Hasta La Gadget!

We’re still holding out for the deluge of hardware/software accessories that will use the iPhone’s dock, but for now it seems like the only widgets out there are IR universal remotes. The last one we saw was the L5 iPhone Remote, but the problem with that was an ugly interface and the lack of pre-programmed codes: you have to tech the device by pointing your other remotes at it.

The FLPR looks a lot better, although it is also $30 more, at $80. For this you get a pre-programmed database of 14,000 codes, the ability to learn any that aren’t already there, plus a macro function. This will let you press one button and have, say, the TV, home theater and DVD-player all switch on and go to the right settings.

What isn’t any better is the interface, an ill-conceived and ugly mess. Contoured “buttons” sit atop hideous “skinned” backgrounds and closely mimic the already bad design of your physical remotes. This is surely an area where touch-screens could shine. Imagine something as simple as the new Windows Phone 7 interface, just plain squares with symbols. And where are our multi-touch, swiping gestures to skip and flip around music and movies?

The FLPR is available now, and the fugly iPhone app is a free download in the US. If you lose it, check down the back of the sofa, just as you normally do.

FLPR [New Potato Tech. Thanks, Sarah and Eliot!]

FLPR app [iTunes]