Jun 25th, 2009
Apple Embraces Mobile
in the Living Room Context
In March this year Boxee announced the Boxee remote app for iPhone. Now TechCrunch is reporting on the new Remote app for iPhone with gestural support. Watch the video, it’s pretty impressive for it’s intuitiveness. Notice how the user is not required to look at the mobile device to use this. The lack of cues on the screen may be a problem for new users, but users are encouraged to keep their eyes on the television, where they should be focused.
Of course this remote doesn’t ship with the set top box. The remote requires a smartphone, something more and more people are carrying — for AppleTV of course, an iPhone or iPod Touch are required. We’re delighted to see a mobile device embraced this way in a living room context, but don’t look to Apple to make an Android/Symbian/Palm/WinMo/etc version any time soon.
Notes:
1) Last year we wrote a perspective on designing for convergence. Check it out: The Mobile Phone As Universal Remote.
2) There are plenty of apps that are designed to control a Mac remotely from your iPhone. Justin swears by Air Mouse Pro ($5.99).
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