HiRemote IR For Your Smartphone

HiRemote IR Remote Control for SmartphonesWhile IR communication still has a place, the low signal, unidirectional, line of site required technology does not find its way into many modern day devices. Except entertainment media component remote controls, of course.

Because of this, unless your media components support WiFi, Bluetooth or NFC you are going to need to keep track of that remote. That is unless you get your hands on the HiRemote from Chineese startup commpany called Jeeqi. This device plugs into the 3.5mm jack on your smartphone and has an associated app that lets you use your handset as a IR blaster to control your TV, Blu-ray and other components. No more looking through the cushions for the remote.

Jeeqi is looking for funding to support a project to produce the HiRomote on a site called Pozible, which is an Asia-Pacific version of Kickstarter.

via VR-Zone

HTC releases IR API, looking for a few good devs

DNP HTC releases IR API, looking for a few good devs

In an effort to usher its newest flagship‘s infrared capabilities to the masses, HTC is adding an IR API to its OpenSense SDK. Starting today, developers interested in creating applications that use the One’s IR blaster can request the software kit directly from the company. By making this API available to the masses, HTC hopes to build a stable of apps unique to its new hardware, kicking things off with Sense 5’s integrated universal TV remote control software. Devs looking to ease the pain of Logitech’s plans to kill off the Harmony — or those interested in more details — can find just that via the source link below.

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Source: HTC

Nintendo TVii will launch with the Wii U in Japan on December 8th, IR remote costs $1

Nintendo’s Wii U has yet to launch in Japan, but over there it’s been revealed that the innovative Nintendo TVii app will be available when the console launches December 8th. Interestingly, the IR remote functionality that we’ve already seen packed in will cost 100 yen ($1.21) from Nintendo’s eShop. The TV guide data will be pulled from Rovi’s G-Guide service, ready to pull up even when you’re not using the console, or in the middle of a TV show or video game. We still don’t have an exact release date for the i.TV-based feature in North America (it’s due in “select” European regions next year) but at least gamers can enjoy their Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and YouTube access until then.

Continue reading Nintendo TVii will launch with the Wii U in Japan on December 8th, IR remote costs $1

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Via: AV Watch

Source: IPG.jp, Nintendo Japan (1), (2)

Fraunhofer develops extra-small 1Gbps infrared transceiver, recalls our PDA glory days

Fraunhofer develops extrasmall 1Gbps infrared transceiver, recalls our PDA glory days

Our 1997-era selves would die with envy right about now. Fraunhofer has developed a new generation of infrared transceiver that can transfer data at 1Gbps, or well above anything that our vintage PDAs could manage. While the speed is nothing new by itself — we saw such rates in 2010 Penn State experiments — it’s the size that makes the difference. The laser diode and processing are efficient enough to fit into a small module whose transceiver is as large as a “child’s fingernail.” In theory, the advancement makes infrared once more viable for mobile device syncing, with room to grow: even the current technology can scale to 3Gbps, lead researcher Frank Deicke says, and it might jump to 10Gbps with enough work. Along with the usual refinements, most of the challenge in getting production hardware rests in persuading the Infrared Data Association to adopt Deicke’s work as a standard. If that ever comes to pass, we may just break out our PalmPilot’s infrared adapter to try it for old time’s sake.

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Fraunhofer develops extra-small 1Gbps infrared transceiver, recalls our PDA glory days originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Oct 2012 01:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Logitech Harmony Touch remote officially announced, brings swipe, scroll and tap LCD for $249

Logitech Harmony Touch officially announced, brings swipe, scroll and tap touchscreen for $249

The cat is already well out of the bag, but we finally have some official information about the new Logitech Harmony Touch universal remote. Its first addition to the line in a while, Logitech is pushing its center-mounted 2.4-inch color touchscreen with support for control by tapping, swiping or scrolling through up to 50 channel icons as a way to “unprecedented control” of your home entertainment system. We’re still not entirely sure about the transport controls being placed so far up top or the usefulness of a screen focused on direct live channel access in the DVR and streaming age (check out our thoughts on this week’s podcast), but it does bring the usual control of up to 15 devices and backlit keys. Just as we saw in the stores, the price is set at $249 and it controls only via IR, not RF like the pricier Harmony 900. Check out more info in the press release after the break (along with quick demo and how-to setup videos) or on Logitech’s blog, fans of the new device should be able to find them released widely in the US and Europe this month.

Continue reading Logitech Harmony Touch remote officially announced, brings swipe, scroll and tap LCD for $249

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Logitech Harmony Touch remote officially announced, brings swipe, scroll and tap LCD for $249 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 04:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG Optimus Vu II specs officially unveiled: new CPU, IR, stylus and ‘One Key’ accessory

LG Optimus Vu II specs officially unveiled new CPU, IR, stylus and 'One Key' accessory

Whether or not there’s a 5-inch 4:3 aspect ratio spot in the world to fit LG’s Optimus Vu is still up for debate, but the company is pressing on and has now officially revealed specs for its follow up, the Optimus Vu II. Matching the specs leaked previously the CPU is a Qualcomm MSM8960 that’s a newer design than the previous one, but is still a dual-core chip clocked at 1.5GHz. The RAM has been doubled to 2GB, the battery is just a hair larger at 2,150mAh and it will come with Android 4.0 out of the box plus that integrated IR blaster and QRemote software to control your home theater. The VoLTE capability listed in the leak is here and accounted for, as well as a Rubberdium Pen 2.0 stylus with a thinner, more precise nub. One thing we hadn’t heard about is its optional “One Key” accessory, a waterproof fob intended for your key ring that can be pressed to make your phone beep loudly if you need to find it, and light up blue or red to alert you when there are messages or if it has finished charging. The Optimus Vu II is priced at 966,900 won ($864) in Korea, though we’ll have to wait for a US announcement to have any idea how much it will cost when it ships here.

