barking

FitBark, a kind of Fitbit for dogs, launches on Kickstarter

NEW YORK--Worried about Fido getting a little too chunky? Now you can track how active your dog is by using FitBark, a sort of Fitbit for pets.

FitBark, a New York-based startup, launched the product Thursday on Kickstarter and at the NY Tech Day tech show in Manhattan, seeking funding to produce its wearable fitness tracker for pets.

For a $99 pledge, people receive a wearable bone-shaped device, a home base that collects data, and a three-month subscription to the service. The FitBark mobile app itself is free. (FitBark is not affiliated with Fitbit.)

"We all wondered how we … Read more

LED backpacks, for safety and insanity

Just when we were hoping that the lighted shoe fad was fading away, along comes a whole new category: lighted backpacks.

Given the use of LEDs for safety in such activities as bicycling and skiing, it only makes sense that they'd be somehow applied to kids as well. Britepack is offering backpacks in wheeled and unwheeled versions with blinking lights that can make them more visible.

The LEDs are motion-sensitive, meaning that they'll automatically turn off when not being jostled around--which is especially fortunate for teachers, to keep them from developing Tourette's syndrome.

Will ad-supported music catch on?

Digital Music News posted a short piece yesterday on a forthcoming venture called RCRD LBL.

First reported by the New York Post, RCRD LBL is a planned venture by Engadget founder Peter Rojas and Downtown Records founder Peter Deutsch. High-quality brands, both. The idea is simple: users will get exclusive music for free, and the company (and artists) will earn money by selling advertisements and sponsorships. Rumored artists include Radiohead singer Thom Yorke; Gnarls Barkely, the creators of 2006's catchiest single Gnarls Barkley; and DJ Mark Ronson, who's perhaps best known for his cover versions of popular songs, … Read more

A smart collar for noisy dogs

We've gotten some interesting response to an anti-barking system cited recently (especially from cat owners), and apparently a few people are skeptical about the reliability of sound waves alone in keeping noisy mutts under control. So for those who still favor the traditional collar method, there's a new "Ultimate Dog Silencer" on the market. Among the improved features is a DuraProof coating that's "ideal for tough weather and active dogs." (You'd think they would have done this for the original version too, given that these are electronic devices.)

The collar operates like … Read more

Barking dogs? Fight noise with noise

Despite our reputation, we at Crave have a soft spot for animals (except cats, of course). So even though the ill-tempered dogs in our neighborhood won't be mistaken for Lassie anytime soon, we still support humane ways to keep them under control. The biggest test of our patience, however, typically comes in the middle of the night--when they make the transition from lap dogs to howling wolves from hell.

That's why we're pinning our sleep-deprived hopes on the "Deluxe Digital Bark Free Pro," a $120 top-of-the-line device that uses four speakers to emit ultrasonic soundwaves … Read more