Hasta La Gadget!

Seven months ago, Motorola unveiled a dual-sided, QWERTY-laden TV remote control: the NYXboard. It was never heard from again. Today, we’ve learned why — the open-source community will be selling a version specially redesigned to control your XBMC rig. The folks at Pulse-Eight — a startup with roots in the XBMC community dedicated to designing hardware — tell us they actually talked Motorola out of bundling the remote with set-top-boxes in favor of a nefarious plan. Simply put, they want you to be able to purchase an IR and RF remote that natively supports XBMC for a penny under $60 this June.

While we don’t have any real pictures of the unit quite yet — just the renders you see above and below — developers say it will work with installations on Mac, Windows, Linux and the original Apple TV on day one, and will actually turn off the side of the remote that’s face down to avoid accidental inputs. You’ll find the NYXboard up for pre-order now at our source link, with the first shipments slated for around June 27th. Then again, you might want to wait, as we’re told there are more surprises in store: a second version that can control the Apple TV 2, and a secret method which would allow the remotes to control your home entertainment center without pesky line-of-sight infrared. The best laid plans and all that… but it sounds like Logitech’s Harmony may finally get some competition.

Update: The situation’s a bit tricky, but the XBMC Foundation (a non-profit entity) wants you to know that hardware vendor Pulse-Eight (a for-profit venture) isn’t actually part of their group — Pulse-Eight was founded by an XBMC team member and produces hardware targeted at the XBMC community, but apparently isn’t funded by (nor directs funding towards) the XBMC foundation itself.

Motorola NYXboard surfaces from the dead, XBMC reclaims it (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 19:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Tested  |  Pulse Eight  | Email this | Comments

Comcast is back with what it’s calling the third major release of its Xfinity TV app for iOS, and while the product team says it’s added streaming content from IFC, Adult Swim, BBC and more the key upgrade is in customizations. It features a new favorites list that is most improved by its ability to sync with the XfinityTV website, a new channel keypad for quick changes when used as a remote and the ability to jump to specific dates in the TV listings. The iPhone version has also gotten a tweak, with the addition of a “flip through previous channels” feature previously restricted to the iPad version. Of course the next question is when we can expect these enhancements to filter over to the recently launched Android version, and also when Comcast is planning to follow Time Warner through the live channel streaming door, despite the loud protests of some of the TV networks against it.

Comcast’s Xfinity TV app for iOS updated with more streaming and customization originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Comcast Voices, iTunes, Comcast Interactive Media  | Email this | Comments

Acer touch pad / Media Center remote surfaces at the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 17:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink CrunchGear  |  FCC, Wireless Goodness  | Email this | Comments

When 21 rogue apps started siphoning off identifying information from Android phones and installing security holes, Google yanked the lot from Android Market, and called the authorities to boot. But what of the 50,000 copies already downloaded by unwitting users? That’s what Google’s dealing with this week, by utilizing Android’s remote kill switch to delete them over the air. But that’s not all, because this time the company isn’t just removing offending packages, but also installing new code. The “Android Market Security Tool March 2011” will be remotely added to affected handsets to undo the exploit and keep it from sending your data out, as well as make you wonder just how much remote control Google has over our phones. Yes, we welcome our new Search Engine overlords and all that, so long as they’ve got our best interests at heart, but there’s a certain irony in Google removing a backdoor exploit by using a backdoor exploit of its own — even one that (in this case) will email you to report what it’s done.

Google flips Android kill switch, destroys a batch of malicious apps originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 Mar 2011 13:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Phone Scoop  |  Google Mobile Blog  | Email this | Comments

iPad remote apps are the new Netflix streaming — any DVR worth its salt has to have one and DirecTV isn’t going to let Comcast, FiOS, Dish and TiVo lord over it anymore. It’s launched a preview page for a new remote app “coming soon” that looks like it could challenge for the title with plenty of customizable options and ability to display information from multiple sources at once. The home screen, pictured above can tell you about what you’re watching, what’s on your favorite channels and keep tabs on current sports scores all at once. All the usual remote control stuff comes natural, as well as local or remote DVR management just like its mobile app. We’ll wait until it comes out to pass judgement but clearly the company has been watching the competition and seeing where it can improve. Now, where’s that DirecTiVo?

DirecTV previews its iPad remote app: no streaming, but very customizable originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 19:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  DirecTV  | Email this | Comments