By 
Leaving a pet at home for an extended period of time is simply not an option for some people. There are many things to worry about, but the most basic problem is feeding the pet without actually being home. Automatic pet feeders are not a new invention, but the Petnet SmartFeeder takes them to the next level.
What makes the SmartFeeder shine is its sensors and smartphone integration. The bowl can track portion size and calorie intake, and the food bin will send an alert when it needs a refill. All of this data is accessible through the smartphone app. The app also allows you to create a schedule for feedings or do it manually from anywhere in the world.
The smartphone app is currently in beta and only available for iOS, but it will soon work with Android too. The Petnet SmartFeeder is still listed to arrive in Q4 2014 (which has obviously been missed), but you can still reserve yours for just $199 from their website. When the SmartFeeder does eventually go on sale it will cost $250, so act now to save $50.
Will it pick up the mess after my dog need to go out?
This. SmartCrapper would have been a real deal.
thats the next product and its gonna sell for twice the amount!
It be worth every penny.
I wish someone would make a little robot to do that. :)
Poomba?
As cool as this is, I’d be too paranoid to just completely trust it without someone checking in… which would then negate some of the need for it.
Seems way more complicated than it needs to be. Why not just have a timer set on it to release food at the time(s) you set? You should be able to calculate how long the feeder will last until it needs to be refilled.
That’s exactly what you can do.
That’s what I need to put my wife and I on a diet.
Now the question is….who gets to control it?
Me?
It could work.
I’m reliable.
Or you know… you could actually spend time with your pet, or not buy one if you can’t be at home
People have the right to go away if they want to. Just because you go on a holiday for a week or two doesn’t make you a neglectful pet owner. Don’t be so ignorant.
I care for my pet. When I leave on vacation, I make sure I have a sitter or send my pet to a ‘pet hotel’. Spending a week or two without any human interaction, being fed by a machine is not what a good owner does.
I never implied that. You implied you shouldn’t have a pet at all if you’re planning on going away even once.
We may have misunderstood eachother. All I was saying is, I see this device as a way for people to get a pet, never be home and feed it from a distance. Obviously people have to leave from time to time.
Fair enough man. I love my pets, and I wouldn’t leave them alone on a holiday.