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Comcast officially launches next-gen X1 DVR platform and iPhone remote app (update: video)
As expected, Comcast is kicking off the rollout of its new X1 (previously beta tested under the name Xcalibur) DVR platform. The announcement was made at the Cable Show in Boston, and that's where it will be available first, some time in "the coming weeks" with a few other major markets following soon after. We've had a few peeks at the new UI over the last year or so but now we have a full gallery of shots of both the DVR software and accompanying X1 remote app that will be available first on the iPhone. The new guide looks very similar to the existing Xfinity TV remote apps for phones and tablets, formatted for HD screens and with support for recommendations from your social network and support for apps like weather, TV, traffic, Facebook and Pandora to start. The new set-top boxes it runs on have built-in tru2way and internet support, as well as RF remotes instead of IR. Meanwhile, the X1 remote control app adds motion and gesture control to the current set of features, as well as more direct interaction with what's on screen, since it can be used to swipe through pages, type into menus and pause currently video with a shake. As far as pricing, Comcast says it will be available to new Triple Play customers with HD/DVR service at no additional cost -- no word yet on what that means for everyone else. Check the gallery below for a look at the new software, and check the press release after the break for more info. Update: Check out a video of CEO Neil Smit demonstrating the new UI on the show floor after the break.%Gallery-155815%
Griffin's Beacon for iOS devices now shipping, post-remote living for just $80
Sure, you could get a Peel Fruit to turn your iPhone into a universal remote, but if you want a totally wire-free solution Griffin's Beacon is finally available as an alternative. If you'll recall, the battery powered base -- controlled by Dijit's remote control app -- takes your iPhone or iPad's Bluetooth signal, converts it to IR, and blasts commands to your A/V gear. We spent some time with the device at CES and found the package to be quite nice thanks to the versatile base and relatively seamless app. If you're feeling the urge to switch up how you've been flipping through channels, $80 will get you one from Griffin's website or an Apple Store starting today.
ThinkFlood's RedEye universal remote control becomes web compatible, leaves past woes in the dust
After going through some rough times with its RedEye mini dongle and doing right by replacing them, ThinkFlood appears to be running full beam ahead once more. Specifically, the company has announced that RedEye owners will soon have the ability to setup and control their remote systems straight from their PC or mobile browser. On the mobile front, apparently the web app will even work on Android and BlackBerry devices, despite being optimized for Safari on iOS -- hinting that non iPhone owners could possibly let their phones control more than their social lives soon. Setup wise, the web version also allows users to automatically align and move multiple buttons at once, plus assign commands to over 70+ keyboard shortcuts. Combined with the ability to make adjustments using a mouse on a computer's larger screen, tweaking custom RedEye remote layouts just got infinitely easier -- you hear that Harmony? The iOS app 2.0 update is also now available as a free 'Plus' download in the iTunes store, and finally supports the iPad's lovely screen in either orientation. In a sense, it's further substantiating the tablet's new career path as a jumbo-buttoned geezer remote of the future, but hey -- no gripes here.
Orb MP-1 music player pulls Sonos-like tricks for way less than a Benjamin
Streaming music from a computer to all manner of home audio devices is an area Sonos, Logitech, and Apple have been competing in for years. The recently-released MP-1 music player from Orb, though, is a surprise contender that can perform a host of streaming duties for less than $70. Like the competition, it works by connecting to a powered audio device via an in-line jack, and can play music stored locally, on a network, or from services like Pandora when streamed over 802.11b/g/n WiFi through its companion Orb Caster media server software. To sweeten the package, the company is also throwing in their Orb Controller app for iOS devices -- which normally costs $10 -- for a low price of free, and apparently has plans to release an Android version of the remote sometime in the near future. Sure, it's a little strange for us to see a company known for their free media streaming software jump in the hardware game so abruptly, but the MP-1's mixture of functionality for the price is a pretty enticing first step. Plus, if the move ignites a price war to the bottom with the aforementioned competition, who are we to complain? [Thanks, Tom]
