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Puppy Tweets will turn your Pooper into a world-class twitterer (Updated: with hands-on pictures!)
If you thought the downfall of Twitter began when Oprah said it was the best thing ever, well, you're probably right, but this latest toy from Mattel won't help to improve the situation. It's called Puppy Tweets, a little clasp that hangs from your pooch's collar and detects what it's up to -- presumably making wild guesses based on accelerometer and microphone readings. It was announced last month and is being shown off at the NY Toy Fair, where Mattel is pledging it can detect 500 different activities and turn them into 140-character witticisms, like: "It's not the catching of the tail, it's the chase," and "Guess what I'm licking right now." Yep, a real product, and $30 will get you yours in either pink or blue. Update: We had to check this thing out for ourselves at the Toy Fair today. Unfortunately, there wasn't a real pup on hand to demo, but we did confirm that this lightweight plastic collar can, as previously mentioned, tweet everything from licks to resulting carpet stains. Included in the box is a matching USB dongle which contains software that works with the collar to enable the Wi-Fi updates. It won't hit shelves until June, but check the gallery below. %Gallery-85482%
Mr. Ed-approved My Pet Speaker lets your stable rock softly, safely
File this one in the "you've got to be kidding me" category. Just in case you're terrified of your dog, cat, horse or Russian grizzly bear getting "put on alert" by the "jarring volumes and piercing sounds" that are generally emitted from your boombox, there's now a solution to your specific quandary. Pet Acoustics has just introduced the My Pet Speaker, an omni-directional sound system that contains a 4-inch driver, reduced bass levels and the extraordinary ability to "disburse music in 360 degrees recreating how animals hear in nature." Not good enough? The buttons are even positioned in the rear to keep your animals from skipping the awful tracks in your chosen playlist, and the "stable case design prevents easy knock down by pets." If you're a particular type of sucker (or you just enjoy hearing music with no bottom end whatsoever), you can claim your own in secret next month for $249.95. Rock on, Rosie.
Dog-e-Minder keeps tabs on your dog's vitals so you don't have to (video)
You're already weighing down the massive head of your Frenchton with some sort of bark collar and GPS-enabled location tracker, so what's another pendant around the neck, anyway? Dog-e-Minder, which is cleverly being marketed to the "As Seen On TV!" crowd, is a battery-powered device that records the last time your pup (or cat, or iguana, or anything else that rocks a leash) ate, walked or took his / her medications. Essentially, owners simply mash the corresponding button after an event has occurred, and an internal timer keeps track of how long it has been since said event has happened. It also doubles as a dog identification tag (displaying the owner's contact information and the pet's name) whenever it's idle, and it's even available in a foursome of hues to match your canine's personality. The pain? $19.95, and the second one is thrown in absolutely free. Obligatory TV spot is after the break, and remember, "If you own a dog, this product will change your life." Change your life. P.S. - There's also the Accuwalker for those of you who have no clue when the last time your pet was walked. Shame on you.
Puppy Tweets lets your puppy... tweet
Apple might think it's going to change the world tomorrow with some sort of crazy tablet, but we're here to tell you that the world has already changed. American humans will soon be able to buy a product called "Puppy Tweets," a product actually designed, tested, and released by the Mattel corporation. First, you need a dog with a Twitter account. (Who doesn't have one of those?) Then, you need to use $30 of your actual money to buy Puppy Tweets, a plastic sound-and-motion sensor that clips onto your dog's collar and sends out several pre-written tweets that have extreme amounts of dignity, like "YAHOOOOOOO! Somedays you just gotta get your bark on." Then you have to weep gently for the future of our society.
Dog buys 5,000 Microsoft points, says he just wanted to check out the Abbey Road DLC
Say what you will about dogs being man's best friend -- they sure can get into a lot of trouble. While our dogs have been limited to eating shoes and shedding on our furniture, Greg Strope of Richmond, Virginia has reason to believe his furry friend has gone the extra mile. While he lay in bed sleeping, his dog Oscar, he believes, purchased 5,000 Microsoft points. The only possible culprit, Oscar left some telltale signs (drool and scratches) on the Xbox controller, leading Greg to blame the $63 purchase on him. We have to admit the dog's actions rather impress us, though it also makes us nervous about all those times we left our laptop open and unattended around our own tiny beast. Video featuring damning photographic evidence is after the break.
