Re universal remote dongle for iPhone now available
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted March 24th 2010 6:06PM
posted March 24th 2010 6:06PM
Most of prefer to keep our eyes on the TV when in couch potato mode -- which kind of makes the smooth glass interface of a touchscreen remote out of the question. But who knows? Maybe you're some sort of Alpha control freak who needs to be able control damn near every A/V and/or home automation devices in your stifling McMansion. In that case, you're in luck -- the Re IR dongle for iPhone / iPod touch is now available -- officially and internationally. The App is free but the hardware will cost you a cool $70 -- hit the source link to get started. PR after the break.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Official World-Wide Release Of Rē™ Universal Remote Control For iPhone Or iPod touch
The Rē is a full-featured, activity based IR remote for the iPhone with built-in upgradable IR database support for nearly all AV devices designed to meet and exceed the performance of high-end traditional remotes.
Portland, OR, (March 21, 2010)- iPhone users can check one more item off the wish list. NewKinetix LLC, of Portland, Oregon, today officially announced the release of their Rē plug-in accessory and Rē Universal Remote Control App, previously demonstrated at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The Rē accessory is now available for purchase at www.newkinetix.com and www.amazon.com for an MSRP of $69.95; and the required Re Universal Remote Control App is available as a free download on the App Store.
A full-featured iPhone and iPod touch universal remote, the Rē can create remotes for your entertainment devices in any number of rooms or locations. NewKinetix head of engineering and operations, John Miller, highlights the Rē's unique IR database as one of the main features that sets the Rē apart from other iPhone universal remotes, "The Rē has a fully populated IR code database chip for instant support of nearly all AV entertainment and home automation devices."
Specifically, the Rē comes with 415 brand codes that support thousands of TV model numbers and hundreds more brand codes for dozens of other device types including Cable and Satellite boxes, DVD, Blu-ray, and HD Radio. For the user, this database means you rarely need to learn a device remote into the Rē. This also assures 100% portability since you don't need WiFi to download codes or the old remote to copy, continues Miller, "While others are catching up, NewKinetix will continue to expand its feature lead with regular updates of the Rē App."
The Rē pairs with a free iPhone App to personalize and organize all your devices by room, activities, and favorites. Users can create activities and one touch sequences to "Watch TV" or "Listen to HD Radio." All remotes can be designed and edited to your preferences along with favorites lists to simplify and enhance your entertainment experience.
With high demand for an iPhone based IR universal remote, competition has been heating up. When asked about recent announcements of competitive products, Barry Baril, marketing spokesman for NewKinetix, was confident in his product, which is one of the first to the contested market, "Competition legitimizes the market. I'm confident that consumers and analysts will recognize the superior value of the Rē. Every other iPhone remote available lacks at least one critical universal remote feature available in the Rē today."
The Rē sets the performance bar by providing complete portability, an integrated IR database, Device Remotes, Activity Remotes, unlimited Rooms, unlimited Macros, learning, unlimited Favorites Lists for each Activity, and fully customizable remote screen layout.
In addition to the database chip and control processor, Rē Accessory houses a full-power, wide beam, high-quality IR transmitter so that your A/V equipment will respond quickly and correctly every time at distances up to 40 feet. The accessory positions the IR transmitter at the optimum angle for holding and viewing your iPhone and can be used with most accessory cases.
The Rē is completely manufactured in the USA and is now available for sale and shipment world-wide. For availability in your country and more information on the Rē, you can check out the Rē web site, or download and see the features of the Rē Universal Remote Control App free from the App Store.
Official World-Wide Release Of Rē™ Universal Remote Control For iPhone Or iPod touch
The Rē is a full-featured, activity based IR remote for the iPhone with built-in upgradable IR database support for nearly all AV devices designed to meet and exceed the performance of high-end traditional remotes.
Portland, OR, (March 21, 2010)- iPhone users can check one more item off the wish list. NewKinetix LLC, of Portland, Oregon, today officially announced the release of their Rē plug-in accessory and Rē Universal Remote Control App, previously demonstrated at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The Rē accessory is now available for purchase at www.newkinetix.com and www.amazon.com for an MSRP of $69.95; and the required Re Universal Remote Control App is available as a free download on the App Store.
A full-featured iPhone and iPod touch universal remote, the Rē can create remotes for your entertainment devices in any number of rooms or locations. NewKinetix head of engineering and operations, John Miller, highlights the Rē's unique IR database as one of the main features that sets the Rē apart from other iPhone universal remotes, "The Rē has a fully populated IR code database chip for instant support of nearly all AV entertainment and home automation devices."
Specifically, the Rē comes with 415 brand codes that support thousands of TV model numbers and hundreds more brand codes for dozens of other device types including Cable and Satellite boxes, DVD, Blu-ray, and HD Radio. For the user, this database means you rarely need to learn a device remote into the Rē. This also assures 100% portability since you don't need WiFi to download codes or the old remote to copy, continues Miller, "While others are catching up, NewKinetix will continue to expand its feature lead with regular updates of the Rē App."
The Rē pairs with a free iPhone App to personalize and organize all your devices by room, activities, and favorites. Users can create activities and one touch sequences to "Watch TV" or "Listen to HD Radio." All remotes can be designed and edited to your preferences along with favorites lists to simplify and enhance your entertainment experience.
