ESPN unveils The Ultimate Remote, is WiFi worth $300?
By Richard Lawler 
posted May 20th 2008 8:20PM
posted May 20th 2008 8:20PM
ESPN's unleashing The Ultimate Remote, developed by tvCompass, complete with 2.2-inch QVGA LCD screen and 802.11 b/g WiFi stuffed in a 6.5 oz package. It's certainly a serious contender with the Harmony One -- and priced like it, at $300. The marketing info claims no PC is required for setup, recharging via USB, an internet browser with real time access to scores, fantasy info and TV listings for broadcast, cable and satellite from click365's wireless partners. There's even a messaging feature for texting from remote to remote, email, or to a cellphone. We got a glimpse of it at Microsoft's booth during CES, and while it claims "Advanced Microsoft Windows operating software" it's not talking about SideShow. It reminds us a lot of the Ricavision VAVE100 MCE/SideShow remote, but with a slightly different feature set. Father's Day is coming up and suddenly walking over to the computer (or keeping a laptop or PDA/phone on the couch) is sounding like a lot of unnecessary work. Check after the break for a bigger pic with keypad breakdown, or head to Amazon to preorder.[Via Electronista]
no WMC button?
*Is WiFi worth $300?*
Inner Geek: BUTTONS! SCREEN! WIFI! HOLY CRAP! WHERE'S THE WALLET?
Small Percentage of My Brain Devoted to Practicality: But, $300? We could buy a new graphics card for that. Or food, food is good.
IG: BUT THERE ARE BUTTONS!
*Buys Remote*
@Mike
"is WiFi worth $300?'
Sure, on an eee PC or iPod Touch, but on a tacky and cluttered remote from ESPN of all brands, The answer is
Hell No!
Oh......wait. It's from ESPN????????
Never mind. Inner geek shudders at the thought.
But still, the buttons..........
Maybe next time from another brand, my heart still belongs to the Logitec Harmony.
I would say it is worth $300. Check out this video and more info on it!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/blog/post/PLNK2XUA9M3BMWXP4
If it was a slide out phone, hell yes.
New graphics card.. yes!
Food... No, not if your a mage and conjure it...
Omg that was horrible
@aaron
It was looking cool until I watched that video. Now I have lost the will to live.
Looks sexy but I am wondering if it will beat the harmony... oh yea BT would be nice so I can trash my PS3 remote!
with all it's knock out features, it'll beat the hramony dead. It's feature rich for the price.
I have the Harmony 880 and like it a lot, but I like these features more. Sure wish I could see some video of it being used(weather, scores, etc...)
But can it switch channels?
no, but it comes with a finglonger to change them.
Why would anyone who buys an ESPN branded remote ever change channels?
Oh yea, Fox Sports Net.
man, you must really LOVE television to spend $300 on a remote...
Or just be a guy who really doesn't like having to get up.
"man, you must really LOVE television to spend $300 on a remote..."
...says the guy with a picture of not just Homer, but an xray of Homer.
mmm... doughnut.... : )
Skype or voip would be awesome.
Way overpriced, considering that u can get a Eee PC for that price, or a iPod touch....
This thing is just a remote.... i wouldn't buy it if i were a Millionaire, this is just waste of money!!! It doesn't even server beer. (Ultimate Remote from ESPN that doesn't server beer during Baseball? Thats a big nogo!)
with that grammar, its apparent why you arent a millionare.
server beer?
It's ironic because your grammar is not the best either. Maybe it was on purpose.
I would have figured it to be another peanut shaped remote.
With all this red, it looks like a Verizon remote!
If it was a Verizon remote it would be locked to only allow you to change to Verizon tested channels :-)
Less is more. This has too many buttons. I like an intuitive design like the Tivo remote. The Tivo remote is the easiest remote I have ever used. I don't even have to look at it.
But if it's about flash and content, it looks like this has it. It looks sharp as hell.
I hope you were being sarcastic with your praise of the Tivo remote, because it's by far the worst remote I've ever used. I can't even count the number of times I've turned off the TV or switched inputs when I meant to do either a replay or a skip, because of the awful placement of the TV power and input buttons. It's just a piece of crap.
WOW what a waste!!!!! Useless!
Since when was ESPN a tech company? I know they've also had cell phones and a few music players, but they're never successful and are not what ESPN is about - sports news, commentary, and games. At least this one controls the TV.
Steven Spielberg has a video game, and Ferrari has home speakers. ESPN putting their name on a remote isn't too odd.
Where do you think they will put all the shareholder dollars?
Same reason eBay bought Skype I think :)
A 300 bucks remote justifies it nicely. Does it not?
for a moment i thought it was a crazy cell phone
This is a perfect companion to the ESPN website: bloated with things I am not interested in, wrapped in an interface so cluttered I can't find what I want.
