- Design
- Features
- Performance
Summary
PlayDate is an interactive play toy with a pet camera built in, and offers unique features and design to interact with your pet outside of the typical pet camera. Our rating for performance will be updated as soon as we get our hands on one!
The Scoop
The PlayDate looks like your typical ball that you would play fetch with. The key is inside the shatterproof polycarbonate ball where there is a pet camera to allow you to see a unique angle as you play with your pet. As the pet owner, you control the ball remotely from your phone! Don’t worry, PlayDate didn’t forget about all you cat lovers out there. The PlayDate has a slit within the ball to attach ribbons and strings for your frisky feline friend!
PlayDate Features
The key feature of the PlayDate is the ability to control the direction in which the ball rolls. Through the PlayDate app, you have complete navigation of the toy. As with many pet cameras on the market today, the PlayDate also allows you to play sounds to gain your dog or cat’s attention and to create a higher level of interactive play between pet and owner. The camera within the PlayDate is a full functioning HD camera that shows your real-time play action over a WIFI connection. The inventors of the PlayDate took it one step further to allow you to remotely log in to their website to control your PlayDate ball from any computer or tablet in addition to the app on your phone.
The design team created many key features of the PlayDate ball by listening to pet owners who tested the product. Some of the features they came up with were to include a replaceable outer shell for extended durability and safety for pets. This allows for pet owners to replace the outer shell while still providing functionality of the internal HD camera. The high level of technology involved in these units allowed for a stabilized camera view for the owner which stops the viewer from getting dizzy while watching their pet chase the ball around the house. A virtual squeaker was included that plays sounds to grab the attention of your pet as well as a microphone that allows you to communicate directly through the PlayDate ball. The last feature that is super impressive in this unit is that you can snap and save photos while playing with your dog as well as record video of your pet playing with the PlayDate ball!
Background on Inventors
The inventors of the PlayDate had one key focus in mind when coming up with this product: ensuring their pet is getting enough exercise and stimulation. Through their studies, they found that many pet owners worry about whether their pet is getting enough exercise while they are not home or how to exercise their pets remotely. Their resolution: using technology advances to create products that stimulate our pets remotely.
Release Date
Pre-order is now available. The product is slated to be shipped to purchasers in December of 2016.
Final Thoughts
We can’t wait to get our hands on this product. Not only does the technology of this pet gadget get our gears spinning, but the excitement of seeing our dog test out this product will be a sight to see. The technology that PlayDate has incorporated into this toy – the ability to have a fully functioning pet camera inside of an interactive toy – is remarkable. The ability to keep an eye on your pet while also providing stimulating activity and exercise – why hasn’t this been thought of sooner? We can’t wait to get our hands on this product and test it out with our 2 year old, 55 lb German Shepherd mix who loves to chase anything that moves. Stay tuned for our full review coming this December.
