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The $2,000 Innobitz pet MP3 player
The biggest problem with dogs is that most aren't robotic enough. Thus we thank the good lorf for Aibo and her wisdom to send us this, the JooZoo pet MP3 player. The $2,000 diamond and gold player from Innobitz is for Japanese Korean consumers convinced that Champ prefers "stimulating and relaxing" music to the taste of its own sack. Surely this will just result in an obnoxious pet with the huffy sense of entitlement of a faux-celeb -- a robot of another sort. Before and after video after the break.[Via Pocket-lint]
Wiimote bites dog
Here's rule one about owning pets: if you allow them to chew on or scratch one type of thing, they're often going to think similar materials are fair game. Give a cat one of those carpet-covered scratching posts? Sure, lots of us do it, but it's hard to be mad at them when later you find them sharpening their claws in the middle of the dining room rug. The similar nubby texture gets them every time. So it shouldn't be much of a surprise what happened to the Labrador one Colorado family allowed to chew on an old television remote. Not only did the dog eat it, but once that was down, he turned on the next remote-like object in his sights: a Wii remote.Which he swallowed whole.The poor pooch started spitting up blood, and once at the vet, vomited up bits of the original remote ... but there was still a mass in his stomach visible on an X-ray. It was only then that the Wiimote-swallowing was revealed. Luckily, the dog was able to expel the controller after having his tummy massaged, and he's just fine after an overnight stay at the doctor. The Wii in question belonged to the family's son, who was punished for leaving the controller out where the dog could get to it ... but who's going to punish everyone else for allowing the dog to chew on electronics in the first place? Sharp plastic bits probably don't digest so well, after all. On the lighter side, now we all have an excuse to tell jokes about the horrors of dogs chewing on your Wii.[Via Kotaku]
iPhone vs. dog: 1 - 0
The sight of a poor, defenseless Nano getting smashed under a tire was bad enough, but a dog versus iPhone story? Well, that's enough to bring a tear to the eye. Tyler Hall left his iPhone on a table recently while he took a shower and it seems his dog mistook it for a Snausage.Luckily, Tyler pried the phone away from Gracie before she could totally destroy it and the ringer/speaker seems to have sustained the most damage. The screen protector did its job and when Tyler removed it, there wasn't a mark on the glass.
Komfort Pets' climate-controlled pet carrier
For the seasoned traveler who just can't leave their home country without bringing along their dear pet, Komfort Pets is out to make your animal's trip much more bearable. The firm's climate-controlled carrier not only cools Fido off when the ambient temperature reaches 72-degrees Fahrenheit, but also utilizes its patent-pending technology to heat things up if the outside air temperature dips below 65-degrees. The crate is said to be suitable for non-climate-controlled garages, and could be equally useful in homes, cars, boats, or RVs. Currently, a 19-inch x 13-inch x 16-inch rendition is available for $399, and while this one is only meant to hold creatures up to 12.5-pounds, larger carriers are slated for release later this year.[Via BookOfJoe]
UK canine equipped with prosthetic paw
Although we've certainly come across prosthetics with names similar to that of a fun-loving canine, we don't believe we've ever seen a pup actually become the receipiant of one. Nevertheless, the Surrey-based Belgian Shepherd (named Storm) had to undergo a leg amputation due to an agreesive tumor, but rather than allowing it to live out its life minus a limb, Noel Fitzpatrick decided to operate further. Now, Storm has reportedly become the "world's first pet to be fitted with a prosthetic paw," and moreover, the device has actually been installed in a manner that will allow skin to "grow into the metal." Best of all, the veterianarian hopes that "it will act as a model for human amputees," and if this approach gains traction, it could provide hope for humans in the future "without feet or hands."[Via Shiny Shiny]
TU Darmstadt develops hopeful Aibo successor
It's no secret that robotic pets can bark right alongside the real deals, but unfortunately for those hoping to adopt an Aibo, the pickin's are indeed slim. While details on this one are admittedly scant, a photograph of a robotic dog prototype reportedly displays the brainchild of scientists at TU Darmstadt in Germany. The team had been working on said creation for six months prior to now, and is finally ready to present the pup to a "special audience" in a robot competition in Atlanta next week. Unfortunately, we've received no word on whether or not this canine is actually being bred for the mainstream, but we'll be sure to let you know if any litters crop up.[Via TheRawFeed]
Magic 8-Ball says: 'Signs point to disturbing'
Even StarFox's furry-friendly backdrop couldn't hold a candle to Fortune Channel, Capcom and TakaraTomy's latest installment to the puppy-fashion Wantame series. Predicting the future with minigames certainly sounds interesting, but we would rather not have to dress up virtual dogs in provocative outfits during the process. The miniature daschund posing on the right is probably the second most unsettling image of a dolled-up animal that we've ever come across. If you want to see the most unsettling image -- and we're not kidding around here, your eyes may very well hop out of their sockets, scampering away at the mere sight of this one -- step past the post break.
