remote control

Fort Lauderdale-based L5 Technology on Monday launched a solution--comprised of a hardware accessory and a free software application--that it bills as transforming any iPhone/iPod touch into a universal remote, capable of controlling TV sets, DVD players, DVR's, cable set-top boxes, audio equipment, and most other products that come with an infrared remote (including, the company points out, ceiling fans and air conditioners).

ThinkFlood--a Waltham, Massachusetts-based start-up that describes itself as designing and developing "hardware and software with a focus on making everyday tasks easier"--on Wednesday unveiled its first commercial product, the RedEye personal remote control for the iPhone and iPod touch. According to the company, RedEye, which has an MSRP of $188 and which uses WiFi to replace infrared-based remote control systems, is the only remote control system for the iPhone/iPod touch that allows users to control "virtually any" home entertainment device from any room in the home.

Here is a round-up of some other interactive TV-related stories we didn't have room for in this issue:

Rockville, Maryland-based Hillcrest Labs contacted [itvt] Tuesday to let us know that it has been named an International CES Innovations 2010 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree for its flagship product, the Loop pointer.

The Baltimore Sun newspaper reported last week that IBM has filed a patent for a TV remote control that can be programmed to auto-blog or auto-tweet while the user watches programming (i.e. to automatically provide information about what the user is watching) and that also allows the user to post his or her own custom comments, as well as a screenshot of the program he or she is watching. "A viewer selects a media program to view by use of a remote controller with networking capability," the patent filing reads.

In a posting on a company blog, Friday, Verizon's SVP of media relations, Eric Rabe, announced various new features that the company plans to roll out shortly for its FiOS TV service. The features are enabled by FiOS TV 1.7 which is scheduled to be released next month.

i.TV (pronounced "eye-dot-TV"), a Palo Alto, Calif.-based start-up that offers a popular free iPhone/iPod application of the same name (note: the app is billed as allowing users to browse constantly updated, localized TV and movie listings, as well as a catalog of hundreds of thousands of TV and movie titles available for download; it also includes 1) various social features, allowing users to write reviews, rate shows, and recommend shows to their friends via email alerts; 2) video support, allowing users to watch TV previews and movie trailers; and 3) ecommerce support, allowing users to purchase movie tickets), will today announce the "i.TV Remote Contr

A developer called Albert Lee has built an iPhone/iPod touch application that provides all-in-one remote control, wireless keyboard and mouse/trackpad functionality for users who have hooked their TV up to a computer in order to access over-the-top-TV services such as Boxee. Dubbed the HippoRemote and available through the Apple App Store for $4.99, the device offers customized controls for Boxee, XBMC, Windows Media Center, iTunes "and all your favorite Web browsers, to name [but] a few," Lee writes on the app's dedicated Web site (hipporemote.com).