Immediately after I finished writing about Verizon’s remote control and DVR Manager apps, Comcast started talking about their Xfinity Remote prototype for the iPad. Good timing.

The app was demoed by CEO Brian Roberts at the Cable Show 2010 (see video below), and honestly, I was pretty impressed with what it had to offer. It looks like the app makes effective use of the iPad’s large user interface, which seems to be fairly uncommon among many iPad apps we’ve seen so far. Although, this is tough to judge until you get your hands on the app yourself.  The remote app also implements some useful features – most notably the attractive, searchable channel guide and the ability to invite a friend to watch a show “with you.”

The Xfinity Remote works by sending a signal via Wi-Fi to a Comcast server that responds by telling your Xfinity box to perform the desired action. It’s a web-based app, so it should work on any device with a compatible browser (iPhone, Android, etc.) Although this seems like a great app, it lacks the ability to control any additional devices you have in your setup.

Both the RedEye and the soon-to-come RedEye Mini control your devices by emitting infrared signals. This gives you a significant advantage over the Xfinity Remote because it allows you to control not only your Xfinity box, but also any additional IR devices you have in your setup. And to make your RedEye experience even more enjoyable, the next software update is going to add a channel guide into the RedEye app (it will be released in roughly two weeks.)

Hello, fellow remote control and home automation enthusiasts.  I’m a new contributor here at MoreControl.com, and a self-confessed home automation and home theater addict.  I’ve spent the last several years automating and tweaking various aspects of my home.  Much of the work has been of a practical nature, introducing user-friendly automation to conserve energy, monitor temperature, avoid water leaks, and simplify tasks for myself and my family.  Though, I’m certainly not averse to implementing something just to see if it can be done.  Lest you think that home automation is just for the über-rich to control their mansions, I thought I’d share a few practical automation features I’ve implemented in my own home. This is part one in a series of posts.

If you spend any time around kids, you’ll likely agree that they seem to not grasp the concept of turning lights off.  My children, for instance, constantly leave the lights on down in the basement when they’re done playing.  Our original solution was to install CFL bulbs to at least conserve some energy while the lights illuminated the empty space.  However, this was more of a band-aid than an actual cure.  We needed an easy way to tell that the lights were on and, subsequently, turn them off.  Ideally, the solution would also provide two more features.  First, we didn’t want to continually go down the basement stairs to turn off the lights.  Worse, we didn’t want to listen to the kids complain when we sent them down. Second, we wanted the lights to turn off automatically if we neglected to do it ourselves.

My current automation system is built primarily with Insteon devices from SmartHome.com all managed by an ISY 99i controller from Universal Devices.  The photo at the top of this post shows a KeypadLinc I installed in my family room (near the stairs to the basement).  You can see that a key is lit on the bottom-left that says “Basemnt Overhd”.  (Note that there’s an unfortunate limitation of 2 lines of text with 7 characters per line on the custom-etched keys, so abbreviate as best you can.)  With a little programming, I set up this key to perform several tasks.

• If either of the basement light switches is turned on, the key lights to let us know.  Likewise, the key goes out if both of the switches in the basement are off.
• Pressing the key will toggle the basement lights on and off with the key always illuminating in sync with the lights.
• A daily reset program runs early each morning to set various facets of the house into a desired state.  Part of this program ensures that the basement lights are off.

It’s a pretty simple bit of automation, but it has been extremely useful.  Not only are we able to save energy because we always know when the basement lights are on, it’s actually had two unexpected side-effects.  First, my kids find the automation so interesting that they frequently actually remember to turn the lights off (preferring to use the keypad vs. the light switches).  Second, my 4-year-old son doesn’t like to go down in the basement when it’s dark down there.  I showed him how he can now turn on the basement lights before even opening the door, and he loves it because he doesn’t need to find mom or dad to ask for help going downstairs any more.

Equipment list:

• Insteon KeypadLinc
• Custom-etched buttons for KeypadLinc
• (2) Insteon ToggleLinc Dimmer switches
• Universal Devices ISY 99i/IR Pro

(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Supposedly an acoustic trigger could have remotely sealed the under sea oil well that is currently spilling 210,000 gallons of oil per day into the Gulf of Mexico.

Many news outlets are reporting that if British Petroleum had invested in this particular remote control technology, workers escaping from the burning BP rig on April 20 would have been able to send a signal more than a mile under water, causing 450-ton hydraulic rams to close off the well, almost immediately stopping the flow of oil.

Since they didn’t install an acoustic trigger, the people at BP are now shamefully watching their precious oil contaminate the once-beautiful Gulf, killing thousands of innocent sea creatures (as well as the price of  their stock).

So why didn’t BP have a remote valve shut-off system in place? Most of the reports I’ve seen and heard blame it on the $500,000 price tag for an acoustic trigger . I know what you’re thinking: “That’s one expensive remote!”

Do I hear crickets chirping?

Okay, so maybe you’re actually thinking about the environmental and economic devastation starting to take hold in the Gulf; but please take one more moment to further consider the remote control technology that “could have” saved the day.