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LG Optimus Vu II specs officially unveiled: new CPU, IR, stylus and ‘One Key’ accessory originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zorro Macsk review: instantly add touchscreen functionality to your 21.5-inch iMac

DNP Zorro Macsk review instantly add touchscreen functionality to your 215inch iMac

Over the years we’ve come across a few signs that pointed to the possibility of touchscreen-enabled iMacs, but Steve Jobs had already dismissed this as a possibility for current Mac form factors. Quoting the man at the “Back to the Mac” keynote from two years ago: “It gives great demo, but after a while your arm feels like it’s going to fall off. Touch surfaces want to be horizontal.”

So perhaps our fantasy’s still stuck in the “research project” phase.

Luckily, the more adventurous touchscreen lovers can look to third-party solutions. For MacBooks you have Axiotron’s Modbook, except you lose the keyboard and you can’t perform the modification yourself. As for iMacs and Cinema Displays, we’ve been following Troll Touch for its resistive touchscreen replacement panels, but they aren’t exactly affordable and most of them have to be installed by the company. Even its user-installable SlipCover series starts from $899, anyway.

This leaves us with the Zorro Macsk, a cheekily named iMac accessory hailing from TMDtouch of Shenzhen, China. The 21.5-inch model is priced at just $199 on Amazon with no modifications required. Plus, it supports multitouch — a glaring omission from Troll Touch’s Mac lineup. So is this truly a bargain? Or is it just a case of “you get what you pay for?” Follow past the break to see how we got on with the Zorro Macsk.

Continue reading Zorro Macsk review: instantly add touchscreen functionality to your 21.5-inch iMac

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Zorro Macsk review: instantly add touchscreen functionality to your 21.5-inch iMac originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 15:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XPAND YOUniversal 3D Glasses Review: Compatibility Comes at a Price [Lightning Review]

Today’s 3D TVs use any one of three active shutter technologies—IR, RF, or Bluetooth. If you own more than one 3D set—or you’re always short a pair of glasses at a friend’s house—you’d appreciate a pair that can synchronize with multiple systems. That’s better than keeping track of several pairs of backup glasses. Isn’t it? More »

$49 Cubieboard for developers is heavy on specs, light on the wallet

The $49 Cubieboard for developers is heavy on specs, light on the wallet

You’ve already got plenty of options if you’re in the market for a developer board, but it might be worth taking a look at the new $49 Cubieboard, which packs quite the specs given its price point. The board hosts a 1GHz AllWinner A10 Cortex A8 CPU with Mali-400 GPU, 1GB of RAM and 4 gigs of onboard storage. For ins and outs, you’re looking at 1080p HDMI, Ethernet, one MultiMediaCard (MMC) slot, a SATA port, two USB hosts, an IR sensor and 96 extender pins for solder junkies. Cubieboard’s Wiki page lists an additional MMC slot and USB OTG, but as this doesn’t check out in the pictures, we assume they’ve either been scrapped, or they’ll be added on for later production runs. As you would expect, several versions of Linux and Android are supported by the Raspberry Pi bully, which is expected to start shipping to select developers sometime this week. There’s no word on when it may be available for general consumption, but by then you’ll hopefully have a better product anyway — if the pros have done their job, that is.

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$49 Cubieboard for developers is heavy on specs, light on the wallet originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 02:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ThinkGeek’s Mark VII Sonic Screwdriver universal remote pleases Whovians in time for Comic-Con

DNP Think Geek unveils Sonic Screwdriver,

Ever wished you too could make use of the awesome powers that lie within Dr. Matt Smith’s Mark VII Sonic Screwdriver? Well, it’s still not exactly a reality in the way of the space-bred handyman’s gadget seen on Doctor Who, but ThinkGeek and The Wand Company have you covered if an IR-packing replica universal remote sounds good enough. This BBC-licensed Mark VII remote handles up to 39 commands that are all controlled using 13 different motion gestures. Of course, if controlling the likes of TV and AV devices in an extraterrestrial fashion just isn’t your thing, there’s always ThinkGeek’s Sonic Screwdriver flashlight, right? There’s no word on price just yet, but San Diego Comic-Con attendees can try it out first-hand at the BBC America Booth (#3629) starting July 12. The Mark VII remote is set to go sale for $99 at ThinkGeek’s website on August 31st, so for now we’ll direct you to the press release after the break.

Update: Video demo added after the break.

[Thanks, Alan]

Continue reading ThinkGeek’s Mark VII Sonic Screwdriver universal remote pleases Whovians in time for Comic-Con

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ThinkGeek’s Mark VII Sonic Screwdriver universal remote pleases Whovians in time for Comic-Con originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 11:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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