Zoombak's Pet Locator hits the FCC
We'll admit, Zoombak's a bit late the Fido tracking game, but we're sure that pet owners won't complain about a bit more competition in the pet location biz. According to documentation at the FCC, this here device is most effective on animals that weight 15 pounds or more, and essentially consists of a wireless transceiver and Li-ion cell wrapped within a semi-rugged, water resistant enclosure. The 73-gram box straps around your pet's neck and purportedly communicates with a variety of GSM bands in order to keep you notified about your animal's location. Unfortunately, details surrounding the actual operation of the device is still scant, but it shouldn't be too long now before Zoombak is cleared to offer these up for (straying) pet lovers everywhere.[Thanks, Rich]
Four legged puzzle fun
If you've been gazing at your game collection and thinking, 'Hmm, I'd love a dog based jigsaw game,' then break out the champagne. Kyou no Wanko is just what you've been looking for! Based on a popular Japanese morning TV feature, the canine puzzler is brought to you by Hudson, who've released similar games on the DS.As well as the usual jigsaw stuff, you'll be able to reassemble animated dog videos and compete with up to three friends in a multiplayer mode. Kyou no Wanko comes out in Japan on July 26th.
The dog that can play Wii
The odds of this being real are incredibly slim, so take that into consideration as you head past the post break to watch the video. While we'll agree that the video is quite hilarious, we're pretty sure the dog isn't making those moves on its own and certainly isn't tearing up the courts of Wii Sports: Tennis all by itself. Notice how the camera never pans below the dog's elbow?Let us know what you think: fake or real?
Virtual dog walking: Nintendogs has nothing on this
Sure, Nintendo might've very well put some of the cutest virtual puppies into one of the best selling entertainment devices of all time, but Japanese arcades, as always, take things to the next level. TOKYOMANGO recently spotted this dog walking game, which has been around for a few years, and puts a virtual pet's life in your hands. To walk the dog, you have to maintain a good speed -- not too fast, not too slow -- while keeping the idiot mutt from getting hit by oncoming traffic or the neighborhood bully dog. The result for failure? The dog dies, and you get to blow some more yen on this oh-so-stimulating form of entertainment.
Disabled inventor crafts DinnerUp pet feeder
After a solid four-mile run on the Doggy Treadmill, it's not too tough to understand why Fido is famished, but for folks who are disabled in ways that make bending down or moving around in general difficult, getting the pet food from the pantry to the bowl has been a serious chore. Thanks to a retired engineer (who was stricken by cerebral palsy) that figured he better solve his own problem rather than wait for someone else, the DinnerUp apparatus was concocted, and now it's on the brink of commercialization. The device mounts onto a kitchen counter or door and relies on a hand crank / clutching system in order to lift the attached bowls to a level that's easy to reach, after which it's lowered back down to the anxious pets below. Currently, Ray Dinham is assembling the units himself and offloading them to "satisfied customers" for £70 ($140) apiece, but it shouldn't be long before the manufacturing is "outsourced to a UK-based firm" and these gain some serious worldwide traction.[Via BBC]
KTF's surveillance canine beams snapshots via HSDPA
It just makes sense that the same Korean provider that offered up a pet translator service would attempt to give back to the owners, as KTF has launched a robotic puppy that just melts the hearts of gizmo-lovin' gals abroad. Specifically, it garners a crowd of individuals wherever it's at, and then pulls double duty as an undercover surveillance agent, snapping mobile images and channeling them straight to your cellphone via HSDPA. For the paranoid 'rents in the crowd, this here ought to be a perfect way to monitor what really goes down in the house while you're away for the weekend, and while it's no guard dog per se, the evidence this bad boy captures could indeed be quite frightening. [Warning: Read link requires subscription]
Spidey-inspired Spi-Dog wags to your iPod
