Category: Gadgets

Wearable technology is as hot among dogs as it is among humans

Smartwatches and augmented reality glasses may be great for people but they are also buying pet fitness trackers.

Among the largest tech trends at the moment – and one which may soon be entirely reshaped by the recent unveiling of the Apple Watch – is wearable technology, and these gadgets are not only being worn by people, but they are also finding their way to the collars of our furry friends.

These fitness and wellness trackers are appealing to owners who want to be sure that their dogs will be healthy.

There are growing number of devices making their way into this wearable technology category for dogs, which have been designed to collect data with regards to the activity level of the animal, so that it can be transmitted through the internet and viewed by the owner. This can help owners to decide whether or not a dog is receiving enough exercise throughout the day to justify the amount of food that he or she is eating, and to make sure that the pooch will have the best opportunity for being happy and healthy.

Some of this wearable technology also helps to monitor other patterns such as sleeping and scratching.

Wearable Technology - DogsThrough this information, an owner may be able to make better choices and bring his or her pet to the veterinarian if there might be a problem, present. It could encourage earlier detection of health issues so that they can be managed while they are still minor and before they become something more serious.

As dogs cannot actually tell their owners when something is wrong, it is up to the human to spot when there has been a change in behavior. Not all of the signs of behavioral changes are all that obvious. Through careful regular observation and the added feedback provided by these wearables, many pet owners feel that they are better equipped to provide their animals with the best possible care.

According to an expert in the pet industry, Kristen Levine, “Pet owners really want to do right by their pets in terms of their health; they want the best diet; they want the best care. And the wearable technology kind of layers into that mindset.” This opens up a considerable market for this type of mobile device and companies are responding.

Wearable technology plans start with AT&T and Timex

These two brands are coming together to bring out services for mobile devices within one of the hottest new tech categories.

This week has been an important one for wearable technology, from the announcement of the Apple Watch smartwatch to AT&T’s new service plan pricing for these mobile devices to show that they are serious about this market.

Now the wireless service provider has announced the first on their plans list is from Timex.

AT&T has now released a data plan for the wearable technology from Timex called the Ironman One GPS+. This smartwatch is now being offered for pre-order through the online portal at the wristwatch company, but it will become available to AT&T as of this fall. That said, the wireless provider did underscore the fact that regardless of whether they purchase this device from that company or whether they buy it elsewhere the first year of data plan service will be included, free.

This wearable technology device will work only with the AT&T data network, at the moment.

Wearable Technology - AT&TThis partnership means that if a data plan is to be purchased for the Timex Ironman One GPS+, it must be from AT&T. Therefore, customers who buy this smartwatch will automatically head to that wireless carrier for a data plan, which will be received for one year for free as a part of the agreement between the two companies.

Following the year of free service, a data plan for these smartwatches, through this carrier, will cost only $40 per year. It was also explained by AT&T that the wearables can be added to the Mobile Share account of the customer, which will become available within the not too distant future.

It isn’t yet clear whether or not there will be data limits applied to the free plans for these wearable technology devices. At the time that this article was written, the fine print had not yet been released, but it is certain that it won’t be long before the company will be providing consumers with all of the details that they need to understand the true value of the deal.