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Universal Remote's Days Are Numbered

Posted by timothy on from the get-it-numbered-numbered-like-the-keys dept.

theodp writes "While the universal remote has served humanity with distinction, its days are numbered, and your smartphone is to blame. Whether you want to control your music, your television or your PowerPoint presentation, there's probably a solution using your phone. Try as it might, the universal remote simply can't navigate the digital world the way the smartphone can — it's a lot easier to put the remote's abilities in the smartphone than vice versa."

4 of 429 comments (clear)

  1. And nothing of value was lost. by Xtense · · Score: 4, Informative

    I don't know how it works in the US, but in Europe (or at least where I live) there are 348576384756876 different, conflicting coding standards for infrared messages, so the only real place for your Universal Remote is in the trash can.

    Not that I condone using phones for remote control...

    --
    "We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams [...]."
  2. You're missing a far more important point. by jd · · Score: 3, Informative

    The Universal Remote can be programmed with the signal used in Laser Tag games and is area-effect. This allows you to blast vast areas far more effectively than the pistol they supply you with. The SmartPhone cannot do this, no matter what you do.

    --
    It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
  3. Re:Yeah.. by nine-times · · Score: 4, Informative

    are more likely to be found near a tv instead of in the pocket of the owner

    That seems to me to be a very important issue that might not occur to people quickly. What if someone else is in my house and wants to watch TV? Do I have to leave my cell phone with them? Or do they have to reprogram their phones?

    It's very convenient to have a simple, cheap, dedicated device to serve a single purpose. It can just sit there, ready to fulfill its duty.

  4. Re:Yeah.. by Metabolife · · Score: 5, Informative

    With effective use of the vibrate function, it can replace your spouse as well.