Ok, so the Harmony 1100 requires you to buy an RF module. It’s still a pretty cool bit of kit, and will definitely pimp out your pad if you’re looking for a remote with a screen. It’s also relatively easy to set up, and for $300? That’s a screaming deal on a high end, non-candy bar style remote. It’s available on Amazon.com, and shipping in free.

[via dealnews]

There isn’t anything that impresses more than a touchscreen remote. Sure, the form factor is a little awkward at first, but damn are they sexy. When the Harmony 1000 remote debuted a few years ago, it carried an MSRP of $500. Now you can get the newer 1100 model for close to that or this one for only $147. I’d take this one.

You still get the IR and RF capability, along with a clever onscreen GUI. It can be somewhat slow at times compaired to the newer model, and some folks don’t like the form factor, but this is a deal at $147 even if it’s a refurbished model.

eCost via DealCatcher

Sony is on to something here. Users are suppose to dock their iPods into the NAS-Z200iO player and then everything, including playlist and track selection, is controlled via the impressive remote. Not only can the glorified boombox play tracks off an iPod, USB drive and CD, but it can also stream media via a locally-networked DLNA server with, once again, the media list and playback controlled from the remote.

So basically I’m getting excited over a speaker dock with a fancy-pants remote. Well, yeah. The remote is finally becoming more than a playback control device and is turning into an interactive library selection tool. I do know that you can do the same thing with a computer and an iPhone/iPod, but there are probably a good amount of rich folks still out there that will pay the 600 Euro (or $1000 USD) for an out-of-the box solution as this. Too bad it’s shipping exclusively to Europe starting in September.

The CMT-Z1000iR is nearly the same audio system sans the swanky remote. It has the same 20W x 2 speaker setup and the same input capabilities but is shipping this month for a little bit less. How much less? Sony didn’t say.

Missing a payment on your car might get a whole lot dicier in the near future as more and more dealerships are equipping vehicles with devices capable of disabling vehicles remotely. Termed “electronic reposession,” drivers will be reminded to pay the car’s bill thanks to a non-stop series of annoying beeps if payment hasn’t been received within 24 hours of the due date.

Consumers’ rights advocates point out that motorists could be stranded somewhere dangerous or late for work thanks to a remotely disabled car and worry that billing errors have the potential to render some cars undriveable even though the bills have been paid on time, but car dealerships and even some consumers think the tradeoff is worth it.

Apparently installing the device makes it easier for someone with less than stellar credit to make payments on a car when he or she would otherwise be turned down for a loan. And for some people, the device serves as a helpful reminder that the bill is due when it may have been overlooked.

No matter your stance on this issue, guess what? You’ll probably start to see it spread to more and more items that carry monthly payments. Remember the data cards used in AT&T netbooks that can brick the computers remotely? As wireless-enabled chipsets get smaller and cheaper, electronic reposession makes a lot of sense in an economic climate where people want to finance stuff without having the money to pay for it from companies that are more and more apprehensive to extend credit.

[via Consumerist]

These chipsets will be found in netbooks subsidized by AT&T, although the AP seems to think that the wireless giant wouldn’t actually remotely disable anyone’s computer as a result of non-payment.

I, however, wouldn’t put anything past any wireless company. AT&T charges $500 per gigabyte of data used past the 5GB monthly cap, so what’s to say they wouldn’t zap your netbook when you forget (or refuse) to pay?

A more consumer-friendly feature of the technology is the ability to remotely disable your computer if it’s lost or stolen. The Ericcson chipset can also continue working while your computer is shut down, enabling your netbook or notebook to receive important e-mails or incoming VOIP calls without staying on all day.

[via [H]Enthusiast]

The Universal Remote Control Digital R50 universal remote takes the best of today’s remotes and makes the setup even easier without PC setup. The remote can still do all the goodie macro themes but everything is setup on the remote without a PC or an Internet connection required. Still, if you have ever setup a universal remote on a large computer screen and found it painstakingly tedious, imagine setting it up on the R50’s two-inch color screen. 

Everything else standard on today’s high-end remotes are present like LED backlit buttons, color LCD, soft buttons, and optional rechargeable system. Best Buy is pimping the remote and can be yours for a reasonable $149.

The Bryston BR2 Multifunction remote is an audiophiles wet dream-type remote. Those type fantasize of spending 500 bones on a 1980’s Zenith TV look alike remote to control their high-end audio equipment. No word if the remote sports RF type signals or universal brand controls, but it does come with a 20-year warranty; something I wish my $500 Monster Cable AVL300 remote had when it died the other day after 14 months of use.

We’ll have a review unit in soon, so we’ll see if PC Mag is just smoking the rock.

I’m a big fan of my Harmony 520 remote from Logitech, and was pretty impressed with its new Harmony One at CES, but I was only allowed a few moments with it, it was quite popular and Mossburg cut me off.

Robert from About.com’s Home Theater blog has a pretty good and pretty fair review up now. If you’re a home theater nerd like me, this is the remote you’ve been waiting for, but it appears to be less than perfect.

We’re working on getting our own review unit, and we’ll give it the CrunchGear treatment when we do.

