Control Anything With Your Cell Phone

One phone to rule them all. A new product promises to turn your smartphone into a universal remote that controls everything from your computer to your garage door

By Abby Seiff Posted 01.10.2009 at 4:49 pm 5 Comments

A universal remote control is only good if it is really, truly universal: something few companies have managed to do thus far. Unify4Life has. Its AVShadow, which launched today for $100, turns a Blackberry into a remote capable of controlling virtually every component of your home entertainment system. TiVos, Blu-Ray players, iPods and VCRs can be launched with a click. Place the minute, Bluetooth-equipped AVShadow next to your entertainment center, download the app and you're done.

Gain Control: The apps will eventually let you control things as far ranging as intercoms and lighting. It's a sleezy bachelor's dream! Abby Seiff

Two more modules, one to open your garage door and one that controls macs or PCs (think the Apple remote, but more expansive) are set to launch later this year for $40 and $30 respectively. Eventually, the apps will let you control thermostats, baby monitors and more. The interface is clean and intuitive, and there are thoughtful extras like TV listings and music-streaming capabilities. The company is working on a version for iPhones and another for Android, so guys with too much time on their hands might want to start rigging up the mood lighting now.

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5 Comments

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TrevorKuczajda

01/10/09 at 8:23 pm

Hellz yeah! I have been dithering in home automation, but the interface is such a pain that it's almost not worth messing with... hopefully this will allow me to finally finish my automation project. I'll finally be able to mess with my wife's head by randomly flipping lights on and off!

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REALITYCHKPLS

01/11/09 at 12:52 am

i had a sony touchscreen universal remote that i had to hire a scientist to program it. but when i buy new equipment i have to either find him again or hang out by Devry or MIT to find a program analyst.

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ford2go

01/11/09 at 1:44 am

Looks interesting, but can it control multiples of the same device type? I have 3 dvds and 2 vcrs. 7 in 1 repacement remotes want 7 different device types-- they can't handle a 2nd or 3rd device of the same type.

You'd hope that as techy as this gimmick is, it could do the job -- but I found nothing that indicates that it does.

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bird_

01/11/09 at 8:35 am

they want 100 bucks for a glorified remote control? this should be open source

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Gopi

01/16/09 at 12:39 am

I always thought of this, if anyone can invent something like this. Finally its here. But now my mobile has lots of stuff to do, I guess it would suck up all my juice pretty quick. And then I am still stuck with my old remote.