Nevo Releasing Wi-Fi-Enabled Pocket PC-Based Remote Solution?

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/entry/379/preview_nevo_sl' target='_blank'>http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/entry/3...preview_nevo_sl</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Home Theater Blog gets the early scoop on the Nevo SL univeral Wi-Fi remote. The Nevo SL features a 3.5-inch LCD display, built-in Wi-Fi, 17 configurable buttons, rechargeable Li-Ion battery, and runs on the Pocket PC platform using its proprietary Nevo universal remote application. Looks like we'll have to wait until CES in January 2005 for complete specs. Until then you can fantasize on how you would use a Wi-Fi remote to control thousand of devices from any location in or outside the house. And if Nevo will be using its Nevo 2.0 application in the Nevo SL then users should have a suite of network features..."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20041202-NevoSL.gif" /><br /><br />Three words: I. Want. One. :drool:

[huangzhinong]

It must be the first remote control which you can throw anywhere as before or allow to be touched by your kids.

[Phillip Dyson]

I think this is one of those "Who didn't see this coming." type of products.
They already had a well known, well repected product. Windows Mobile is small and light. (Maybe not cheap)

Why not wrap their own hardware around it to reach those video-philes (and control freaks) who don't care to own a pocket pc.

[sundown]

As a man and a computer/gadget geek - I must have this remote. SWEET :)

[Chafic]

4 words: I want one too

[Ryan Joseph]

4 words: I want one too

Six words: "Not if I get there first!"

[bkerrins]

I definitely like the look of it. WM would be nice too. Able to lookup TV listings in another room? And then record remotely...very cool. Anyone have a clue as to cost? The Universal remote we have been looking at is in the $200-$250 range.

[gdowsett]

If the Pocket PC version is anything to go by I'd give this a wide berth. Never bothered to update their software, which had a poor interface that wasn't easily customised, like the Pronto.

[surur]

The $250 people must be dreaming. This will be at least $700. I also wonder how much it is customised e.g. will it hard reset if flat? Will you be able to run the normal apps. I kind of doubt it.

Surur

[cualexander81]

Lets see. I paid $318 for my Ipaq rx3115 at Sams club. It runs the same exact nevo software that that remote runs. It has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Runs PocketPC and it has a 3.5" LCD screen. The only difference is that I have 6 physical buttons that I can program, but there are 3 different maps. So basically I have 18 buttons, but I only 6 are active at any one time. This has 17. Oh yeah and I also have the advantage of it being a full fledged pocketpc when I'm not using it as a remote. So the $250 people aren't really dreaming. This product is pretty much a repackaged version of the HP Ipaq rx3115 with different buttons and less functionality for what I guarantee will be a higher price.

Oh yeah, and its the coolest remote control software ever. It lets you program different rooms of your house and you just switch to which room you are in. And the WiFi controlling every device in your house concept is a bit far fetched. WiFi doesn't control anything but your computer. WiFi can't control RF or IR devices unless its passing these commands to your computer, but regardless somewhere along the line with IR you have to have line of sight.

[huangzhinong]

Lets see. I paid $318 for my Ipaq rx3115 at Sams club. It runs the same exact nevo software that that remote runs. It has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Are you sure about the wi-fi and bluetooth stuff?

[rmasinag]

I'll keep my hp2210 remote.....I'm a cheap geek (saving up for hp BT cans after school tuition payment)

[Janak Parekh]

I'm a cheap geek
Did I ever say I want to pay for it? :lol: I just like the look and wouldn't mind it if someone dropped it in my lap...

--janak

[MaximumPDA]

I'm having trouble waiting for CES 2005. 34 more days...I think i'll have to get a new credit card.

[Damion Chaplin]

Is that $250 remote you're referring to the Harmony remote?

If so, stick with the Hamony. It's way more useful than this device would be. Like was said earlier, this will only control things that can be controlled via Wi-Fi. It will have no automatic plugins for your commonly-used programs and it won't control your stereo receiver or even turn on your TV.

The Harmony remote will actually replace all your other remotes as well as controlling your HTPC (which I assume is what they're aiming this device at) (no pun intended). :wink:

And no, I don't work for Logitech, I'm just an HTPC fanatic.

