The PDA that's also a universal remote? It's here!

[Jason Dunn]

<a href="http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/stories/story/0,10738,2871473,00.html">http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/stories/story/0,10738,2871473,00.html</a><br /><br />David Coursey from ZDNet has some interesting news - it seems that a certain Pocket PC OEM has added a special chip and software to their device to make it work like a powerful universal remote control. Very intriguing! Who is it? We know it's not Toshiba or HP. Nothing about the Loox or Asus devices having this feature - that leaves Compaq or Casio. Casio hasn't made a peep about their next-gen Xscale device...so my money is on Compaq. What do you think?<br /><br />"And now for something that, if not completely different is, well, different enough: Turning your PDA into a remote control for all your home electronics devices. Next week, a major manufacturer will announce that all its newest PDAs will come equipped with a new chip and software that turns a Pocket PC into a universal remote rivaling dedicated models costing $1,000 or more. This doesn't mean you should rush to the living room and throw your old remote controls in the trash. But it does mean that at least one Pocket PC--I can't reveal the name of the vendor until it's announced next week in New York--has gained an interesting new feature. <br /><br />The prototype I've seen demonstrated uses a chip and software created by Universal Electronics, an old hand in the universal remote business. The company provides technology for some of the higher priced remotes, but they also make lower-end, everyday products: The company estimates that 150 million people a day touch a remote control that uses their technology. Key to Universal's offerings: An extensive database of the codes used by tens of thousands of devices that accept infrared remote control commands. These include not just televisions, but also home stereos, VCRs, DVDs, personal video recorders, and even some office video projectors. Microsoft has licensed this technology for use in its e-home project, intended to bring a remote control into multimedia PCs."<br /><br />And of course, it just wouldn't be an online forum if Peter da Silva didn't pop in with his <a href="http://forums.zdnet.com/group/zd.Anchordesk/anchordesk/anchordesktb.tpt/@thread@67537@forward@1@D-,D@ALL/@article@67537?EXP=ALL&VWM=hr&ROS=1&">"Palm can do this better and cheaper"</a> dance.

[Ed Hansberry]

And of course, it just wouldn't be an online forum if Peter da Silva didn't pop in with his "Palm can do this better and cheaper" (http://forums.zdnet.com/group/zd.Anchordesk/anchordesk/anchordesktb.tpt/@thread@67537@forward@1@D-,D@ALL/@article@67537?EXP=ALL&VWM=hr&ROS=1&) dance.

Bwahahahahahaahaha..... :lol: :lol:

He is nothing if not consistant.

[Inaki C]

To my knowledge there is at least one brand that has integrated IR consumer compatible hardware.

Be aware that being IR Consumer compatible it is a matter of generate and possibly read, a consumer IR carrier, that is about 40Khz (it varies slightly across appliance brands).

This can be done by using IR consumer ready made hardware or using high speed IR that is ubiquitous to any pocket pc. Having IR consumer eases the task however.

Another factor is the IR led power and angle. This has been shown to be a major drawback in existing IR remote emulators.

The most interesting piece of software I ever seen in this matter was one that emulated Philips Pronto remote. It seems Phlips did not want that software to be released so it disapeared from the website.

[ironguy]

I guess Coursey didn't know the name of the company! LOL!


http://www.mynevo.com/home.htm

[Mark (NL)]

This is what is in the user manual: "Once you've downloaded the graphics and your Compaq iPAQ Pocket PC has synchronized
up the files, go to your device."

So I think the money you put on the Compaq is quite save &lt;g>

[bitbank]

This info was posted on a sales site. The iPAQ 3900 series includes Consumer IR.

[WialyDiody]

I don't normally read the talkbacks... Holy cow that Peter da Silva guy is obnixous! 8O A little full of himself too, it seems...
...Not in my experience, but what do I know, I've only been using it for a couple of years now... it's not like I actually read it on someone's website or something *reliable* like that.
--Peter de Silva

[bitbank]

Peter does have a valid point. The Handspring and Clie devices can do 25-30 feet with their built-in IRDA compatible ports and they are a lot cheaper than a Pocket PC. I have played with both Palm and Pocket PC remote control software and I find the whole lot to be less than adequate.

Buttons are a whole lot nicer to work with than a touch screen. Having to look down to change the remote control settings is not good. Also using a $$$ device to do what a $20 device can do is bad news as well. I'm sure some people who don't have kids and need to create lots of IR macros will get good use out of these things, but for the majority of people, this is just a cool tech demo and not practical.

L.B.

[Mark (NL)]

I would say fill those empty spaces in those Pocket PC boxes up to the max and give me all the functionality you can give me!!! Being able to control my TV, connect to the Internet with WiFi and dial from my Pocket PC makes perfect sense for me :-) I *ALWAYS* have my Pocket PC with me, and being able to just program all the equipement I own into my PocketPC makes sense for me, if it doesn't for someone else just leave it &lt;lol> Point is that being able to use it is in my eyes cool, and seeing the response on software based versions of this kind of functionality on both Palm and Pocket PC platforms, a lot of people seem to feel the same way.

