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remote control posts

Kaleidescape joins the iPhone as a remote party

by Ben Drawbaugh posted Sep 10th 2009 @ 10:53AM

It is only a matter of time before every single company in the world makes some kind of iPhone/iPod Touch app and if you make home theater gear that mean it is a remote. Remotescape for the Kaleidescape is the latest addition and from the looks of the Youtube video embedded after the break, it is a pretty slick mix of gestures and cover art goodness. The bad news of course is that the graphics in the interface are on par with the rest of Kaleidescape's products and the price tag is $69 -- but if you dropped the $50k on the Kaleidescape media server, then you probably think that is cheap for a iPhone app.

Continue reading Kaleidescape joins the iPhone as a remote party

Unify4Life AV Shadow app to soon turn BlackBerry Storm into remote

by Darren Murph posted Feb 26th 2009 @ 9:22AM

Apple's iPhone probably has too many remote apps for its own good, but Unify4Life is looking to provide RIM's BlackBerry Storm with just one -- the best one, in fact. The company's admittedly impressive AV Shadow software, which we happened to experience ourselves at CES, is reportedly coming soon to RIM's first ever touchscreen 'Berry. How soon? Try "later this week." If you're interested to know precisely what you're waiting for, give that play button above a push.

Video: T-Mobile G1-powered Forknife robot goofs off, eats cupcakes

by Darren Murph posted Jan 26th 2009 @ 12:17AM

It's hard to tell from the absolutely riveting two minute and seven second video (hosted up after the break, just so you know), but somehow or another, the gurus at Macpod Software managed to get a T-Mobile G1 to control a robot. Actually, the code used to pull it off is hosted up for download, but a fair bit of robotics knowledge is necessary to pull it all together. The best part? Forknife just loves cupcakes -- sorry, we couldn't resist.

[Thanks, Corey]

Continue reading Video: T-Mobile G1-powered Forknife robot goofs off, eats cupcakes

Unify4Life's BlackBerry products demoed at CES

by Jacob Schulman posted Jan 10th 2009 @ 1:01PM

A duo of products on display from Unify4Life shows us just how much less productive we could be on our 'Berrys if we had 'em on us. The AV|Shadow and Garage|Shadow connect over Bluetooth and let you control a bevy of AV devices and your garage door, respectively. The demo we saw had the app controlling a PS3 and allowed use of the BlackBerry's keyboard and trackball to input text and move around, and it seemed to work pretty well. The Blackberry app itself looked pretty customizable and the UI was nicely done. Check out the gallery to see the photos of our demo with the PS3, but strangely they couldn't bring in a garage door to show us that product -- but we'll just have to take their word for it.

Gallery: Unify4Life's BlackBerry products demoed at CES

UiRemote is like a remote... in your iPhone

by Chris Ziegler posted Jan 6th 2009 @ 9:01PM

Yeah, sure, name any IR-equipped phone in existence and odds good to excellent that you can find a universal remote app for it, but you probably can't think of many for the iPhone, now, can you? They exist, yes, but they tend to carry a home-automation slant since the lack of an infrared port leaves the thing relegated to WiFi duty. Enter UiRemote, an ambitious little project undertaken by a handful of scrappy University of Toronto students that uses a fingertip-sized IR blaster connected to the headphone jack paired with a totally customizable app to get the job done. Novel? Not necessarily, but when you consider that a dedicated remote with these specs would probably run half a grand, it's an interesting way to save money and still end up with the coolest AV controller on the block. The devs are still tweaking both the module and the app, but hopes are high that they'll be available to all interested parties in the next couple months.

Nokia's Z-Wave Home Control Center hands-on and video

by Joshua Topolsky posted Dec 2nd 2008 @ 12:28PM

Since hearing about Nokia's foray into the world of home automation, our curiosity has been seriously piqued. Thankfully, our girl-on-the-scene Drita has captured video of the new software / hardware combo in action on the Nokia World show floor. It looks like a fully decked out system is going to run you a hefty fee (given all the components required), but can you put a price on the extreme laziness it will enable? We didn't think so. Check out the pics on Engadget and the thrilling video out after the break!

Continue reading Nokia's Z-Wave Home Control Center hands-on and video

AT&T talks about linking iPhone with U-verse, home control

by Darren Murph posted Sep 16th 2008 @ 1:10AM

We've already seen that Apple's iPhone is a mighty fine home controller, but it looks as if AT&T bigwigs are just now getting wind of that. At a recent event where the company showcased some of its newly developed technology, it talked up eventually linking the iPhone and its fiber-based U-verse service. More specifically, the iPhone could be used "as a remote control," and iPhone owners could also listen to voicemails on their television or watch recorded shows on their handset. There's no word on when said features could eventually be rolled out, but may we implore AT&T to spend more on U-verse expansion before making it even more awesome for those lucky enough to have it?

[Via phonescoop]

Cameraphone remotely activates cameraphone in DIY venture

by Darren Murph posted Dec 5th 2007 @ 2:52AM

We've seen some fairly intuitive home security creations in our day, but this little wonder ranks pretty high up there. Utilizing a couple of cameraphones, a microcontroller, solenoid relays, a photoresistor, wires galore, a soldering iron and a robust picture messaging plan, this cameraphone activated cameraphone can be used to snap pictures of a pre-defined location whenever you get curious. We could even see building an entire fleet if you're really paranoid, but by the time you add all those additional lines, you may be better off just pulling the trigger on a bonafide CCTV system. Nevertheless, feel free to follow the read link and hack until your heart's content, and check out a video of this setup in action after the jump.