[Steven Cedrone]

Like was said earlier, this will only control things that can be controlled via Wi-Fi. It will have no automatic plugins for your commonly-used programs and it won't control your stereo receiver or even turn on your TV.

Although it does not state it in the blurb, I'm sure this thing will include CIR. It will control any devices including your TV and Stereo. I hope! :wink:

Steve

[CME2C]

I have both a Pronto Pro(TSU-6000) and an Ipaq 2215 with the NEVO software. The Nevo software definitely needs an update. I found the Pronto much easier to customize and gave up on the Ipaq

The assumption that this will only control WiFi devices is incorrect. It will have Commercial IR to control devices in the room you are in. I would imagine that the Nevo folks would come up with a "Wifi extender" too. I have a "RF extender" for my pronto. It sends out Rf signals that pass through walls that get converted into IR signals in the room with the device. This is very useful for keeping your equipment behind closed doors, especially if you have a wife like mine who doesn't like all the "gadgets" I have.

If this device has the ability to browse the internet and get TV listings it could be very useful, although for the most part the people who are going to use this device already will have a cable box, tivo or other device that will have guide listings on it anyway.

The best thing about the Pronto for me was the many online communities which helped me customize my Pronto. http://www.remotecentral.com was excellent and has helped me tremendously. It will take a while for the Nevo to become popular enough and will never reach that of the Pronto in my opinion.

[badbob001]

Remote control with Microsoft behind it? Reminds me of the $350 Take Control 1000 from 1998... codeveloped with Microsoft.

http://www.remotecentral.com/take/index.html

http://www.remotecentral.com/take/tc1.gif

[Darius Wey]

Yeah. I'd definitely love to have this Nevo remote too. It all has to do with that W?BIC! factor. Ultimately, this Nevo remote just shows the increasing application of e-home technology in our common day-to-day products.

[cualexander81]

Ok let me clear things up here. First, anyone who has Nevo who doesn't have the HP rx3115, rx4314 or the rx3715 doesn't have the latest version. Nevo and HP have a deal where you can only get the latest nevo software with those three models of the HP because these models of the HP IPAQ have Consumer IR which is different from IRDA. I have the rx3115 and it has IRDA, CIR, Bluetooth, and 802.11B. I currently control my infocus projector, my sony av receiver, my computer (via codes learned from my keyspan digital remote, yes nevo will learn any ir code so there is no ir device it can't control if you have the original remote), my aiwa stereo, my sharp tv, my sony tv, and my VCR. As well as any program that will run on pocketpc, so I also have my finances, games, DVDs(1 DVD takes around 200megs and I have a 1GIG SD card), ebooks, wireless internet, etc etc. With bluetooth I can even have bluetooth headphones and listen to my mp3s while my ipaq is in my briefcase. The list goes on an on. Name another remote for $318 that can do all those things. I bet you $1000 you can't find one.

Just goto www.samsclub.com and and type 3115 in the search box and tell me its not the most awesome remote control ever for the price.

The new version of nevo is awesome. If I have my pocketpc on me, I can just add a new device, select the brand, and 30 secs later I'm controlling the device, which is funny because no one suspects that I can control their TV with my pocketpc and they don't know whats going on when the channels start changing. The only thing I don't like about Nevo is the wireless music and video streaming software only streams WMV and WMA, but like 99% of my collection is in MPG and MP3. I can copy the MP3s wirelessly to the device then play them, but its not quite the same as the ability to stream them. There are other pocketpc solutions that work much better for controling the computer via wi-fi. I mean meedio even has a pocketpc solution that if you have the right hardware installed, you can control your whole house via Wi-Fi(x-10 devices, IR blasters, etc, etc).

I just couldn't see buying the Nevo remote which will run the same exact Nevo Software I'm running right now, but will be locked down to just the nevo software. I can almost guarantee that it won't have all the features of the HP Ipaq and it will be loads more expensive. The only thing the Nevo Remote has on my HP Ipaq, is that it has more physical buttons, but I don't care. I can design my own LCD remote on screen, custom graphics for the buttons, and it will learn any button from the existing remotes. Oh yeah, and I didn't even mention that it does Activities, so I can setup an activity to turn on my Sony AV receiver, turn on my projector, and load up my DVD software all with one button, or unlimited other possibilites. It puts every other remote control in the price range, including Harmony to shame!