Remote Pet Feeder feeds your pet, encourages your animal voyeurism habit
The last time we saw a computerized internet-controlled pet feeder, it had been lovingly, creatively cobbled together by a child. Well, it seems the idea's really got legs, as they now seem to be available on a mass-scale, in a nearly identical (albeit slightly more polished) form. Yes, just like the one designed by a boy somewhere in the 8-years-old-range, the Remote Pet Feeder comes with a webcam, a slightly modded bulk kibble feeder / bowl combo, and a 24-hour programmable timer. It's available now for about $290. [Via Coolest Gadgets]
LaserPup trains for battle with Laser Cats
We don't really know where to begin. LaserPup involves shooting a laser at a dog over the internet, nothing more, nothing less, but somehow it transcends traditionally pointless moddery and becomes something so much greater. Maybe it's because you shoot a dog with a laser over the internet. LaserPup is a ceiling-mounted laser and webcam whose beam can be directed around the floor with an iPhone-friendly browser-based interface. There's switch for turning on and off the lights, and when the laser is activated or deactivated it makes a sound to alert the dog that it's time to get shot at by lasers. In the future, there was a nuclear war... video is after the break.
Video: Internet dog feeder feeds your dog... via the internet
A young man named Tyler's built a little gadget that will feed his dog even when he's not around. Using an ioBridge IO-204 module and a continuously rotating servo in the feeder, he's able to dispense some kibble via a web page he's built which monitors the action via a webcam. Check the video -- the dog sure seems to think it's rad.[Via Make]
Wiimote strike 'killed' dog, saved by neighbor's mouth-to-mouth
A Michigan woman nearly killed her dog when she accidentally struck it in the temple with a Wii Remote. Kathy White was playing Wii Sports' bowling with her daughter when she made the motion to roll her virtual ball and, as she puts it, hit the dog and "killed him instantly." The dog, Ozzy, was not moving or breathing. She called her neighbor -- who we're guessing must have some veterinary training -- and she revived the dog using mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Ozzy was then taken to the real vet, who diagnosed the dog with "severe brain swelling" due to cardiac arrest. We've heard of Wiinjuries before (both possibly real and fake), but this is the first instance of potential "caninicide" we're aware of. Check out a television news report regarding the incident after the break.[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
Wiimote kills dog, neighbor brings it back
Ozzy is one lucky pup. When the White family got a Wii this Christmas, it was all fun and games until little Ozzy's life was in danger. See, the dog was hanging around the humans, watching them bowl in Wii Sports, when he jumped up in the way and caught a Wiimote directly to the temple, killing the dog instantly. The Whites called their neighbor Pene over and she gave the dog mouth-to-mouth, saving its life. Over the next few weeks following the incident, Ozzy has thankfully started to mend and be his old self again.There's a video of the segment shown on the local NBC affiliate after the break. Cute doggy, wouldn't you say?
SNIF Tags go commercial, promise to monitor your dog's activity
They've been keeping tabs on dogs around MIT for a few years now, but it looks like the activity-monitoring SNIF Tags are now finally making their public, and commercial, debut. Unlike some other devices that track your dog's whereabouts with GPS, these make use of an accelerometer and some motion analysis software to determine exactly how active your dog is, all of which gets logged online via the included SNIF base station that connects to your router. Even more ambitiously, the tags also promise to let you and your dog engage in a bit of social networking, with the tags able to recognize when they're close to another tag and record the encounter online when you get back home which, of course, depends on plenty of other dogs having the tags as well. Their $200 introductory price (or $300 after November 24th) won't exactly help those chances, however, nor will the $10 a month fee for the premium membership (a year of service is included with the starter kit). If that's not a deterrent for you though, you can get your order in right now by hitting up the ready link below.
iBone chew toy gives sneak peek at dog-centric App Store
We're going out on a limb here and assuming that the Haute Diggity Dog iBone comes jailbroken and ready to rock, or at least that's the impression we get from checking out that heretofore unseen bevy of icons. Customized for the "tech savvy dog on the go," this here iPhone chew toy gives dear Fido access to bark / hand-shake training, posture lessons, Washington Huskies sports updates (it's the Clemson Tigers in all honesty, but work with us here), a mysterious fitness app and a bone application for times when supper just seems too far away. You know your pup's worth the $11.95, you just know it.[Via textually]
BBC HD listens to viewers, tones down DOG usage
DOG, you know, as in digital on-screen graphics? Those absurdly annoying logos that clutter up the screen when you're trying to enjoy a program? Yeah, those. According to a new post on the BBC's official blog, it has listened to the scads of complainers and has taken action to address the concerns. Assuming no technical issues crop up, the "majority" of BBC HD content will be aired DOG-free starting this weekend, and on the material that isn't, the logo will be toned down to "the lowest level that [Auntie Beeb] can while allowing it to remain visible." The author does note that these changes are, um, subject to change, but we can't help but commend her on standing up for the viewing community and keeping the DOGs at bay.[Via TechRadar]
Survey: Game systems causing cat-astrophic pet injuries
We're already well acquainted with the idea of Wiis (and their remotes) injuring humans and TV sets. Now the UK's Telegraph is reporting that game systems are also causing a veritable epidemic of injuries to pets. A survey of 3,000 British pet owners shows that a full 10% of pets were injured by a Wii , while 8.3% sustained PlayStation-related injuries and 5.8% got injured by a DS.Even accounting for some overlap between systems, those numbers would seem to suggest that British veterinarians are being overrun by little critters who chewed through component cables, swallowed portable systems, tripped on controller cords and the like. The numbers are much less worrying, though, when you consider the source for the survey: pet insurance provider PetPlan. Reminds us of that used car dealer who told us rust-proofing would increase the resale value of our car by 50% -- just not that credible. We still got the rust-proofing, though. When it comes to our Fiat, our motto is: better safe than sorry.