Continue reading Cameraphone remotely activates cameraphone in DIY venture

CLIQK offers home controlling-iPhones to VIP members

by Darren Murph posted Nov 8th 2007 @ 3:25PM

Controlling your domicile's lighting, temperature, and home theater settings from your cellphone is far from revolutionary, but New York-based CLIQK is implanting the aforementioned abilities onto Apple's iPhone. In an admittedly vague press release, the "digital lifestyle services firm" stated that it was "treating" its VIP members to "specially customized iPhones" which enabled them to access "specialized applications and ringtones that are not available from Apple or to the general public." Quite comically, the firm even noted that it had "unlocked" the true power of the iPhone, and that its tweaked version allowed users to take control of their homes' security, lighting, temperature, shading, and even music from afar. Unfortunately, there's no mention of a price nor requirements for joining this so-called VIP clique (ahem), but hey, wouldn't it be more fun to just create your own home automation app?

[Via I4U News]

Indian team flies remote controlled aircraft with cellphone

by Sean Cooper posted Sep 11th 2007 @ 4:09PM

A Mechanical Engineering research team based in Punjab has tweaked out a remote control plane to use what is ironically verboten during flight as its means of control. Using a programmable chip on the plane, the team was able to successfully take off and land the aircraft with a cellphone -- no brand mentioned -- and are now busying themselves with "perfecting the art of speed, height and direction of the plane." We wish them good luck with that, as those are the key elements to not having to cough up money for a new plane for every run.

[Via textually.org]

SK Telecom develops phone-controlled cleaning bot

by Joshua Topolsky posted Jul 27th 2007 @ 6:59PM

SK Telecom, never wanting to be outdone by clever hackers in producing totally useless and bizarre devices that no one really needs, is in the final development stages on a Roomba-style robot that can be controlled by your mobile phone. The circular cleaning bot will be able to receive direction from a phone user on where to scrub, buff, and vacuum, while the controller views all of the exciting, floor-sweeping action on his or her cell phone via a built-in camera at the front of the bot. This should be the prefect product for those who feel the Roomba makes life too easy by cleaning a room on its own -- although it's possible that this technology could be adopted by legions of young men hoping to get a better look up women's skirts. Only time will tell.

NTT-Neomeit set to control your home from your cellphone

by Sean Cooper posted Apr 25th 2007 @ 5:58PM

Trust the folks at NTT-Neomeit (an NTT West group subsidiary) to find new and even cooler ways to use your cell phones -- and we're thinking this is off-the-scale cool -- it seems Neomeit is not happy with you simply watching TV, listening to music, or playing games with your cell, so they have busted out whole-home automation from your pocket. Using a web interface on your phone, commands are sent to a wireless router in your home which are relayed to either a remote control power switch, or an infrared transmitter. The scenarios where this could be useful are pretty endless, from turning on lights, recording a show you didn't setup or even ~~setting fire to the entire home~~ lighting up the Xmas tree as you arrive home to wow the family. The same page will also allow for device usage monitoring, so you can see what's what when you are away from home. A beta trial will get underway in May with launch expected in September for about $4 a month. Sweet!

[Via Pinktentacle.com]

Sony Ericsson's patent application for cellphone as remote

by Sean Cooper posted Mar 4th 2007 @ 10:47PM

Look mom, my cellphone can control the whole universe! Sony Ericsson filed a patent application for a cellphone-based remote control that downloads its command set from the device you want to control. Flexible remote control -- with no need to go hunting for codes -- that part is pretty cool. If you look carefully, the handset in the sketch in a S7xx -- not exactly a fresh-off-the-line device. Apparently this patent application was filed in August 2005, and either the gang in northern Europe has given up on this gem of an idea or has decided to let it go and move on to bigger and better things. We think they should focus on a phone that can project an image on the wall, and then be used for video conference calling with stereo sound -- or maybe just release a mobile with HSDPA, yeah, that would be even better.

[Via Mobile Mentalism]

Marsilli kicks out cellphone-controlled toy car / flash drive

by Darren Murph posted Jan 22nd 2007 @ 6:05PM

We're not exactly sure what's up with Asia's infatuation with toy cars and shoving completely irrelevant (but entirely useful) features inside of them, but now Marsilli is offering up its own admittedly peculiar flash drive in the shape of a vehicle. Presumably in direct competition with Gold Kiwi's Bluetooth GPS receiver ride, this Mobile Remote Control Car is a diminutive four-wheeled ride with impressive aerodynamics, a 512MB flash drive built-in, USB connector in place of a central-mounted exhaust, and it even allows users to drive it around a cardboard course with "any cellphone." Of course, we're not entirely sure if all that controlling action is done over Bluetooth or some other propriety channel, but we have strong suspicions "every mobile" might not be equipped to handle this road burner. Nevertheless, you can probably pick one of these up in the near future at your favorite street corner vendor in Asia, but for now, click on through for a more closeups.

Continue reading Marsilli kicks out cellphone-controlled toy car / flash drive

Waleli GSM-doorbell hits version 2.0

by Darren Murph posted Oct 9th 2006 @ 10:36AM

When you're already using your cellphone to track your ~~wild~~ domesticated animals, keep your family safe, and even buy gadgetry, you might as well use it to let the butler in too, right? Waleli has revamped its GSM-doorbell apparatus, which allows pedestrians to "ring your mobile," so that a simple doorbell press phones the owner and allows for a full-fledged conversation to occur. After you've determined that the mystery caller should gain entry, you simply "enter a pincode" which triggers the system to unlock the house or open a garage door. New to version 2.0 is the ability to access the device remotely in order to create a virtual remote control; if you (or your significant other) gets locked out of the crib, the machine will recognize your phone number and release the latches for its master on command. While we aren't sure how much this incredulous convenience will cost you (or save you over the long haul), at least the GSM-doorbell allows for more important keys to occupy that overstuffed keyring.

[Via Textually]