USB Remote Control

c13v3rm0nk3y writes "The Easy Zapper from Harmony is a universal A/V remote with a twist. Created to battle the complexities of operating home theatre systems, the Harmony operates a bit like a mobile telephone. There are few buttons to get you into trouble. The idea is that a single gesture is necessary to "watch a DVD", or "listen to music". It also acts as a TV Guide, as it can learn your local programming, and even tweak those choices based on a "zap" from the user. The interesting thing is that the unit itself has no remote "smarts". It learns eveything it has to by downloading code (va USB) and visiting the Harmony website. Support for Windows only right now, but there are plans for Mac OS, Linux, Playstation and XBox support. Very cool toy. The potential ability for this company to collect a lot of data on "typical" viewing habits is a bit scary. RemoteCentral.com has a review."

Comments

OH BOY!!!!

[Grape Smuggler]

A programable remote!!! That is a new inovation, NOT! Sony, etc, have programable remotes that you can download custom macros into.

GET A CLUE! Mention Linux in the story and it get posted to the front page.

But The WORLD isn't pure IR!

[Matey-O]

What if my components are holed up in closet next to the TV? (Which they are)

How do they get the IR information into the closet?

I've got a 'smarthome' control screen that's X10 based and has an IR blaster for the closet. It's fully programmable and could probably do 90% of what this'll do, but I can't be bothered to PROGRAM it to do so.

This device claims to remove the programming acpects, but it OBVIOUSLY won't IR blast thru walls... (And NO, after spending $500 for the current setup, and $200 for this new setup, I'm not willing to loft ANOTHER $80 on an IR repeater.)

why do they make this?

[tps12]

This sounds exactly like the stupid "Internet keys" on my keyboard, and about as useful.

This product is dead before it starts. How come so many products that any idiot can tell you will fail still end up getting made? If they had taken half an hour to ask 5 people in a focus group if they would buy this product, then we would have to waste our time reading about it on slashdot.

One button to "watch a DVD?" I don't know about Windows, but on the Mac the DVD player starts when you stick the disc in, and you only have to hit the spacebar to watch it. And I know all the different OS's (even Linux) will auto-play audio CDs.

I just can't believe this shite. "Okay, guys, idea: a USB device with a bunch of buttons on it, and you use it to control the computer!" Uh, hello? It's a keyboard, they already make them.