If you think Twitter is for the birds, toy maker Mattel would like to direct your attention to another species entirely.
At the New York Toy Expo last Friday, the company planned to unveil Puppy Tweets, a device for pets that will let dogs send one of 500 pre-scripted tweets to their owners” Twitter accounts.
The item consists of a plastic medal containing a sound and motion sensor that attached to the dog”s collar. The pet owner places that tag on his or her dog, connects an included USB receiver to a computer, downloads the Puppy Tweet software and set up a Twitter account for their pet.
When the dog moves or barks, the software will choose one of the pre-set 140-character messages to send from the pet”s Twitter account to the owner”s. Sample messages include,”Some days you just gotta get your bark on,” and”I bark because I miss you. There, I said it. Now hurry home.”
Other messages refer to chasing squirrels, a la Dug from Pixar”s”Up”, and to chasing one”s own tail.
The device, expected to be available at retail later this year at a price point of $30, is intended to build on two current consumer trends, Mattel marketing director Susan Russo told CNN.com:”the use of social media and real-time communication, as well as peoples” extreme love for their dogs.”
Mattel spokespeople have been careful to stress that the device is a toy meant for human enjoyment, not a monitor or tracking device for pet safety. But several pet bloggers have suggested that pet lovers” disappointment upon learning that the tweets are packaged responses and not really generated by their animals” activities could send Puppy Tweets to the doghouse.
“I mean, really, what is it telling you?” the L.A. Times” “L.A. Unleashed” column reported a pet store owner as saying.”It”s like a Magic 8 Ball toy.”
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