Movea's Gyration Air Music Remote doubles as a wireless mouse

While you may be more familiar with the word Gyration paired with mouse, Movea has decided to combine its excellence in cursor-pointing with its knowledge of remote-making. The HTPC universal remote, christened Gyration Air Music Remote, includes a backlit LCD that can display music choices from WMP / iTunes, a motion sensor for inputting mouse commands from your couch (up to 100-feet away) and RF / IR support. If all that fits your bill, you can grab one now for $179.99 or $229.99 when bundled with a wireless portable keyboard.

[Tony @ Sep 9th 2008 7:17AM]

can't imagine anythign worse that a mouse and remote combined.

if you use it on VMC then you'll have to keep it absolutly steady when using the buttons to navigate or the mouse feature will keep moving the menu all over the place....

[engadget @ Sep 9th 2008 7:22AM]

It has a button to turn the mouse on and off.

[Tony @ Sep 9th 2008 7:31AM]

with a button to turn on and off the mouse i now see the point of it.

but at $180 i'd rather stick with the $40 standard MCE remote from ebay.
after all why do i want an LCD on the remote to tell me what is already on the screen of the HTPC?

[Mike @ Sep 9th 2008 12:05PM]

Because the remote has RF capabilities, you can be quite some distance away from the display. Now lets say your'e done listening to the CD you have on for an hour, from the remote you can navigate your music library, change the playlist or see the title of the song that is playing. All from outside on the patio or in the laundry room or wherever. Convenience of not having to get up to see the display is a big plus.

[Homeboy @ Sep 9th 2008 7:25AM]

Trippels as a weapon.

[Nytrojen @ Sep 9th 2008 7:25AM]

I like. I want. Seems reasonably priced too.

[Nytrojen @ Sep 9th 2008 7:26AM]

Why would anyone with half a brain make that stupid comment??

[deyanimay @ Sep 9th 2008 7:29AM]

You lost me at "iphone."

[nanobis @ Sep 9th 2008 4:11PM]

What i phone comment?

[deyanimay @ Sep 9th 2008 7:30AM]

Wiimote ftw!

[C-Dogg @ Sep 9th 2008 8:23AM]

I have the older version of this, the one without that screen at the top, and I absolutely love it. The mouse works so much better than the bluetooth one it replaced, that piece of crap Logitech would never stay paired.

As for the iPhone remark, perhaps some people are in the market for a decent remote for their Media Center PC as opposed to a fashion statement made by a company that seems to pride itself on having a cult of lemming-esque followers.

[ipubs bastard child @ Sep 9th 2008 9:10AM]

I dont think the iphone comment is entirely out of place, tho probably misguided.. you can already get .net programs for your pda to control the keyboard and mouse over wifi for your phone, which I find more sturdy and reliable than bluetooth, shame that this tends to rape the battery tho.

I've tried a couple and most work very well and im sure it wouldnt be too hard to program MCE specific functions into it. So a pda with a screen the size of the iphone would be a lovely alternative as an all in one device.

My own personal set up combines the media center remote and the keyboard. sadly the IR means you need to have clear line of sight but it was very cheap at less than 35 quid.

[Chris @ Sep 9th 2008 8:55AM]

"fashion statement made by a company that seems to pride itself on having a cult of lemming-esque followers." = iPod / anything iXXXX?

[Michael @ Sep 9th 2008 9:11AM]

or, your just jealous that you dont have one of thos fashion statements!

[majortom1981 @ Sep 9th 2008 8:40AM]

Also if you were to use your iphone as a remote you have to buy one of those expensive iphone apps to do it. Plus this remote also acts as a mouse.

[Roken @ Sep 9th 2008 9:09AM]

One almost identicle came with my Dell M2010 XPS, it really is a fantastic device, perfect for a media centre pc.

Sitting on the couch controlling your compy in style is bliss.

[thePeterN @ Sep 9th 2008 11:20AM]

I have the older version, that has no screen. It works quite well with Windows Media Center Edition. I'd hope this would make it easier to control the playlist when the main screen is out of sight.

[philbury @ Sep 9th 2008 11:26AM]

I'm a 10 foot couch potato with Windows Media Center who also like to surf the web occasionally on my plasma. I'm definitely in the market for a universal remote so I can lose the remotes for the TV and AV receiver. I got excited about the iPhone/iPod touch for use as a media remote but it lack IR. The advantage of the Gyration is that it has both IR and radio control of your various kit - plus it follows the layout of the media centre remote for rapid 'transfer of training' from the standard Microsoft one. What's even better is that it would allow me to control my music without turning on and sitting down in front of the power hungry plasma. It's a cool device.

What I can't figure from a quick look at their website is whether it can learn 'control sequences' like the Logitech Harmony remotes - i.e. one button to switch on all three of my devices and make sure the correct AV channels are selected whether I want to see the computer or alternatively a TV broadcast without using the computer...

[SuperDre @ Sep 9th 2008 1:37PM]

Now if only the RF-part was Bluetooth, and you could send Bluetooth commands with it, I would be very interested, as I'm still looking for a universal remote with bluetooth capablilities so I can use the same remote with the PS3.. The remote itself looks good enough (not too fancy, not too dumb)..

[Brent @ Sep 9th 2008 2:49PM]

I too have the old version. At first I was thinking I only paid $99, and that $80 for a little LCD seemed steep, but thinking about it now I'm pretty sure it was $149, so $30 isn't outrageous. I certainly do love mine. The gyroscopic mouse works perfect. Only problem is that it's limited in terms of a true universal. In terms of functions it can't even begin to hold a candle to higher end Harmonies. No macros, no unified controls and it can only control 4 devices. Computer functions are as expected, works great as a TV remote, seems to have all the buttons I need. For my receiver though it's had problems. Default programming wouldn't adjust volume. The volume buttons are locked to TV or PC. I repurposed some other buttons, but the learning is lost quite quickly. I've finally given up even trying. 4th function is for a Cable/Satellite box, which I don't have because I have an HTPC... I think that may quite frequently be the case with this remote and makes me wish there were something more useful on that 4th button.

[indiecognition @ Sep 9th 2008 3:00PM]

LOVE my ATI Remote Wonder II...and got it for like $40. It has media app controls, a mouse function with click buttons. I have my PC in one room, and hook the S-Video out into a TV in another. The remote works through walls, and is sweet for Netflix instant video, DivX, iTunes, and even some basic web browsing if I want. It's not as slickly designed, but I've been 100% satisfied with it -- for just about 4 years now.

[KC @ Sep 9th 2008 4:23PM]

I have had many of the older version of this remote. They are VERY susceptible to being dropped. Which is why I have had many in the past. I finally got a dinovo mini and I will never buy another one of these again, the dinovo does everything and more.....

[mattkenny @ Sep 9th 2008 11:08PM]

From their site: "... and a range of up to 30 mm."

And is it just me, or if you got 2 of them could you use them as crutches? The things look huge!

[philbury @ Sep 10th 2008 3:17AM]

I've done a bit of research and read the comments here and sadly conclude that the the lackof macros and the substandard learning capabilities and ruggedness make this a no-no. Where are the promised sideview remotes (maybe with touchscreens) at reasonable prices??

[stupidjerk @ Sep 11th 2008 12:39PM]

hey tony, have you ever used a Wii?