Logitech Harmony One Advance Universal Remote [About.com]

Logitech just announced five new products including an impressively updated Harmony remote, the One, and a new Squeezebox. Take, for example, this weird thing. The diNovo Mini is a mini keyboard for gamers. It includes a little touchpad and works with most media center PCs. It uses Bluetooth 2.0 to connect to most desktops.

$149.99 in January

The Harmony One has a touchscreen which allows you to scroll back and forth through devices and activities just by tapping a flat LCD screen. The buttons have been considerably improved as well. It sells in February for $249.99

The Cordless Desktop MX 5500 uses Bluetooth 2.0 and includes a cordless digital Revolution mouse and has a mini dislay that shows time, date, temperature, a calculator, keystroke counter, and even web favorites.

Available in February for $169.99.

Need a better Squeezebox to connect to your media? Well, here you go. The new Squeezebox has an LCD screen for scrolling through songs and a little receiver.

$399.99 in January.

The Logitech Z Cinéma Advanced Surround Sound System — note the accented “e” on Cinema! What class! — has a two SRS speakers and a subwoofer. An included remote lets you tweak audio settings. Available in January for $299.99.

Users wearing the glove will be able to sense the shape, temperature, and stiffness of objects. It’ll eventually be used to shop online and even shake people’s hands remotely.

With conventional systems, we can only perceive the stiffness of an object. But with Haptic Telexistence, we can also perceive the exact shape of an object, and more natural and dexterous object manipulations become possible. This simplifies complex tasks such as telesurgery and 3D modeling.

Because this system can present properties such as texture and temperature, it will support dramatic improvements in human life. For example, not only will we be able to shake hands with people at remote locations but we will also be able to feel the warmth of their hands. While shopping on the web, we will be able to check the texture of an article before purchase.

Finally, one step closer to never leaving the house ever again!

Haptic Telexistence [Siggraph.org] via The Raw Feed

The very unique, detachable faceplate that is also a rechargeable remote control powered by a Lithium-ion battery. The George uses RF (radio frequencies require no line of sight) communication for a distance up to 25 feet. The remote has an LCD screen that shows information from your iPod’s screen. George’s remote has a scrollwheel, essentially a big rubbery knob, and is surrounded by four buttons (menu, play/stop, beginning and end) and eight assignable soft keys. You can scroll though your iPod by artist, title or album, even your playlists. Some, but not all of your iPod’s functions are available. One caveat: you can’t sync your iPod while it’s docked in George.

Wake Up
The alarm clock can be set on the remote allowing you to keep it on the nightstand and function as the alarm clock; this gives you the freedom of having the main unit on the other side of the room. The alarm has five different settings — two repeating alarms and a one-time alarm with sleep and nap. The remote also controls the functions of the AM/FM radio including changing channels.

How’d It Sound?
George seems to be aiming for accuracy with clean music reproduction. The sound was better (or worse) depending on the unit’s location. Up close it lost details but at a distance of 10 feet it was crisp. That’s probably one reason why the remote has its own docking/charging station. The charging dock is optional at $50.00. The George can be placed in the best acoustic spot in the room and the remote can be anywhere else.

The sound doesn’t have a wide, big stage feel. It sounds good, but there is no sound separation. It is as if the sound is coming from one speaker. Not punchy, without energy, but very clean and accurate. George has good high and midrange frequencies, but the bass or lower frequencies are not as robust. But make no mistake, it plays loudly.

You can hook up a CD or other players via the auxiliary input, but unlike the iPod, you can’t control these devices. There is a pre-out if you want to plug the George into your home’s audio system and there is a headphone jack.

George does have a good array of features, but they are not as intuitive as they could be. Much of the functionality of George is software that could conceivably get better over time. There is a USB port for firmware updates and a few have already happened.

Switching songs from the iPod is slow; sometimes it took up to 10 seconds. The placement of the subwoofer control on the rear panel (awkward) and not on the remote is a negative. George is expensive at $550 and $50 for the optional docking station/charger. The price might not sting as much if it had a CD player. The remote is a little too big for even my hand and I wish the George had a video output so I could watch my iPod videos. But George, like all good butlers, costs some money.

The days of losing your cell phone or TV remote are now over. Now you can lose them both at once.

Dave White at Mobile Magazine posts about a soon-to-be-released phone in Korea that supports wireless and SMS — and also doubles as a TV, DVD or PVR remote. No word yet on price or availability.

White laments that it’s kind of pointless, because it only will be available in Korea, and I agree—but it still looks damn cool.

Ann Phone [Mobile Magazine]

Compared to the old Media Center remotes, the new Vista remote has most of the buttons intact: number pad, stop, play, volume and channel keys are all there. The four colored keys at the bottom will most likely correspond to the “Recorded TV, Guide, LiveTV and DVD Menu” options present on the MCE2005 remote. We love the older remote, but having these menu keys on the very bottom of the remote seems unwieldy. It’s good that they placed the volume, navigation, and playback controls near the middle where your thumb sits, but those four important keys need to be moved up higher.

Nevertheless, the remote features square corners which reportedly is as easy to hold as the old remote. We’re looking forward to testing it out ourselves.

Media Center Remote [Neowin via The Green Button via PVRWire]