Items tagged with Remote
Universal remotes were all the rage for some time, but these days, it's clear that the phones most of us already carry are fully equipped to handle remote duties. Logitech has announced the Harmony Ultimate Hub, an "appcessory" that fully converts your phone into a remote. And it'll soon be available as a standalone purchase. As you may know, the Harmony Hub is included with the Logitech Harmony Ultimate and Logitech Harmony Smart Control, but with the standalone unit, everyone in the house will be able to download the free Harmony Smartphone App, and turn their smartphone into a personal universal remote. Using only your smartphone, you can control up to eight home theater devices, and swipe...
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It seems like everyone is toting a smartphone these days, even teens. According to recent data by Gartner, smartphone sales were through the roof in the fourth quarter of 2012 with a record 207.7 million units sold, up more than 38 percent year-over-year. Meanwhile, feature phone sales are on the decline, having dropped 19.3 percent year-over-year in the same quarter. That wouldn't be the case if people were just using these devices to place calls, but smartphones are capable of so much more. That might be bad news for the remote control industry. William Webb, a writer for U.K.'s The Independent, believes that by the year 2025 smartphones will have evolved into a device that guides you through...
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Logitech has dedicated itself to developing one remote to rule them all, as it were, and today the company announced its latest effort, the Logitech Harmony Remote. The device’s premiere feature is the touchscreen nesting in the middle of the remote. Using the bright, 2.4-inch screen, you can add and scroll through up to 50 saved favorite channels (with customizable icons), bring up a number pad, set and sort various activities, and more. Logitech also shrunk the whole unit a bit from the last generation, making it a bit more ergonomical and leaving just the button people use the most. For those who already use the Logitech Harmony One remote, you can easily keep your settings and transfer...
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Some things are just so simple, it's wonderful. There isn't a whole lot to Satechi's new remote, but it's incredibly useful for those that rely on mobile devices. The company's new BT Media Remote for iPhone, iPad and & Bluetooth Devices is now available, enabling users to control any iOS Bluetooth Device while connected to a TV, dock station or car stereo. It's not only a multimedia companion for iPhone or iPad, but it's also useful for controlling output while in a car or on the couch. Take it from the company: "The BT Media Remote features multimedia control which allows users to control the playback of any music or video on the iPhone or iPad. The convenient Satechi BT Media Remote has...
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Remote access? You got it. LogMeIn just unveiled a free mobile app to bring its signature remote desktop capabilities to even more iPads and iPhones. Featuring the same remote access experience that made LogMeIn Ignition the top grossing 3rd party iPad app of 2010, the new app lets any iOS owner remotely view, access and control their PCs or Macs from their iPad or iPhone. It works with LogMeIn's flagship free remote access offering, LogMeIn Free, giving iOS users unlimited free mobile access to their remote computers, anywhere with an internet connection. Building on the success of its highly popular mobile app, LogMeIn Ignition, the new LogMeIn for iPad/iPhone app is the latest move by LogMeIn...
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See that? That's not the new Easy Button. That's the Android-friendly Beacon, a universal remote control system that transforms Android phones and tablets into "never-lose remotes" for home entertainment centers. Griffin is teaming up with Dijit Media, a San Francisco-based software company whose Universal Remote and TV Show Guide App software integrates consumers’ media viewing experience with their smart devices. The two are pushing out the Beacon Universal Remote Control System. The wireless AV controller pairs with Android devices via Bluetooth and works with Dijit’s free Universal Remote App enabling complete control over the entire home entertainment system directly from the...
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Looks like Lenovo's toying with new ways to get you typing. The company has just introduced the new N5902. That's not telling you much, but the photo below just might. It's a unique, portable keyboard, but it's actually much more than just that. It's a "multimedia remote," complete with L/R click buttons, a keyboard and even a trackball mouse cursor pad so you can actually move a cursor on-screen if you're connected to an HTPC. This is actually an update to an earlier model, but the matte finish on this one is way more understated that the unit it replaces. There's even backlit keys now, which makes loads of sense for those who want to use this as a HTPC remote with the lights down low. For movies,...