With high demand for an iPhone based IR universal remote, competition has been heating up. When asked about recent announcements of competitive products, Barry Baril, marketing spokesman for NewKinetix, was confident in his product, which is one of the first to the contested market, "Competition legitimizes the market. I'm confident that consumers and analysts will recognize the superior value of the Rē. Every other iPhone remote available lacks at least one critical universal remote feature available in the Rē today."
The Rē sets the performance bar by providing complete portability, an integrated IR database, Device Remotes, Activity Remotes, unlimited Rooms, unlimited Macros, learning, unlimited Favorites Lists for each Activity, and fully customizable remote screen layout.
In addition to the database chip and control processor, Rē Accessory houses a full-power, wide beam, high-quality IR transmitter so that your A/V equipment will respond quickly and correctly every time at distances up to 40 feet. The accessory positions the IR transmitter at the optimum angle for holding and viewing your iPhone and can be used with most accessory cases.
The Rē is completely manufactured in the USA and is now available for sale and shipment world-wide. For availability in your country and more information on the Rē, you can check out the Rē web site, or download and see the features of the Rē Universal Remote Control App free from the App Store.
@DOGBREATH It's not good if you use the traditional channel up and down/ volume and number keys like a regular remote... what if you actually used what a large touch screen is good at, though? You could just display a large TV Guide where you just touch the show you want to watch. You could touch a later show to set a reminder.
I love my Logitech Harmony One, but I'd trade it fast for an iPad with a TV Guide that could change my cable box.
That's just waiting to get broken off.
I can do that for free with my Droid on my FiOS box.
How about a dongle that can plug into any ordinary remote to let you make calls? Now, that would be special.
This thing is ugly and UI is plain piece of poop. Fastmac/UMEE product looks more promising: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk4t6SZUlLw
Sweet.
I'll start sewing a new pocket for my i-dongle belt.
sigh. Most depressing use of the iPhone ever
Wasn't there an app that used a headphone jack to IR adapter?
I want to see one of these for the iPad, and then have the iPad display a nice large TV guide, getting the channel information through WiFi. It would be nice and big and you just tap the show to watch it (or set a reminder by tapping later shows). It's most likely going to be in my living room, most of the time I think.
It would be great to be able to channel surf without disrupting the TV viewing of people around me.
It would be even nicer if my Scientific Atlanta cable box worked on Bluetooth or WiFi, but an IR blaster attachment at the end of my iPad is alright.
I did this on my Handspring Pro without needing a dongle. That was over a decade ago.
I was watching Minute to Win it on NBC this past Sunday and my little nephew grabbed the remote from my hand and started messing with the buttons until the TV froze. I'm thinking if I got a remote like this that I could lock, it might not be such a bad investment....
$70 is a bit too much, $20-30 is about my range.....though I'd spring for $40
.....and that is why I got my N900!.....I can do this with the Qtirreco software on my N900 FOR FREE!
what happens when you leave the house? Great, my wife just took the remote with her...dumb biatcch......
http://www.udtek.com/dell-latitude-d830-ac-adapter-90w-195v-462a-p-3165.html
@udtekbattery Yes, because that has a lot to do with this whole conversation.
This is really useful. As long as the person with the iPhone is home.....and in the room.
So you can get a map of the world and navigation to go with it for less than a piece of plastic to control your TV. I don't know if this is stupid or pointless or both.
Yeah I must agree that I like your name
OH AWESOME A UNIVERSAL REMOTE DONGLE FOR IPHONE!
oh wait... there's already a dozen decent ones out. all of which engadget has blogged on.
We get it Engadget - you can use it as a universal remote... we get it.
Price is gay... Idea is cool.. I just might waste 70 smackeroos on this just for the heck of it!
product fail.
You'd be lucky if only the dongle snapped off and didn't crack your phone in the process.. and even if your name is Ginger, isn't it more work to pull this wart out of the drawer and snap it on then to just grab the remote in the first place?
The only proper iPhone solution currently is IP, but unless you're set up for that, you'll spend more for a translation device like the Global Cache then you would just getting a good remote that everyone can use.
I love my iPhone but i feel it maybe becoming a shallow App hore... :(
Oh!!... How things have changed!
Ugly
The "L5" for Iphone and Ipod touch should be released soon.Much better UI and very customizable ie: move,resize buttons,macros,activities etc..
All for $50.00 US
Also there is the "RedEye Mini" that will be released soon for $50.00 US. Also has a better UI
Does anybody really want to use this? Personally I use the tactile feel of buttons on my remotes so I can actually use them without looking down. To me this would be like getting a touchscreen keyboard for my PC. Yeah, no.
I have actually have this remote, and it is more capable than a harmony and a couple of other universal remotes I have. The problem I have with hard button universal remotes is that they are limited to one room and a few devices. Also I have one at my vacation home that I don't use often, and it takes me a while to remember which button does what. The Re allows me to customize the buttons and layout so it's easy to use and remember. No limit to how many macros or what they control either. I agree that on an iPhone its more of a personal remote than one you throw around the room..if you would do that with a $200 Harmony. I have a 1st gen touch that I bought for $90 add a $70 for a Re, and for less that a harmony one I have a remote that works anywhere that does much more that a harmony. Its a better universal remote, and I have all of the other functions on the touch. There are several of these out there, but most are just novelties. The Re is the real thing.