PetChatz HD is the latest remote pet monitor/plaything designed to let you keep you in touch with your four legged friends when you’re out of the house.
High definition video calls can be initiated either by you or your pet – you can initiate calls through a mobile app or your pet can, by pressing down on the 3×4-inch pressure sensitive PawCall control.
PetChatz’s HD call device is an updated version of its original PetChatz device, which only allowed for one-way calls.
Lisa Lavin, PetChatz’s founder and CEO, says that the new product improves on the original, which only allowed for pet owners to check in remotely. Lavin said: “PetChatz HD and the PawCall accessory complete the circle to enable true two-way communications between pet and parent all in high definition video with premium audio.
“This is true ‘home alone enrichment’ for pets, where we now can empower pets to reach out to us. We believe this will forever change the pet-parent bond.”
If the idea of having Skype-style conversations with your dog doesn’t seem totally ludicrous to you, it’s worth pointing out that the PetChatz HD also lets you dispense treats and scents, which is useful if you’re running late. Apparently there’s space for up to 100 treats inside; the device will also keep you updated on how many you’ve dispensed in a day, so you can keep the hopper topped up.
The official spec sheet is less clear on the resolution of the camera – they say ‘HD’ but we don’t know if that’s 720p HD or 1080p Full HD. There’s also mention of a ‘low light mode’ but again, it’s not clear how many infra-red sensors are packed into the thing.
We do know that in order for you to get the most of out a PetChatz HD, you’ll need a broadband service that can reliably give you 2Mbps of upload bandwidth.
This might even be enough to convince your cat to interact with you remotely. Cats don’t really care about our feelings, unless it involves them getting petted or fed. Seeing as you can’t physically reach out and stroke your cat through the Internet, the next best thing might be a device that deposits some Brekkies on the kitchen floor. To seal the deal, you might want to throw some lasers in there too.
You can pre-order the PetChatz HD now for $379.99 (£259) from the PetChatz site. You’ll need to shell out separately for the PawCall, which is $99.99 (£68). You can currently get both as a bundle with free shipping – though as it’s a US-based company you’ll need to pay import taxes. Estimated dispatch dates for the PetChatz HD and PawCall is Februrary.
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