Superdogs - Gadgets for Our Pets

+Google Glass and wearables are now front and center in American pop-culture. From Prince Charles trying on Glass, to +FKA twigs music video, to  +The Daily Show segment on Google Glass with comedic genius Jason Jones. Pretty much everyone, even Aunt Betty and Grandma Lucy now know what they are. Therefore, it's not hard to believe that there are also many amazing new gadgets for our furry four-legged friends. Actually, considering that we spent an upwards of $55B+ last year on our pets, it is amazing that there aren't more. Here are some of my favorite activity and GPS trackers for pets.

Whistle $99

Whistle, a local Bay Area start-up founded by +Steven Eidelman, +Dayo Esho and +Kevin Lloyd is a pet activity tracker that allows you to monitor their rest and activity while you are away. You can pair individual's cell phones with the device as well, and tell who is keeping them company. The cool thing about Whistle is that it connects to the cloud so it does not an additional base station, cost $80, to work. I heard Steven speak at an event in the city and I thought that they said they would also be incorporating GPS into the unit, but I see no such indication on the website. Another cool feature about Whistle is the app, which allows you to share photos and moments with others on your phone or through social networks.

Fitbark $99.95  + $79.95 Wifi Base

Fitbark is an Italian company founded by Davide and Sarah Rossi, which monitors activity like Whistle. The main difference that I can tell between these two companies (having not personally used either) is that Fitbark does not connect to the cloud and must be tethered to a base station or cell phone. Additionally, it doesn't seem that Fitbark has the social platform sharing option like Whistle. However, they are opening up their API for development, so we will see what comes about. 

G-Paws $75.77

Anyone that has owned a dog, knows the torment and anguish of loosing track of their dog. They usually eventually are found and come back, but sometimes it is $100 if not $1,000 of dollars later, and sometimes permanently injured for life. From having to bail your dog out of SPCA doggy jail, to God forbid discovering that they had been hit by a car, this is nothing that any pet owner wants to go through (both of which are things I can unfortunately speak of). Founded by Dave Evans, G-Paws is one of the new GPS trackers for dogs and cats, which for under $100, will not only save you money but also peace of mind. Additionally, for the curious at heart, get to know your pet more and all of the mischief they've been up to. G-Paws, however, though you can track the location of your pets it seems that you must take the device off of your pet and download the info onto your computer. Hardly any help for finding or preventing the loss of your pet.

Tagg GPS $99.95 (Pre-order) 

Tagg GPS pet tracker, on the other hand, is both an activity and location doggy wearable. Created by Snaptraces, this is an all in one doggy wearable, has nationwide GPS tracking, instant alerts if your dog runs away, a live map, an ambient temperature sensor, and activity trackers so that you know when your dog is getting their full dose of exercise and when they are at rest. For just $99.95 you get the tracker, a docking station (for it doesn't connect to the cloud), and two months of free tracking. After that it is only $7.95/month. The app is additionally free and comes for both iOS and Android. Great job!

I haven't personally used any of these devices however, so if there are any inaccuracies please let me know. I am just going off of what I have read on their websites.