Tagg the Pet Tracker is a GPS system for man’s best friend.  The Tagg Tracker is a small water-resistant GPS device that clips onto the collar of a dog or cat.  Once it’s in place, the Tracker will continuously report its location and can be tracked on a smartphone or over the Web.  You can also define a geographical zone and receive an e-mail or text alert when you pet goes outside the zone.

Tagg the Pet Tracker and a year of service sells for $199.  It’s the first product from Snaptracs, a subsidiary of leading mobile technology company Qualcomm.  Find out more about Tagg the Pet Tracker on the Tagg website.

Cobra Tag is an ingenious Bluetooth gadget that will help ensure that you never again leave your smartphone or car keys behind.  This clever device uses Phone Halo Technology, a smartphone app and a small key fob device.  Users simply download the app and then attach the fob to the object they want to protect (can a purse or laptop as well as car keys).  If the distance between the smartphone and the fob becomes too great, an alarm will sound.

The Cobra Tag also can record the time of day and GPS coordinates to mark exactly when and where a loss occurred and then send this information to a preset e-mail, text message, Facebook or Twitter account.  The device also includes a two-way find feature that lets you press a button on the fob to find your smartphone, or use the app to find the fob.

Cobra Tag is one of the next generation of devices that integrate wireless technology.  Popular Mechanics has given it an Editor’s Choice award and it’s sure to be a popular gift during this year’s holiday season.  Find out more about Cobra Tag on the Cobra Electronics website.

Visual designer Charis Tsevis has created a fitting tribute to Steve Jobs in the form of an intricate mosaic portrait composed of all types of Apple gadgets, from MacBooks to iPods to iPhones and iPads

Tsevis said he began working on this portrait when Jobs retired due to illness earlier this year. He unveiled it short after Jobs’ death on Oct. 5 and it has been featured on many news websites. The portrait reminds us how the co-founder and former CEO of Apple reshaped the computing experience and changed the way we communicate, listen to music and interact online.

See more amazing artwork on Charis Tsevis’ official website.

The design engineers at Sony have devised a gadget mashup that really makes sense. The Sony DEV-5 binoculars feature a built-in video camera that captures 3-D video in 1920×1080 pixel resolution. Using a 32-gigabyte memory card, the glasses can record about 2.5 hours of 3-D video or more than 13 hours of 2-D video. A Blu-ray player will play back the video in full HD.

The DEV-5 will be available in November for about $2000. Find out more and see sample video on Engadget.

The Internet is teaming with videos of dogs and cats having fun with iPads and other gadgets. Now your pooch can have a gadget of its own. The GoDogGo Automatic Ball Launcher will toss tennis balls for your dog to fetch, giving you a break. This automated fetch machine launches a tennis ball 45+ feet at 7 or 15 second intervals. It allows your dog to play independently or you can use the remote control to operate it.

This fun gadget isn’t cheap – it sells for $124.99 plus shipping and handling. But maybe it’s worth it if it means you can retire from throwing balls for your dog to fetch. Find out more on the official GoDogGo website.

If you’re in the habit of taking your iPad or laptop with your wherever you go, then it might be time to consider purchasing gadget insurance. Many consumers are unaware that their gadget warranties (even extended warranties) don’t cover theft, water damage and cracked screens.

One of the top players in the gadget insurance game is Worth Ave Group, which has been in business since 1971 and is familiar to any college students who’s worried about dorm room theft. Wave Ave insures laptops, iPads, smartphones, TVs, e-readers and gaming systems.

Gadget insurance is less expensive than you may think. For an $800 laptop, coverage is about $140 with a $50 deductible. (Note that prices vary according to your geographic location.)

Read more about the ins and outs of gadget insurance on the Reuters Money Blog.

The NIKE MAG has been a mythical shoe ever since it captured the imagination of Marty McFly and Back to the Future II audiences. Nike has created a real version of the shoe and between Sept. 8 and Sept. 18 will be auctioning 1500 pairs on eBay. All proceeds will go to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s disease.

In Back to the Future II, Fox’s character Marty McFly wore the MAG in the year 2015. The 2011 version is designed to be an exact replica, right down to the shoe’s contours, glowing LED panels and luminescent NIKE logo on the strap.

You can read more about the shoe in this Wired article and see it for yourself in this YouTube video.

This is the final installment in our series on back-to-school gadgets.

Have you ever wished for a portable device that would store all your books and papers, let you take notes and also give you a chance to have some fun when the opportunity presents itself?  The iPad2 is that device, and ZooGue’s BinderPad is an iPad cover with grommets on the side that let you snap your iPad into a standard binder.  This thin, convenient pouch is just 1/2 inch thick and weights 3.5 oz with an iPad inside.  At $29.99, it’s the perfect addition to any iPad-equipped student’s back-to-school gear.

Find out more about the BinderPad on the ZooGue website.  You can also see a review in this YouTube video.

This is Part 3 of our series on back-to-school gadgets.

Kno’s free iPad app helps students save hundreds of dollars on hardcover textbooks while avoiding long lines at the bookstore.  Drag-and-drop can be used to download digital textbooks from Kno’s library of 70,000 titles at prices that are 30-50% cheaper than physical books.  Kno also provides more than 60 features that facilitate reading, note taking and studying. 

Kno works from a website, from Facebook and on the iPad.  Find out more on the Kno website.

Part 2 of our back-to-school gadget series looks at a backpack that has a little something extra.

Personal security is a big concern on many campuses.  The Ultimate Laptop Backpack has a built-in siren and strobe that provide mobile personal security for students as well as campers, nurses, seniors, teens, children and anyone else who is concerned about safety.  Two high-decibel sirens and a high-intensity strobe light can be activated in a split second to attract immediate attention.

The Ultimate Laptop Backpack provides a variety of compartments to stow all your gear.  You can stay hands-free and listen to your audio device from the headphone portal provided on the shoulder strap.  Find out more about this $99.99 security backpack on the GadgetShack website.