Tag: pet technology

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Connected Objects Pets

Where’s Nellie? This GPS locator mixes radios to pinpoint your pooch

It’s a common nightmare for dog owners: their beloved pet has run out of the house and they can’t find the pooch anywhere.

Where’s Nellie is a GPS tracking device designed to ease a dog owner’s mind if their pet runs off and can’t be found. The Nellie Beacon attaches securely to a dog’s collar and works in conjunction with an iOS and Android app. The beacon communicates up to six miles away with the included Nellie Base unit. If a dog is missing, the owner just has to press the locate button on the app and, in a few minutes, Where’s Nellie will pinpoint the location of the dog on the smartphone. It costs $179 and will ship in January. Its maker is hoping to raise $100,000 by May 16.

The device has promise despite coming along after several similar products, including Lucky Tag and WUF. However, Nellie seems to be superior to several rivals in a few ways. First, it makes use of several radio technologies. If the base unit is near the beacon, it uses Bluetooth LE technology. But if the dog is out of range, Semtech’s LoRa long-range wireless solution is used instead. If the pet owner wants to pinpoint exactly where the dog is, GPS is used.

Second, there are no monthly fees involved. Third, its batteries will last more than 365 days because the Beacon’s patent-pending technology uses low-power components and software, according to its Kickstarter campaign. That’s far more battery life than most rival products.

Categories
Pets

Pawda promises to pinpoint pets in the perimeter

The Premise. Dogs can be some of the most loving and compassionate partners a person can ever have. They’ll be by your side through every corner of life, but sometimes tragedy strikes and they wander off. Losing a pet is one of the worst feelings a person can experience, but what if endless search parties and calls to the local pound were unnecessary? What if we could always know where our pets wandered off to?

The Product. The Pawda is the perfect solution that allows you to give your pet the freedom to roam, yet the peace of mind to always find them if they wander too far. The idea lies within a simple GPS tracking system that attaches to your pets collar. Designate a safety zone, and you’ll not only get notifications if your pet leaves the area, but you’ll also be able to track their exact location in the built-in map. The Pawda is also waterproof and durable so it can withstand all the adventures your pet embarks upon, but the battery life only lasts up to seven days.

The Pitch. Pawda’s video wastes no time explaining how the Pawda works. Not to be confused with devices like the Tile and Bringrr, Pawda is an actual GPS tracker. In simple and well-designed graphic simulations, the video shows how Pawda can help track your pet seamlessly with your iOS or Android smartphone. The video takes a brief break in the middle for a word from the two founders who voice their confidence and dedication to their prototype that they deem ready for mass production.

The Perks. To get your paws on a Pawda, the pledge price is $99 AUD (about $90 US Dollars). GPS tracking devices do unfortunately come at a steep price, but it could be worth the investment to have the peace of mind of keeping your pet safe. Those who are more enthusiastic about the Pawda can pledge $185 AUD to also receive a Pawda t-shirt and hoodie for their pet. Manufacturing and shipment for the Pawda has a quick turn around and can be expected to be delivered in April 2014.

The Potential. Pricing for the Pawda is in line with that of Tagg, the dog tracker that was spun off from wireless giant Qualcomm several years back, and is part of a new generation of products for tracking people and pets. Not every pet owner needs to know its dog’s destination, but built-in and attachable location devices for pets are certainly going to be more popular in the future.