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There's the Apple remote, the Roku remote, and just because you need another remote in your life, the Boxee Remote. As with the Boxee Box, this device is actually built by D-Link, featuring a two-sided design, a full QWERTY keyboard on the rear and seamless integration with the Boxee software. It's compatible with both PC and Mac platforms, and it's primarily aimed at those who have computers hooked to HDTVs in an effort of creating their own HTPC. The keyboard on the rear is a real stand-out feature; some of Samsung's newer televisions ship with a QWERTY-infused remote, but it's still a practice that isn't used nearly enough. At $49.99, it's certainly not inexpensive enough to buy as an afterthought,...
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Talk about a strange way to introduce a product. We're all about health and hygiene, but health and consumer electronics don't often go together without an infomercial being involved. However, DirecTV's latest offering combines the two quite interestingly, and those who travel often will no doubt appreciate the gesture. The company's Residential Experience for Hotels offers more than just 100+ HD channels. It also provides the first anti-microbial remote designed specifically for DirecTV for use in the lodging industry. The world's largest pay-TV company is looking to seriously upgrade TV service within hotels, expand the HD offerings and bring along -- yes -- a sanitized remote. The Residential...
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You may have forgotten about Google TV. We can't really blame you, nor can we say that Google TV has really been able to gain traction in the market. Google has shown a willingness to push things out into the market without actually knowing how it'll turn out; Android has taken off and become a huge success, while things like Buzz, Wave and Google TV have faltered. That said, GTV is still around in some fashion, and some folks are definitely still using it. And if you're one of those people, this new development is for you. Early on, Google released an Android application that enabled one's phone to be used as a Google TV remote control, but the millions of iPhone users wondering if they would...
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If there's a trend that's really on a roll in 2011, and it's one we're definitely into. The idea of having 20 remotes to handle everything that goes on in the living room is a tired one, and one that isn't really necessary now that smartphones are taking over. Comcast's Xfinity TV app has just made the shift to Android; prior to this, it was only available on iOS. This new release makes it available to an even broader audience, and it's free to Comcast digital TV subscribers. The app allows them to search and instantly find what to watch among thousands of choices -- including top movies and premium cable shows -- on TV, On Demand, online or on a smartphone. Since the iOS release, the app has...
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The future of the television remote should be an interesting one to pay attention to. For years now, consumers have relied on basically the same type of TV controller: a long, button-filled remote that changes channels, adjusts the volume and switch inputs. But with more digital content finding its way onto the TV (think Google TV), the remote is in need of an overhaul. For starters, there needs to be an easier way to input text for searching. A standard remote has just 0-9 keys, but no effective way to input letters and symbols. Also, with Netflix and other connected content, the TV is becoming more like a computer and less like a dumb box that simply serves to deliver channels from an operator....
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The PlayStation 3 has always been seen as a pretty great media/entertainment center. It plays Blu-ray, streams Netflix, and even handles gaming. But one of the major drawbacks in the eyes of hardcore home theater buffs is that it uses a Bluetooth protocol for its remote instead of IR. Most home cinemas with universal remotes talk to components via IR, but if you use the PS3, there's always a need for another remote. So where are all the good Bluetooth remotes? Sunflex has an interesting new one at CES this week, with the Snakebyte Premium Bluetooth remote making its debut. It uses both Bluetooth and the standard Infrared technologies, and it can control your PS3 as well as up to give other A/V...
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Logitech, you're on your own now. Philips, which has been a major competitor in the home theater space for years, has just shut down a prominent part of that division: Pronto. Any home cinema buff would be familiar with that name, as that's the name of the company's universal remote control line. It was widely viewed as the main rival to Logitech's Harmony remote line, and with Pronto gone, there's a huge gap in that sector that now needs filled. Insiders would know that Philips has actually been struggling to find a buyer for the Pronto remote line since 2009. They haven't been successful in the search, so they're simply shutting it down and saying that Pronto "no longer fits with the Philips...
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Philips Home Control announced a sleek new remote control with an integrated keyboard called DUAL. Recognizing that more and more people are using their TV and other connected devices from their living room, Philips has designed the remote to function as both a remote as well as a keyboard. The top side of the DUAL features a remote control with traditional controls such as volume, channel, and playback options. It also has a touchpad for scrolling and maneuvering a cursor. On the other side, you'll find a full QWERTY keyboard. Philips Home Control unveils DUAL, a unique keyboard remote IBC 2010, Amsterdam – Philips Home Control is launching DUAL; a keyboard remote as the must-see...