"Boring. Call me when she rolls over."
Put that in your front pant's pocket and get the sports-interested ladies excited.
i love PTI!
looks very close to the Harmony 880/890 remotes. i still say to buy a remote from a reputable company, not tvcompass..?
The 4 people who subscribed to ESPN Mobile think this is a fantastic idea.
I had ESPN Mobile. That was the greatest thing ever. However this remote seems like nothing I can't already get on my HTC phone. And there's not even any mentioning of what else it can control besides your set top box.
I would totally buy this, except for the fact that it is ESPN-branded. I don't know why, but that is a huge turn-off.
Hi, I liked your avatar so much, I made you a better version without the pixely-ness. This is the crap I do when bored. It's a curse, I know.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26772607@N05/2510340804/sizes/o/
wow, thanks!
I have a logitech harmony remote... whatever the $90 range model is. Its wonderful and I can't see any benefit a remote could give for $210 more... The only thing I wish my remote did was bluetooth so that it could work with wii/ps3.. even if wii functionality only turned the wii on and off. For some reason I hate hitting the Wii button on the remote and then having to grab a wiimote and turn on the wii.
'Cause when I think remotes, oh yeah, I think ESPN.
Srsly, wtf?
Does it play Doom?
Damn you! I was gonna say that.
Now you must suffer:
YOUR MOM PLAYS DOOM
Is it just me, or does this remote look like a typical Windows Mobile 6.1 powered cellphone? I'll bet this is just as difficult to use.
It sure doesn't look like an iPhone, for once. Well, maybe the side view does.
Hmm, I don't know of any WinMo phone (or any phone for that matter) with this many buttons. This remote is just button-crazy.
And if any current WinMo 6.1 phone did come with this many buttons, I guess you got what you paid for when you experience this "difficulty". I have an HTC Shadow, and there's definitely no difficulty in using it. Even someone with a small brain could figure it out. There's only 6 buttons on the front, with a circular touch wheel, and a slideout-keyboard.
If you can't figure that out, then I guess the iPhone is probably more for your type. :P
Wifi and browser, huh? Yep, with a firmware upgrade, you'll be able to watch TV from the remote next.
"But honey, I need this sub-remote to control my TV remote..."
With the right software my LifeDrive does the EXACT SAME THING... (So could any PDA!)
I love remotes and this looks like something I would buy, but I think I'll wait for a HTC Android phone to come out and run this awesome Android program to use as my remote:
http://www.hometheaternetwork.com/autoHTN.php
You do realize that the majority of phones/PDA's have a very short IR beam don't you?
Watch the video I linked to. The AutoHTN program for Android doesn't use IR.
You can be anywhere in the world and if you have Android AutoHTN program on your phone and connected to your home network, you can control your home theatre, home temperature, lights, power outlets, security cams, blinds, etc.
bloated much?
+1 for The Office reference.
GAH! Oh reply system, why?
I am absolutely adding this to my wishlist: http://www.someonespoilme.com/gifts/fathers-day/gadgets-games-dad/
i thought this was an enormous, bloated cell phone at first
*shudder*
isn't little bit small from my fat fingers!!
i found myself glossing over the details of it's functionality.. is it because I'm not into sports, or is it because this thing overdid it on the whole "bells& whistles" concept?
How can one call itself 'Ultimate remote' if one doesn't have BT support.. pffff.... Looking at the phone.. uh I mean remote.. I can use my Sony k750i just for the same purposes, AND have BT support..
After using the Harmony One, which is a true work of art for under 300$, I am disgusted by this creepy mix of the Motorola ROKR's keypad and side profile (only thing missing is the club lights), and the harmony 550's channel/volume button placement.
Here is the main problem with this. I requires no computer to configure thanks to the 802.11b/g, however recharging the unit requires a USB connection. The Harmony One's cradle design is a MUCH more elegant solution. One would think programming the remote by PC would be a more pleasant experience versus the painful "iTap" method on this device. Just because you can build it into the interface does not mean it's better. I only have to connect the USB cable once to a Harmony, then I cradle it to recharge. There is no independence from PC here.
Come to think of it, the people this is geared towards would probably appreciate the "club lights" feature...
It's cool, but there's pretty much no way I would spend $300 on it. I barely use the TV outside of DVR recordings now.
Can you watch TV on it? :-P
So ESPN's phone flopped like a swordfish with a hook still in it's mouth and yet they think the much larger remote control market will garner success?
*insert Chris Berman strike out skit*
I see fast forward and rewind buttons, but not skip forward and skip backward buttons.
100 Useless.
And no, the directional pad still needs to be able to be used while using either of those, so that can't count. They're short some very important buttons for anyone who needs such an expensive remote.
How did this thing pass Q&A?
my CRT TV isnt even worth $300. come to think of it, i dont even watch TV, what the **** im doing here anyway?