dog

PetTread treadmill: A giant hamster wheel for cats and dogs

America has a fat problem, and it's not just the humans. Many pets are also toting some extra poundage.

You could, of course, take your dog for more walks, or spend more time playing attack-the-fuzzy-thing with your cat. Or you could invest in a pet treadmill. Better yet, check out PetTread, a pet-treadmill design that looks like a giant hamster wheel.

PetTread is looking to raise $110,000 on Kickstarter to take a prototype version into production. Like many inventions, the PetTread came about as a result of personal experience. Creator John Gosson had an overweight cat named Noonie. Adjusting her diet didn't help much, so he used his electrical engineering background to craft a power treadmill she could safely use.… Read more

Building the world of The Last of Us

Naughty Dog's series of developer diaries for The Last of Us aren't exactly coming thick and fast (the last one appeared a bit over a month ago), but they certainly are worth the wait.

This video deals with the environments of The Last of Us. The game envisions a setting in which the near-demise of humanity has given nature time to reclaim the world around it. Verdant, lush plant life contrasts with decayed, fallen cities.

The video provides an interesting look at the transition from concept art to gameplay, as well as how the correct use of lighting can help a game seem more real. … Read more

Play ball! Pretzel dog maker opens baseball season at home

Baseball season is here and it's Opening Day. That means baseball fans across the country will flock to the ballpark in order to root, root, root for the home team. Except that's not entirely true. Just like there was the "The Base Ball Polka" before there was "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," the order of events sometimes gets mixed up. The real reason millions of fans will go see a game this summer is because that is where the hot dogs and giant soft pretzels are; a baseball game just happens to … Read more

Order a living 'Game of Thrones' dire wolf (almost)

Before "Game of Thrones" became a pop culture phenomenon, pretty much the only people thinking about dire wolves were historians and paleontologists. Canus dirus means "fearsome dog." The massive wolfy creatures are long extinct, but they've gained a new popularity through the "Game of Thrones" books and television show.

Fans can already get a Hand of the King replica pin, a replica Iron Throne, and even a "Game of Thrones" beer, but they haven't been able to get a dire wolf. That could change soon. The Dire Wolf Project has quietly been in the works since 1987.… Read more

The 404 1,225: Where the first issue is a gateway drug (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Baauer of "Harlem Shake" sued over unauthorized samples.

- Surprise hit "Harlem Shake" was a shock for artists heard on it.

- "Sweet Brown" sues Apple and radio stations for unauthorized interview.

- SXSW: Marvel to give away 700 first-issue digital comics.

- Marvel giveaway crashes Comixology's servers.… Read more

The 404 1,221: Where it's the fungus that kills us (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- The Valve Steam Box is coming.

- How HBO will tackle "Game of Thrones" piracy.

- The Last of Us has a unique plotline with clicking mushroom people.… Read more

BigDog robot plays catch with concrete blocks

The last time we checked in on Boston Dynamics, its "robot bison" was busy demonstrating what it could do out in the field. And we were impressed.

Today we get to see a different kind of robot animal in action. I'll give you a hint on the type: fetch!

Awww... who's a good boy? The robot on display in the video is BigDog, a DARPA-funded all-terrain cyber-canine meant for military use. It can tackle slopes up to 35 degrees, rubble, snow, mud, and water, and can carry a 340-pound load. Boston Dynamics writes of the monster dog's latest trick: … Read more

A new high in $300 audiophile headphones

I'm usually a sound-first guy, but when it comes to evaluating headphones, comfort is a very close second. So even when I love the sound of a headphone, if they start to hurt my ears after a half an hour, that's a deal-breaker.

That's why I'm happy to report on a remarkably comfortable and great-sounding headphone, the MrSpeakers' Mad Dog. That's an odd name for a headphone maker, but MrSpeakers' Dan Clark started out as a speaker designer. Now he extensively modifies Fostex T50RP headphones, a headphone that I've never cared for. Clark transforms … Read more

The 404 1,212: Where there's a PS4...in the controller? (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Sony PS4 is official: Coming in 2013, but design and price remain a mystery.

- Five unanswered questions about PlayStation 4.

- Sony: Fear not, the PlayStation 4 will play used games.

- Making sense of the PS4 game lineup.

- Sony plans second-screen app for PlayStation 4.

- Sony mum on PlayStation Vita price drops for U.S., Europe.

- Microsoft spokesman takes potshot at PS4 event.

- Sony PS4 event skewered in animated parody.… Read more

Making sense of the PS4 game lineup

NEW YORK--So the world didn't exactly get what it wanted out of Sony's PlayStation 4 debut tonight. There was no sight of the actual console itself and details about its specific release date and price were also nowhere to be seen.

Sony's team-up with Gaikai is sure to net some interesting ideas and implementations with cloud streaming, the sharing of game screens, remote play, and other concoctions, but the games themselves were what made the biggest impact.

Those pondering the PS4's gaming prowess were served an interesting dish. Ten or so major developers were represented in … Read more