major downside of the device. But the relatively low pricing may be enough of an incentive for some consumers to buy one.

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Pets

Romeow woos your Julipet with smartphone scheduled feedings

Leaving a pet alone at home for a few days isn’t only taxing on the animal, but stressful for the owner too. Cats and dogs hate to be put in kennels and it can be expensive to have someone feed and take care of pets several times a day.

Romeow is a smartphone-powered device that can feed and provide water for pets over Wi-Fi. When away, owners can use the wide angle camera to check out the bowls. If empty, a tap of a button will dispense the desired amount of food and water. In addition, the owner can schedule all feedings with the app’s calendar, so pet feeding is never a chore. Romeow also comes equipped with a speaker so you can coo at your pet from afar.

Romeow joins scores of other similar products like the Kittyo and PetPal, though it claims to be the first. While it does have a camera and speaker, it doesn’t come equipped with a laser to actually interact with the pet like other products do, though this feature does seem bit superfluous. This product also offers water dispensing unlike others. The Italian Romeow’s design sets it apart too, opting to go more retro/industrial chic rather than the futuristic spaceship look. One Romeow system complete with two bowls can be had by backers for €249 (~$310) by September 2015, if the campaign can meet its €80,000 (~$99,600) goal on Indiegogo.

Categories
Pets

Catzenpup feeds dog or cat wet food, can’t replace an owner’s love though

There are lots of automatic pet feeders out there that feed your cat or dog when you’re not at home. However, must focus on dry food or only serve either dogs or cats, but not always both.

Catzenpup is a new device that automatically feeds your dog or cat when you’re away, but with wet food. Wet food is better for pets. Not only does it provide more nutrients, but it keeps them better hydrated as well. If owner isn’t around to feed Fido, then how are they supposed to give him water as well? To use, either schedule up to four feeding times per day or set a timer to dispense food every so often. Catzenpup is battery-operated and has a low battery indicator.

While this is a great idea because many pet owners simply can’t stay home all day, there are some flaws to this design. Similar products, like the PetPal use an accompanying smartphone app to dispense food when the owner chooses. A schedule is probably better for the pet’s health, but it’s still nice for owners to have the option to use their smartphones. In addition, this product, as well as others like the Kittyo, come equipped to interact with dog or cat as well for some fun play time. Last and probably least, Catzenpup isn’t very stylish, look like bulky medical equipment much unlike the similar PETLY.

Catzenpup has a ways to go before it can compete with the scads of similar automatic pet feeders out there. For one, backers will have to donate $89 for estimated delivery in June 2015. This product is hoping to raise $50,000 on Kickstarter.

Categories
Pets Wearables

Arden Collar combines LEDs, GPS and Bluetooth to help find and identify lost pets

Pets have the tendency to wander off, much like children. When they do, they have a much harder time finding their way home. Not only that, but they run the risk of getting hit by a car or snatched up by some Cruella de Vil type. Once pets are gone, pet owners must resort to flyers which usually produce no results.

The Arden Collar works to keep your pet safe at all times. This silicone collar features a GPS tracker which hooks up via Bluetooth LE or Wi-Fi to an app so that you can see where your pet is. In addition, with the help of NFC, those near the lost pet will be alerted to its missing status. The collar will display the pet’s information on their phones, including name and address as well as the vet’s name and address. This makes it possible for others to easily help Fido find home.

This collar isn’t only useful in times of emergency. With Hi-LED lights that can be activated at the push of a button, owners can walk their dogs at night with maximum visibility. Also, the collar tracks the dog’s activity, temperature and other vitals and stores the data in the cloud. This way, owner and vet can make sure the pet is healthy. For maximum convenience, Arden has a detachable battery to make charging possible without removing the whole collar.

The Arden Collar has lots of cool features that will make it useful to lots of dog owners. It takes GPS tracking a step further by giving strangers the opportunity to help. In addition, it monitors the dog’s health like a FitBit does for humans. The one major drawback of this product, however, is that it may cost up to $45 each month for the services it provides. For those who don’t mind the monthly bill, one will cost $149 for estimated delivery in October 2015. Arden is looking to raise a ridiculous $400,000 on Indiegogo.

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Pets

PawSpa helps clean Fido’s feet without fuss

It’s kind of like a little vacuum cleaner – only for dog paws. PawSpa is absolutely a step up, maybe even several steps up, from a spray bottle and towels, and seems to be far more pleasant for both owner and his or her furry friend. All components of the paw cleaning system are contained in one box, which includes a wet/dry vacuum, clean water reservoir/submersible pump and a patent-pending wand applicator. These are stored in a unit that looks something like an ottoman. The system is apparently easy enough that even young family members can use it, based on what the video says. PawSpa only requires pet that is cooperative and well-behaved enough to sit still while some lucky chosen family member gets to slide Fido’s legs into the cleaning mechanism – one paw at a time, of course. While a cool idea, PawSpa’s huge $200,000 goal by November 14, 2014 may prove difficult to reach. Early bird backers can get their very own PawSpa for $99 with an expected delivery of April 2015.

Categories
Pets

Pawly shows that the cats will play when the owner’s away

The Premise. Pets are like children for most cat or dog owners. Leaving them to go to work can be heartbreaking and some pets don’t do well on their own all day. Some opt to keep the radio on all day just so their pets don’t feel alone.

The Product. Pawly is an interactive toy for pets to play with. It connects to the owner’s iPhone or Android and allows them to have fun with their pet remotely. With the app, they can control the movement of Pawly, shoot out treats and even take photos or videos. Pawly itself has four all-terrain wheels and is about the size of a laptop. It’s covered by an orange rubber shield to ensure its durability through rough play.

The Pitch. This campaign video tugs at the heartstrings of pet owners watching, showing cat and dog owners leaving their home in the morning. Never fear! They get to play with them from their office desks. If you want to see a rundown of features as well as the bone that tracks the fundraising status, check out the rest of the campaign. Pawly is looking to raise $80,000 on indiegogo.

The Perks. Watch out backers, your pet can be treat-blasted at with this Canadian product for $399 USD if you’re early enough or $449 USD if you’re on the slower side. Reward tiers climb up to $10,000.

The Potential. Remote pet care is nothing new. We’ve seen a ton of products on Backerjack that handle this very same thing like PetPal and Kittyo. Neither of them move like Pawly, but have more practical functions like feeding the pet while you’re away. In addition, Kittyo comes with a laser for cats to chase around. Also, both have speakers so that they can talk to their pet as well as videotape them. Pawly’s mobility is cool, however it has limited function compared to these other two products. In addition, the price is somewhat obscene for a glorified pet watcher. For those who are really concerned about their pets’ burgeoning loneliness, a paid sitter might be a cheaper option.

Categories
Pets

The Poo Puck reduces offensive stench when cleaning up after Fido

The Poo PuckWell, the video says it’s “fun to use.” What an interesting notion that picking up dog waste could be an even remotely fun experience. Nevertheless, The Poo Puck is supposed to achieve just such an objective.  How, you want to know? So glad that question was bravely asked. The three-piece system is designed in such a way that the product can be placed on top of the poo and the user can, no, not kick it, but step on it. Poo then adheres to a disposable honeycomb type mechanism so that distance gets placed between one’s shoe and the poo. Backers can get theirs for $15 (comes with 5 refills) and an expected delivery of October 2014. The sooner the better, right?