Was  BP just trying to save a buck (er… 500,000 bucks) when they opted not to  install an acoustic trigger in their undersea drilling operation that’s now hemorrhaging oil into the Gulf? Maybe. But we should also consider the possibility that acoustic switches aren’t quite as foolproof as certain outraged lawmakers and media outlets would like us to believe.

These pricey switches are used voluntarily in many offshore drilling operations, and are required by law for drilling off the coast of Brazil and Norway. So why isn’t this technology required for offshore drilling in the US?

Consider one of the earliest everyday remote controls, Zenith’s Space Command, which first appeared in 1956. This remote used sound waves to control the television it was paired with. History tells us that sound control didn’t last long on land; but why?

Zenith’s Space Command fell out of favor because noise in the home environment—say the plunk of a child’s xylophone or a squealing little brother—often matched the frequencies for controlling the TV. Accidentally changing the channel or powering off was all too common.

Could competing sounds be the same reason acoustic triggers aren’t the most popular item in the offshore drilling safety toolbox?

In 2003, the U.S. Minerals Management Service commissioned a report on whether oil companies drilling offshore should be required to install an acoustic trigger for remote valve shut off.

The report concluded that,  “Acoustic systems are not recommended because they tend to be very costly, and there is insufficient data available on system reliability in the presence of a mud or gas plume.”

Hmmm… so it doesn’t really work?

I checked out the MMS report, and here’s what I discovered: the reason sound waves are not the preferred way to achieve remote control under water is same reason sound waves are not the preferred way to achieve remote control on land—acoustic signals leave too much room for error.

Under water, acoustic interference caused by the noise of a flowing oil well or a plume of mud can make the operation of an acoustic trigger unreliable.

It seems both land and sea are just too noisy for acoustic control to be especially effective. Other sounds can get in the way–skewing, blocking or mimicking actual commands.

In living rooms around the world, infrared light has been king of the remote control universe since the 1970s. Unfortunately for the little fishies of the Gulf (and every living thing on Earth),  IR isn’t a viable solution for triggering emergency shut-off valves deep in the ocean.

The Dillinger Escape Plan is giving out 2,000 TV-B-Gone universal remotes with its upcoming album. Watch the anarchy unfold...

Hardcore (-ish) band The Dillinger Escape Plan recently announced that it will include a television quashing universal remote in limited edition box sets of its upcoming album, “Option Paralysis,” on sale March 22.

The band appears to be encouraging its fans to, “Be Here Now,” by arming them with the TV-B-Gone.

The TV-B-Gone is stripped-down universal remote that only controls one function, power. While it can turn almost any television on or off, The Dillinger Escape Plan only appears to encourage using the TV-B-Gone to shut down blaring televisions that are on for no particular reason.

How does it work? When you push the only button on the TV-B-Gone remote, it sends out a sequence of infrared power codes for nearly every television imaginable.

Users will find that 90% of televisions will turn off within 17 seconds of pushing the power button. It takes 69 seconds for the remote to cycle through all of its power codes; fortunately the device emits codes for the most popular televisions first.

Check out TV-B-Gone’s website for a hilarious collection of customer testimonials. Here’s an excerpt from one of my favorites:  “I can’t wait for the next time I go to my doctor’s office so I can turn off the continuous pharmaceutical ad video that runs in his waiting room. “

Dillinger has tour dates scheduled all over the world between now and mid-August; no region is safe. Watch out for unruly, remote-toting fans. I’m picturing Gizmodo’s TV-B-Gone hijinks at CES 2008, but on a much larger scale…

Logitech Touch Mouse app for iPhone and iPod touch (image via Mobiletor.com)

I’m sure you’ve heard about Logitech’s Touch Mouse by now; the internet’s been buzzing with the news since Monday (and the story was floating around in cyberspace for a bit before it took off).

According to Logitech Global Product Marketing Manager Andy Hengel, the Touch Mouse app uses Wi-Fi to turn your iPhone or iPod touch into a wireless trackpad and keyboard for your computer, so you can point, click, scroll and type from afar, in any application, on a Mac or PC.

Yes, “now” you can lie in bed and respond to the IM that’s flashing on your monitor across the room (plus one). However you’ll need to be able to see what you’re responding to, since it won’t appear on your iPhone or iPod touch (minus one).

The above draw aside—it seems like the Touch Mouse would be perfect for controlling video on your computer (or HTPC) from across the room.

Wait a minute; why is everyone so excited? The first wireless trackpad and keyboard app for iPhone and iPod touch, Intelliremote, appeared in 2008. That same year, Logitech debuted a piece of dedicated hardware with similar (yet less robust) functionality, diNovo Mini. Frankly, I’m a little confused about why such a product is still on the market.

Why would anyone buy a cell phone-sized wireless keyboard for $150, when they could buy an iPhone and download a wireless keyboard and track pad app for $99? Please spare me your comments about the price of the wireless plan. Almost everyone has a cell phone. It’s a non-expense.

So now, almost two years later, Logitech has decided that it wants to eat lunch with the cool kids—the developers behind wireless keyboard and track pad apps like Intelliremote, Mobile Air Mouse Pro, Rowmote Pro, TouchPad. Yes Logitech, you can sit down; I hear the app is great. I’m just not sure how long you can stay…

It’s pretty clear that the iPhone and other app-friendly mobile devices are gadget killers. Macworld’s Christopher Breen brought this to our attention last year with his article, “iPhone 3G S and the ‘Uh Oh’ moment.”