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Apple's iPhone has become a lot more than a phone. The original iPhone set a new bar for all smartphones to meet, and companies have been striving to live up to that ever since. In more recent history, however, mobile operating systems like WebOS and Android 2.2 have really begun to push iOS 4 in terms of providing real competition, but there's one thing Apple has that the other companies have yet to grasp: the love of the peripheral market. Without question, there are simply more iPhone, iPad and iPod accessories to choose from than on any other smartphone or handheld device. Every accessory maker looks to hit the iPhone market first, and everyone else, later. Let's look at ThinkFlood as an...
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We said in our initial iPad review that the tablet was almost certain to grow in popularity over time, as more and more developers had more and more time to create unique applications to take advantage of the new screen size and 1GHz A4 processor. One obvious application for a slate such as this is a home entertainment controller, specifically, a wild TV remote like this world has never seen. Logitech's Harmony line of remotes has come a long way, but having a device with integrated Wi-Fi and a direct link to the iTunes store opens up a lot more possibilities. Comcast is hoping to take advantage of the opportunity, with the cable carrier showing off an Xfinity remote prototype at the NCTA Show....
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Bang & Olufsen is extending control of home automation and home entertainment to your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad via the new BeoLink application. This new app gives you access to audio and video controls as well as the home automation system. The BeoLink application sends commands via Wi-Fi. The interface is customizable to show the scenes and commands requested by the customer. The app is free and currently available in the App store. Bang & Olufsen Announces BeoLink Application for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad Offering total smart-phone integration of home entertainment and environmental controls - even when one is not at home ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Bang...
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Universal remotes have been a product owned almost exclusively by high-end home cinema users for years now. Most average TV viewers didn't see a need to consoldate their remotes into one, and they definitely didn't feel like paying extra to do so. Logitech's Harmony line has long been viewed as the best in the industry, but even those were rather expensive in the eyes of Joe Six-Pack.Today, even Mr. Joe can get in on the party. The Harmony 300 sets an all new bar, but it actually lowers a bar rather than raising one. It's the first Harmony remote to retail for under $50, and it just might open up an entirely new market for Logitech. It's also one of the simpler remotes to operate, so it won't...
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If you've been shopping for a home theater remote, there's a good chance Logitech's Harmony line made it on your list of candidates, right up until you took a peek at the price tag. At its most expensive, Logitech's flagship model runs a hair under $400, putting it out of reach of Joe Six-Pack.Good news, cheapskates. Logitech today announced a pair of Harmony clickers priced more in the mainstream. Both the Harmony 600 and Harmony 650 stay under the $100 mark without giving up too many features."Why have one remote for the TV, one for the DVR, one for your DVD player, and one for you A/V deck? asked Ashish Arora, vice president and general manger of Logitech's digital home group. "A Logitech...
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There's launching products for the holiday season, and then there's launching products for the holiday season. Apple pulled off what we imagine only Apple could pull off this afternoon, launching an incredible amount of new wares for the world to enjoy as shopping season kicks into full gear. From updated NAS drives to ground-breaking new mice, Apple had something new for just about everyone today. Let's get right into it, shall we?We'll start off with something completely new, and frankly, revolutionary. The Magic Mouse is today taking the place of the Mighty Mouse, which was never really loved to begin with. This mouse is about as wild as it gets in terms of mice, becoming the world's first...
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Logitech's Harmony remote lineup has been pleasing affluent A/V enthusiasts for ages now, but the company's universal devices have hardly ever suited the low-end crowd. All that changes today, or at least it does if you consider $150 to be "low-end." The Harmony 700 offers up a lot of the same controlling features found on some of the company's higher-end units, but at a price that's much less than the stickers found on other units. Designed to control up to six components at a time, the remote packs a color display, rechargeable AA batteries and one-click control of many of your favorite activities. In short, this remote can be programmed to turn on your TV, DVD player, audio system and even...
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