If you're looking for the perfect way out of getting a real canine in your life, or you're simply one of "those people" who just have to have every single I-Animal that gets loose from the farm, we've got yet another option to add to the fray. The Spi-Dog touts a Spider-Man-inspired motif, as the ominous eyes and perked ears let you know that this crime-fighter means business, but alas, the diminutive 4.75- x 3.25- x 5-inch size, light-up face, wagging motions, and blinking LEDs make this fella quite the softy. Per usual, this I-Dog flashes and busts a move whenever exposed to music, touts a "built-in speaker for playing your iPod" (or any other DAP / PMP), and is available now for the fanboys and Spidey freaks alike for $39.95.[Via iLounge]
Jin Sato describes his robotic MIBO pet on camera
Long before the NXT kits hit the mainstream, humanoid guru and robot designer Jin Sato was crafting a mechanical pet of his very own from original LEGO Mindstorm pieces -- not to mention the motors, motherboards, and gear trains to get MIBO movin'. Sure, Sato's rendition isn't nearly as smooth and sexy as Sony's AIBO, but we all know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? Going on six years (that's human years, by the way) now, MIBO and his five motors are still making out alright, and although a bit of expected arthritis takes its toll every now and then, it still manages to keep its owner company. So if you're interested in seeing just how MIBO was given life, or if hearing the voice of a renowned robotic genius simply makes you weep, click on through for a world-class lesson in fun.[Via Robots]
Puppy takes out frustrations on Nintendogs cart
Jake Nickell assures us that he never ignored Norman, his Pug/King Charles Spaniel mix, in favor of playing the copy of Nintendogs that came with his Nintendo DS. If that's true, what could have lead the hound into chewing up the pet simulation's cart? Maybe the puppy just grew tired of sinking his teeth into Jake's shoes, homework, and remote controls? Or perhaps Norman took the game's "Best Friends" label to heart, biting down on the newcomer in a fit of jealousy. We happen to think that this was his revenge on Jake for dressing him up in silly outfits and posting the photos on the internet. We would be pretty pissed too.
Today's best friendiest video: Fable 2 dog
We previously covered Peter Molyneux's Fable 2 talk at GDC, and now the most-watched video at GameTrailers shows off Fable 2's dog, letting us take a closer look for tonight's video. Molyneux stresses not to scrutinize the graphics and that only the dog is worth looking at in the demo's current state. Overlooking the work left to be done, the dog seems to be well animated and deliver a lot of emotion; hopefully this companion will add more depth to the game.See the dog demo after the break.
Fable 2 dog is the 'totally unexpected' feature?
French gaming site Xboxygen has posted some pictures of a dog. Not just any dog, but Fable 2's dog. Could this be the "totally unexpected" feature Molyneux teased us about?[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
Takara Tomy's Dacky the Healing Partner robotic dog
They've already laid claim to "the world's smallest robot" title (sort of) so why not go hog wild and snap up "the world's cutest robot" while they're at it, yeah? 'Cause really, how are you going to get much better than Dacky here, with those big expressive puppy dog eyes and six internal sensors for interacting with his doting human companion? Sure, Dacky has nothing on Pleo for actual robotic complexity, but Dacky can also "learn" up to 650 words in Japanese, after starting off with mere barking. He can ask you about your day, wish you a happy birthday and sing along at karaoke. No word on price, or if Takara Tomy will be shipping this one over to the States, but perhaps we just wouldn't be able to handle this much cute -- it's for our own good.Update: Tomy let us know it's actually "Dacky" not "Ducky". Alright, sure thing.
Doggy treadmill gets your pup in shape
For those of you out there whipping your offspring into shape by utilizing the Step2Play middleman, and burning your own fair share of calories on the GameRunner, it's about time Rover joined the fray, eh? The Dog Walker treadmill helps prevent doggy obesity and apparently relieves the dog's stress, all while helping it to exert all that pent-up energy from being cramped up in the house all day. Aside from sporting a smaller, dog-friendly design, casters to enable easy transport, and two side shields to prevent minor tumbling disasters, the machine also sports a safety leash which prevents the pup from sliding off the rear (or giving up on the goal) and a devilish remote control to vary the speed from 0 to 5-kilometers per hour (3.1 mph). So if you're tired of Fido's stomach dragging the ground while crawling around in misery, you can pick up its very own treadmill (to go along with that recently-purchased pedometer) for ¥15,800 ($131).[Via TokyoMango]