I’m feeling a little sad for Logitech at the moment (and all the other companies that manufacture standalone gadgets that will soon be replaced by mobile devices).

Though this isn’t exactly a TV for the mass market, Hannspree certainly made a splash at CES (and on the web) with their newest anti-gadget. Surprisingly it isn’t a gimmick, either, and will be hitting the market in March for those of you who need a new TV … and love polar bears (a large demographic, to be sure). No word on weather of not the TV can catch seals for dinner, but I at least hope it comes with a waterproof remote.

Image via Gizmodo

Slingmedia showed off the beautiful new Sling Touch Control 100 this week at CES. The Touch Control 100 has a 4.3 inch touchscreen and a stunning design which was sleek enough to get it selected as a CES Innovations 2010 Design and Engineering Award honoree.

The Touch Control 100 lets you control SlingGuide enabled DVRs over IP via your home 802.11 wireless network.  Traditional IR devices are supported as well, but no mention of its scope of coverage.  Slingmedia has yet to reveal any information about pricing, but they have said that it will not be sold through traditional retail.  Instead the Sling Touch Control 100 will be offered through various cable and satellite providers as part of a new suite of Sling products.

Certainly the resemblance to another “touch” product — the iPod touch — is unmistakable. Which brings up the question: why spend so much money on developing this kind of hardware, when a solid iPhone app and dock would do just as well?

Call me old fashioned, but I still don’t get this whole gesture control movement that is being adopted for TV’s and other devices.  I get the use of it in video games — it’s more fun playing tennis in a video game when you get to at least swing something instead of just pressing a button.  There is that associated action of swinging your arm and playing tennis.  The problem is, I don’t have any motion or movement that I would like to associate with TV viewing.  Like what’s the thumb’s up gesture associated with? What was the hand wave for page up again?

This doesn’t seem to phase Microsoft and their Project Natal for the X-Box 360.  Yeah, I know Project Natal is originally for playing games but some recent talk from Microsoft shows that they are extremely interested in using Natal as a complete input for your home theater.  Granted they also want you to run that entire theater through an X-Box 360 of course.  With services like SkyTV and Netflix they want to provide all of your media content which you could control via your Natal, or Project Natal, or whatever it will actually be called.

Having your media content centralized in a single place is awesome, I love my XMBC setup but I don’t feel I need any special way to interact with it except for my remote control.  Now to be fair, Microsoft is actually touting the facial recognition and voice recognition as the main way to control your media via Natal, but do I really need a 360 and Natal for that?  The facial recognition is nice since everyone one has different tastes and you can have custom content for each user.  The voice recognition on the other hand, isn’t too special.  My Macbook has been able to recognize voice commands for a few years now, if I wanted to I could easily set all that up myself.  In fact that is a good idea, I think I’ll go do that now.

• iPhone controlled R/C Car
• An actual Oldsmobile
• Dance lights
• A minivan (2007)
• R2D2
• Dog feeders
• Military Drones
• A helicopter

What next? How about a bi-pedal walking robot named Walky.  The robot and controller were developed by a group of grad students from Keio University in Japan. Video after the break.

Walky understands a set of touch gestures that allow him to walk, jump, and kick.  Apparently they had attempted other methods of control like a PS3 Controller unsuccessfully and had settled on the iPhone. The touchscreen is more intuitive than a joystick since you can simulate walking using two fingers — remember the old Yellow Pages ads? Walky is pretty simple, but still seems well made and I like how they have broken the mold here with iPhone gestures.

No offense to Motorola, Verizon, or their Droid commercials, but this doesn’t seem like a very closed development system to me. Yeah, it’s true that the App store requires some approval, but that doesn’t seem to be discouraging too many people. The iPhone SDK is well thought-out and by far the easiest mobile development platform out there. Period. Plenty of people are using it to develop for reasons other then making money in the App store, including academic and scientific pursuits such as this one. I’m not going to be looking for the Walky Robot app on iTunes, but it’s nice to know that I could develop something like this if I wanted to.

I’ve seen a few cars being driven by the iPhone, that’s cool and all, but the guys from Mythbusters have basically been doing that for years.  Starting your car with the iPhone makes sense, but driving hands free?  The people from Engineer Awesome, which is a part of Waterloo Labs at National Instruments, make it clear… why drive inside of a car when the outside looks so much more fun?

Weather it is called Redneck Surfing or Ghost Riding, it’s most certainly dangerous (i.e., don’t do this at home), but for the sake of science and engineering it’s pretty cool.  The system is pretty simple, though they destroyed the in the process (seeing how it’s an Olds ‘88 I doubt anyone will cry over that).  I’d like to see someone try this out on a Ferrari, although they should wear football pads.

People continue to find some pretty random uses for iPhone, not to mention the 100,000 apps that are already out there, but there are still quite a few more things we’d like to see come out for the iPhone.  At least we can cross ghost riding off that list now.