Sony Takes lolcats SRSLY, Creates Twitter Cat Collar
Sony Takes lolcats SRSLY, Creates Twitter Cat Collar
Posted 06/02/2010 at 4:21am
| by Paul Lilly
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Someone at Sony is a serious cat lover, and we know this because they've gone and assembled a team tasked with building a lifelogging device for felines. It's basically a collar with a camera, acceleration sensor, GPS, and a few other goodies designed to record what your cat Peaches is doing and where she's doing it.
Ready for the kicker? Sony's cat collar can be used with Twitter to automatically posts comments based on what's going on. Using Bluetooth, data is first whisked over to your PC, where the software then logs into your cat's Twitter account (Peaches does have a Twitter account, right?) and posts an update.
Shown off in prototype form, the current version only uses fixed phrases, of which there are 11 so far. You might see an update that says "Meals taste better after a walk," for example, or "This tastes good" when your cat is eating.
Would you buy one of these for your pet?
Image Credit: TechOn
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JamiePeri
May 03, 2011 at 7:27am
That really made me LOL. Isn't that against some right we have to privacy if that cat films something it shouldn't? Though I really have some Tucson veterinarians that I would like to see get naked. Now being serious, isn't that illegal?
jeff29414
June 03, 2010 at 4:07am
If the cat takes pictures in a 'private' area then this could violate the rights of people in several states. You are allowed to take pics of people in public settings, but not in private areas without a warrant.
Not trying to be a doom and gloomer, but I see lawsuits if a cat takes pics in areas it shouldn't be. And we ALL know that cats go wherever they want.
"A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing." - Emo Philips
Bullwinkle J Moose
June 03, 2010 at 3:01pm
Someone will surely attach it backwards to get those upskirt shots
Nyarlathotep
June 02, 2010 at 11:36am
... that it will just turn out to be a proof of concept and felines just happen to be what they picked to make some news. I can see us all, a year from now, strapping these on our kids.
"Sheesh, it's just one man's opinion..." -Me
PawBear
June 02, 2010 at 11:21am
I don't think I want to know what my cat is doing... or thinking. They eat dead people, you know.
*** "Either we conform the Truth to our desires or we conform our desires to the Truth." ***
Phunny Mhan
June 02, 2010 at 8:59am
First off, let me start by stating that when hacklab put a toilet on twitter I knew we would not see the last of rediculous automated tweets.
I formerly worked for Sony. During that time I worked with the AIBO device in several of its generations and stages of development, sale and support. Never underestimate the Japanese love and devotion to their pets. It is beyond typical American logic. I have also personally met some real cat zealots, and they too are beyond my understanding.
There stands a real possibility that the average consumer may not be seeing the whole of Sony's vision in this device. Imagine for a moment that they are only recouping some of the development costs, while market testing this vision. A device with a camera, facial recognition, GPS tracking and Bluetooth communication is an effin' goldmine once perfected!
.:| Curiouser and curiouser |:.
Neufeldt2002
June 02, 2010 at 7:35am
The only thing more disappointing to me is the fact that I read this.
makius
June 02, 2010 at 6:47am
As if Twitter wasn't retarded enough.
I don't know what Sony is thinking. This is quite possibly the dumbest thing I have ever heard of...
Caboose
June 02, 2010 at 6:25am
Maybe Sony could have used the money that was wasted on this, to, oh I dunno... build a battery that doesn't explode when in use!
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
bikerbub
June 02, 2010 at 5:07am
if they can make it more compact, and it's not too terribly expensive, i'd buy it.
Caboose
June 02, 2010 at 6:24am
Really? This is a waste of consumer money and R&D dollars.
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
bikerbub
June 02, 2010 at 8:00am
there was a hint of sarcasm in that. I'd never pay money for it, i do, however, think it's hilarious. Sony can do what they want with their money. i think this would be a great gag gift if they took out some of the more expensive stuff.
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