CES 2015: Petcube lets you play with your pets over the internet

Whether you just want to make sure they’re not destroying the house, or if you want to take a quick peek to cheer yourself up, there are a number of reasons why you’d want a camera that lets you monitor your pets online. Petcube is more than just a surveillance tool, it actually lets you interact with your pets remotely.

Petcube itself is a Wi-Fi enabled pet camera that offers video, two-way audio communication via a smartphone app. The clincher is that it’s not just about watching and talking to your pets, it also has a built-in laser pointer that you can control by sliding your finger across the screen.

If you’re too busy to check up on your pets and torture them with the uncatchable red dot, you can grant access to other people who can do it for you.

As Engadget points out, the only real problem with Petcube is that it doesn’t seem to be particularly sturdy. The camera itself is made of aluminium, but the front is actually made of glass and it’s light enough that a cat could easy knock it onto the floor with its paw. Petcube’s reps apparently confirmed that falls of that nature could break the device, which does seem a little bit shortsighted.

But provided your pets aren’t like my parents’ dog (he’s scared of laser pointer and runs away), this could be pretty useful if you’re out for most of the day. The Petcube will go on sale next month, and will cost $200 (£132).

This week we’re bringing you all the latest news, videos and gossip from CES 2015 in Las Vegas. Check out the CES 2015 page to keep up to date and subscribe to our YouTube channel to see hands-on news with our editor Holly Brockwell from the show floor.