Vladimir Putin finally acquires satellite collar for his dog
Just under a year ago, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced his hopes that one day he could pinpoint the location of his black Labrador, Koni, at any time of the day. Today, a dream has been realized. Mr. Putin has finally procured a satellite collar that will enable him to track the lab regardless of which of the eleven times zones she may be in while waltzing through Russia. Once the collar was slipped on, Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov immediately said "she looks sad, her free life is over." Putin didn't miss a beat when snapping back: "In Soviet Russia, GLONASS track you!"[Image courtesy of Picasa, thanks MJ]
Dogs used to sniff out cellphones in prison, arf arf!
Maryland has switched to canine power to sniff out illegal cells in its penal system since the "ask nicely" policy just isn't working out for them. The pooches have their work cut out for them if they hope to stem the flow of the estimated 800 sets that get into prisons yearly. The worry isn't that a small black market accessory market will spring up, but rather that the people behind bars can carry on the business that landed them in prison in the first place. Cell phones apparently get behind bars by being smuggled in boxes, food, shoes, and any other place imaginable and currently fetch about $400 for the privilege of ownership. The state currently has three pooches on the payroll, a Belgian Malinois, a German shepherd mix, and were trained up in as little as six weeks. With only a couple months behind their collars, the pups have already bagged some two-dozen phones. Not a bad bit of work, we're hoping they're available for rent in the coming months, we've lost countless sets around here and would love to get 'am all back.
Wii Music teaches the world how to play the dog
It's a bit like the drums, apparently.The dog suit, easily the most non-instrumental of all Wii Music's instruments, is the subject of the latest "Today's Instrument" video. Even though the novelty would probably wear thin quickly, we found this video to be quite cute and funny. Not that we'd share such a view with any of the commentors at GameTrailers, whose responses to this are both wonderfully over-the-top and angsty. "I... HATE... THIS... SO... MUCH..." writes jaymichigan, quivering with rage. "I've lost the will to live," proclaims sarahshrew2, not at all dramatically. "Nintendo... My vision of you has now forever been changed from the KING of video games, to WORTHLESS IDIOTS," bawls robsco.You get the idea.%Gallery-27713% Looking for more on Wii Music? Check out the E3 trailer by clicking here, read up on our time with the game here, and learn how to play the accordion, taiko, clarinet, conga, electric guitar, harp, flute, marching drum, violin, piano, guitar, and marimba.
Verizon pulls pit bull LG Dare commercial after PETA bombardment
Say what you will about PETA's beliefs, but if there's one thing that group proves, it's that there is power in numbers. Verizon Wireless had been fairly adamant that it would continue airing its pit bull ad for the LG Dare -- which shows a pair of the dogs chained up in a junkyard guarding heaps of metal and a misplaced handset -- but after PETA issued an "action alert" that triggered 7,000 emails to the outfit's CEO, its tune changed. For those longing to waste another 30 seconds of their life watching the spot that will never again air on the small screen, click on past the break.
Mabinogi introduces furry friends
Just when we thought Mabinogi couldn't get any cuter, the latest update has us reaching for our diabeetis medicine. So what's new? Pets! Players now can choose between one of five animals: 2 types of cats, a dog, a fox, and a wolf, with more types to come. These pets will follow you around, fight alongside you, and even level up like you do.Each pet is distinctive, with its own set of unique skills, whether melée or magic-based. Available to every player through the Nexon Cash Shop, no one is barred from gaining a constant companion for life. You can check out the pets trailer after the jump, and watch for the next big Mabinogi content update, due June 25th, featuring more pets, a new dungeon, new boss monster, and a new spell for players to learn![Thanks, Robert!]
WowWee's Wrex the Dawg reviewed: puts real canines to shame
Unless you've specifically been lookin' out, you may have very well forgotten about WowWee's crazed robotic dog that was uncaged at CES. After lasting through its first few days of training (which we'll call a review for our purposes), we're led to believe that this pup is "the silliest robot you'll ever love." Reviewers weren't shy in calling it like it saw it, as Wrex was hailed as "absolutely terrible at being a dog and even worse at being a robot." Of course, it's fairly easy to see this bugger was meant to provide comedic relief and not sophisticated companionship, so those pointers aren't exactly negative. Overall, Wrex is almost guaranteed to make you chuckle on a daily basis, and if you don't believe that, just check out the video waiting after the break.[Via MAKE]