So I disagree with what bitbank and "Peter"are saying...
I would be more disapointed if a new $600 device can't do what a $20 can do, than the other way around! However if they start charching a lot for this kind of functionality I would say "keep it" after all it's main use is as PDA and the rest are just nice add ons!

[Ed Hansberry]

Peter does have a valid point. The Handspring and Clie devices can do 25-30 feet with their built-in IRDA compatible ports and they are a lot cheaper than a Pocket PC. I have played with both Palm and Pocket PC remote control software and I find the whole lot to be less than adequate.
I think the point is that no one should buy any PDA to control their TV with. What a pain IMHO. I use the remote by tactile feel of the buttons. Hard to do on a screen, no? But if you are in the market for a PCA, and a Pocket PC in particular, and consumer IR is a plus for you, then this new model is something to consider. Peter is only interested in bashing Microsoft in general. He does it to the PPC, Windows, etc. He is a huge Linux nut that uses a Palm. Plain and simple.

[JonnoB]

I think the point is that no one should buy any PDA to control their TV with. What a pain IMHO.

I have used the software from PDAWin http://www.pdawin.com/ and it works great on my HP 568. I can also download Pronto codes and skins to use with it. I am limited to about 15-20ft, but there are add-on IR boosters. I find surfing the web with my PPC and being able to control TV really cool, especially when that remote gets lost or stuck between the couch cushions.

[Pony99CA]

David Coursey from ZDNet has some interesting news - it seems that a certain Pocket PC OEM has added a special chip and software to their device to make it work like a powerful universal remote control. Very intriguing! Who is it? We know it's not Toshiba or HP. Nothing about the Loox or Asus devices having this feature - that leaves Compaq or Casio. Casio hasn't made a peep about their next-gen Xscale device...so my money is on Compaq. What do you think?


How do you know it's not HP? Remember Compaq is HP now. :-)

As we know now from a later item on the main page, this will be in the iPAQ 39xx series, so it is HP (and Compaq).

Steve

[jsteele]

I still have an old HP 100LX (maybe even a 95LX) laying around here somewhere that works great as a universal remote (it even had a decent range). And I got it at least 10 years ago.

Joe 8)

[CoffeeKid]

And of course, it just wouldn't be an online forum if Peter da Silva didn't pop in with his "Palm can do this better and cheaper" (http://forums.zdnet.com/group/zd.Anchordesk/anchordesk/anchordesktb.tpt/@thread@67537@forward@1@D-,D@ALL/@article@67537?EXP=ALL&VWM=hr&ROS=1&) dance.

Bwahahahahahaahaha..... :lol: :lol:

He is nothing if not consistant.

I don't get it. He is stating fact. And Sony's been doing with their T series Palms since the get go with a 15 foot range. The T-615 I have does wonders with this, and I like the fact I can quick-program the scroll button to fly through my digital box's preview listings, then press the scroll to go to that channel.

For someone to trumpet how PPC devices can "be remote controls" *now* because someone finally put a strong IR in a unit and wrote software is kinda like someone trumpeting a Palm device that can play videos and audio... finally.

Get on the guy's case when he's spin-doctoring, but not when he's stating fact and pointing out the obvious :)

Mark

[denivan]

I don't get it.

Most palm people don't (just kidding ;) ). For as far as I know, all PDA's have some freeware or shareware tools that can let you use your PDA as a remote control. Problem is that this tool changes the IRDA signal to consumer infrared. Which gives us a limited range. The article is talking about adding consumer infrared to a PDA.

[denivan]

By the way, as far as I know Sony was the first to market the fact that they include a remote control tool on their pda. When I got my iPAQ, i installed the pdawin remote and it worked great, but now I only use it when I can't find my real remote immediately, real remotes are still much better. But, Sony started to marketeer the fact that it has a remote control tool and for some obscure / weird reason, most reviews saw this as a Pro point and were very happy with this. Obiously lots of Sony buyers also considered this to be a good thing (althoug i really don't quite fully grasp the use of it) , so other pda makers probably spotted this trend and jumped on the bandwagon.

[CoffeeKid]

What I like was Omni Pro's ability to custom build, from scratch, a remote. We have a rather complex remote for our digital box (Shaw digital cable), and it took me all of 15 minutes to design a remote to mirror it. Now I sit there like a true couch geek, scrolling the wheel on the Sony to flip thru channels, then pressing the scroll to view the channels.

The range is awesome, and I use it all the time. It's too bad Omni Pro's interface is so amateur looking (Sony's built in remote interface looks awesome in colour - but you can't customize it like OmniPro), but until now, only the Sonys and some Handsprings had the ability to be, as you say, Consumer IR - the long range needed for true remote status for your electronic toys.

So as I said before, nothing but the facts were stated - I tried a remote software app for my iPaq some time ago, and was very disapointed with the experience. For someone to write an article today about how new gen PPC devices are "magical remotes" is like I said before, someone writing an article today about how Palms might be true multitasking or multimedia soon... If Jason and Ed and co jumped on those Palm articles for promoting future tech that already exists in PPCs, I'd be all for it.

