A few days back, I got a pitch for CleverPet, the "world's first game console for dogs." I mean, how are you going to leave CES without checking out a thing like that — and more to the point, how are you going to walk past a booth where someone's adorable Boston terrier is chowing down on some kibble?
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't slightly disappointed that the CleverPet wasn't a modded Xbox with with paw controllers, but it's a fun thing, nonetheless. The device is a big plastic half circle that's carved out in the front to house dog food. Just in front of that are three ovals that light up, presenting memory games designed to get the pup's brain working.
When the dog solves a puzzle a tray opens up to small bit of food as a reward. The puzzles start off simple (tap the illuminated touchpad and the door opens) and get progressively complex as the system detects that the dog is growing bored when the task becomes too repetitive.
The pup hanging out in the demo booth seemed to be having a good time with it, clearly having mastered the simple task the system was set on. The CleverPet Hub is a available now as a preorder through the company's site, priced at $299.
