LocaModa Street Surfer turns cellphones into remotes ... sort of

A company called LocaModa is showing off an application at the Demo conference in Phoenix that they describe as allowing cellphones to act as remote controls for video displays in store windows. We were hoping this meant some kind of Bluetooth interaction between phone and display, but it turns out that the company's Street Surfer application controls the displays over the internet; dial a number via the cellphone, and then respond to voice prompts by punching numbers, and the screen will display different images. The company is pitching the application to real estate agents, with the idea that it could bring Realtor.com-style interactivity to storefront windows. And maybe it will. But we really want to control those screens via Bluetooth.

[Via News.com]

[Ed @ Feb 8th 2006 7:45PM]

Check out www.salling.com. Salling Clicker is what you're looking for -- Bluetooth control of a computer from your phone...

[Dan @ Feb 8th 2006 9:35PM]

I love salling clicker - but what might be more functional while out and about would be a simple j2me app that takes over a phone's infrared port to control TV sets and cable boxes (on/off, channel up/down, volume). Think off all the havoc you could wreak with that. I guess it would sort of be like that TV zapper that was mentioned here awhile ago, but with more control.

[BILLYBADASS @ Feb 8th 2006 9:43PM]

Uh...if you have a phone with IR you can use it as a remote too

[Simon @ Feb 9th 2006 7:42AM]

What do you use for this, Billybadass?

[Friends @ Feb 9th 2006 8:07PM]

I would prefer using my remote control.

[Stephen Randall @ Feb 18th 2006 12:16PM]

Thanks for posting about StreetSurfer. To answer some questions posted here.... We could of course use BT and/or IR, but sadly most people don't know how to use those features. Using the cellular interface also enables us to treat the phone as a cookie - so if/when a user returns to the web, they can type in their phone number and continue their journey on-line. So for example, imagine a screen in a bar showing a playlist of the music playing. Call the number on the screen and select a new song by pressing your phone keypad. Go to the web, type in your phone number, and see the playlist, download songs etc. Same application can also be used as a "Digital Mannequin". Using an conventional remote would not work as it it not independently addressable, would not be understood by an IP narrowcast network and would not achieve the closed loop back to the web that we feel is so important. Of course we can use BT and/or IR, but then only Engadget readers would know how to use it:). Great blog btw.