But in this case, the opposite is happening. Someone's writing an article about PPCs getting tech that some Palm OS units have had for up to a year or more, and PPCThoughts is promoting this "gee whiz" technology? I find it a bit, well... I don't want to say the h word.

If PPCThoughts had written instead "well, it's about time..." then lead into the PPC remote article analysis, then I would have been "rock on, guys, it is about time someone put a consumer remote IR range in a PPC device..."

Mark

[Jason Dunn]

But in this case, the opposite is happening. Someone's writing an article about PPCs getting tech that some Palm OS units have had for up to a year or more, and PPCThoughts is promoting this "gee whiz" technology? I find it a bit, well... I don't want to say the h word.

Maybe, just maybe, I've already seen this app in action on a 3970 and I have reason to believe that it's far cooler and more useful than what has already been released? Just maybe? :D

So very critical...having a bad day? :x

[CoffeeKid]

Not at all Jason. I'm just trying to keep you guys honest and on your toes :D

And seriously, there's plenty of things to praise about the PPC... I just didn't get the praise of something already done on various Palm devices for some time.

Mark, who's still waiting for the perfect PDA. Basically a Sony Clie 70V, thinner, running PPC 2K3, xscale that works, GPRS, GSM..... and cf slot :)

[Jason Dunn]

I just didn't get the praise of something already done on various Palm devices for some time.

Well, the Sony PDAs have had the transreflective screens for some time now, and the new iPAQ has one. I, and others, are excited about that. You're saying that we shouldn't be, because someone beat them to it? On the flip side, are you going to go criticize the Palm web sites for getting excited about fast CPUs when the Pocket PC got their first? Or having more RAM? Or real audio playback? When I post next on some software that is being ported to the Pocket PC from the Palm, will you criticize me then for getting excited about it (HanDbase 3.0 for example)?

Do you see how perhaps your logic is a little flawed? :wink:

[Pony99CA]

I just didn't get the praise of something already done on various Palm devices for some time.

Well, the Sony PDAs have had the transreflective screens for some time now, and the new iPAQ has one. I, and others, are excited about that. You're saying that we shouldn't be, because someone beat them to it? On the flip side, are you going to go criticize the Palm web sites for getting excited about fast CPUs when the Pocket PC got their first? Or having more RAM? Or real audio playback? When I post next on some software that is being ported to the Pocket PC from the Palm, will you criticize me then for getting excited about it (HanDbase 3.0 for example)?

Not wanting to put words into CoffeeKid's mouth, but I think he was not originally criticizing the praising of the new features. I think he was upset over his perception that people were making this seem like some big industry first, while in fact the remote control technology had been integrated in Sony Clies for a while.

Any new features in Pocket PCs (or Palms) are worthy of dicussion (and praise, if done well), regardless of whether or not those features have been done elsewhere. But making something sound like the greatest invention since sliced bread should be reserved for truly innovative features. If you have inside information that this remote control is somehow better than what has existed before, that's good, but it wasn't really conveyed in the initial posting.

The thing I like about the remote control feature is that it might get Ctitanic over at PocketNow to shut up about the new iPAQ 39xx series having "nothing new" (his words, not mine). :-)

Steve

[Jason Dunn]

But making something sound like the greatest invention since sliced bread should be reserved for truly innovative features. If you have inside information that this remote control is somehow better than what has existed before, that's good, but it wasn't really conveyed in the initial posting.

One of the constant challenges in running a site like this is dealing with people who mix up what I say with what I'm quoting from an article. What I said was this:

"...it seems that a certain Pocket PC OEM has added a special chip and software to their device to make it work like a powerful universal remote control. Very intriguing!"

Does "very intriguing" sound like a whole-hearted enthusiastic endorsement of monumental proportions? :D Not really.

[Pony99CA]

But making something sound like the greatest invention since sliced bread should be reserved for truly innovative features. If you have inside information that this remote control is somehow better than what has existed before, that's good, but it wasn't really conveyed in the initial posting.

One of the constant challenges in running a site like this is dealing with people who mix up what I say with what I'm quoting from an article. What I said was this:

"...it seems that a certain Pocket PC OEM has added a special chip and software to their device to make it work like a powerful universal remote control. Very intriguing!"

Does "very intriguing" sound like a whole-hearted enthusiastic endorsement of monumental proportions? :D Not really.

Hey, I hadn't complained. Maybe the quotation you used from the ZDNet article was a bit overstated, though:

"And now for something that, if not completely different is, well, different enough: Turning your PDA into a remote control for all your home electronics devices."

However, I have now gone back and read CoffeeKid's original reply. What he was really objecting to was the apparent bashing of Peter da Silva (specifically by Ed Hansberry -- that's the post he quoted). CoffeeKid did veer into mentioning that Palm devices had that capability for a while, so it wasn't a big deal for the Pocket PC to have it, but I think that was just to make his point that the comments about da Silva were uncalled for in this context.

Anyway, I don't really see a problem with the initial article.

Steve