Four legged creatures are getting a lot of attention from the IT community these days. It’s no wonder, since people spend so much money on their pets. Companies have decided that if they can’t convince people to buy any more technology for themselves, perhaps it’s time to try to get those folks to invest in a bit of IT for man’s best friend.
For instance, take a look at the PetsCell from Petsmobility. The PetsCell is a waterproof, two-way communication device (two-way speaker/two-way microphone) with Global Positioning Capabilities. The PetsCell provides the pet’s location in real time through a desktop PC or handheld device complete with e-mail notification services. The device allows pet owners to set a geo-fence boundary that will alert the owner when their pet steps outside the pre-set boundary.
“The industry has long awaited an effective tracking solution for lost pets and I believe the PetsCell provides the solution. The ability to speak directly with the person who finds your pet is very comforting,” said Cameron Robb, CEO and co-founder of Petsmobility. “Our entire team is extremely pleased to have achieved final production units of this unique and functional device which will provide pet owners with the world’s first accurate GPS tracking and voice communication tracking solution optimized for pets.”
If your dog is running away from home regularly, perhaps you just don’t understand his needs.
“I realized that man’s best friend may also be his most misunderstood,” said long-time pet advocate Mary Beth Close. “While there are mountains of information about dogs out there today, much of it is mired in theory, old wives’ tales and wishful thinking.”
Close explained that up to 90 percent of the dogs put to sleep by veterinarians have nothing physically wrong with them: Their lives are ended solely because of what are perceived as “behavioral problems.” This has led to tens of millions of pages being created on the Internet on the topic of dog training. “You almost need a PhD to understand the information that is out there,” said Close.
With that in mind Close created Canine Kingdom (www.caninekingdom.com). “It is incorrect to think that there are only theories about the way animals respond,” said Close. “The simple fact is that there are tested and proven methods that work on the majority of dogs.”
At the website, dog owners will find Canine Kingdom’s “Universal Protocols for Dogs.” Dog professionals who have evidence-based research results that answer significant questions for dog owners are invited to submit their offerings. If accepted, they receive full credit on the site.
Getting advice from Canine Kingdom could help keep your doggie close to home, but some dogs are stubborn. You could have one of those pets that despite your best efforts, frequently goes out for a night (or longer) on the town. Posting photos of a pet that’s gone missing is a great idea, but getting those pictures can be really tough. Pets in photos often have glowing eyes that give the creature an unintended diabolic look.
HP has developed a camera that can solve that problem. The HP Photosmart R837 Digital Camera comes equipped with an in-camera pet-eye fix. This innovative feature allows people to easily adjust the glowing eyes which often appear when photographing pets — the second most photographed subject among consumers.
In another industry first, this camera enables the quick tagging of photos for easy sharing with an in-camera image organization feature, compatible with Windows Vista. In addition, the R837 features the latest generation of HP’s Real Life technologies including the new HP touch-up technology for the removal of blemishes. All of these features are easy to see on a three-inch display with 170-degree viewing angle and “auto bright” display that automatically adjusts to the environment’s ambient light.
So there you have it. If you have been slow to try out one of the many new technologies for yourself, then perhaps you can be spurred to look into a bit of digital magic that focuses on the four-legged creature in your life.