CES 2015 is officially behind us, but in the days after the show closed it's always possible to find developments that didn't get the attention they deserved for one reason or another. One of them is Motorola's Scout 5000 smart collar, which lets dog owners add a certain “tech touch” to their relationship with their pet, including GPS support, 3G connectivity, and a 720p camera to see if it's really the dog that's eating the plants.
This year's CES was invaded by four trends: 3D printers, the end of cable TV, home automation, and wearables. Manufacturers no longer plan to suggest that users carry smart accessories around; instead, they're bringing the same concept into the home. As an alternative, devices for tracking the little ones have been developed (a good example is the LG KizOn), and today we have an option for dogs coming from Motorola. It's called Scout 5000, and at first glance it feels like just another collar—but the number of components Motorola has managed to integrate is impressive, to the point that many colleague sites called it “a smartphone for dogs”.
What the Scout 5000 offers
In addition to monitoring the dog's health and reporting other details such as the number of steps and the distance traveled, the Motorola Scout 5000 has GPS support to immediately establish where it is, 3G connectivity that activates when it's too far from home Wi-Fi (requires a monthly subscription, but the first year will be free), a speaker to “talk” to the dog through a mobile device, and the most striking feature: a 720p camera aimed at recording almost all of the pet's activities. The camera's presence can help determine whether the dog is responsible for certain classic mischief that happens when nobody is home, but it also serves as a security measure in case something or someone tries to hurt it (there are too many sick people out there to ignore that possibility).
Price and availability
The official price of the Motorola Scout 5000 smart collar is 200 dollars, and it will go on sale across the pond during the month of April. Its design is resistant to bites and scratches, although it's intended for large breeds. As an alternative, Motorola will also offer the Scout 2500, which not only fits small breeds better but also positions itself as more economical, due to the absence of the camera.
