I don't see a need for it at ALL.
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I don't see a need for it at ALL.
the hub blast out IR signals to any devices you choose within visual range. There is no blackberry out there that has an IR emitter built in, so the possibilty of controlling devices from a blackberry alone is impossible. the blackberry communicates with this box via bluetooth as stated before and the box emits IR codes, just like a standard remote would do. That little glass eye at the end of a remote? IR emmitter.
the purpose of this system is more for YOUR home. there are good applications of it. being able to control stereos or other media from another room per say would be a nice feature (since bluetooth is transmitted by range, not line of sight like IR). you also have the ability to scroll through a TV guide on your phone, and then simply select the show you want to watch, or set a reminder on your phone for when the show airs.
necassary? no of course not. but it is a very cool application and definitely has some benifit for some people.
I also had this on my PDA when I was in college I definetely screwed with the professors with it. My Pda was a windows mobile version.
nice I would love to have one, I love causing trouble!
Yes. The hub is necessary to translate the Bluetooth Blackberry signal to the IR signal that AV remotes use. Without the hub, no connection at all.
However, the garage door opener is a different story. They operate on radio signals, like any cell phone. I'd be surprised if garage door openers and cell phones worked on the same frequency. But, Unify4Life says a piece of software will allow your blackberry to control your garage door. If it works, I'd be interested.
I'm definitely interested in the Blackberry-as-universal-remote idea. Hate having 5 different remotes.
EDIT--Just saw the Crackberry Unify4Life review. Apparently, the garage door opener also requires a hub, no doubt because of incompatible radio frequencies.
That is my conclusion as well.
I'm just laughing at the belief this could be an easily protable device.
I would not us it, having been using a Logitech Harmony remote for a year now...
I can't see how I could possibly need this?
I'd love a product that can turn my BB into a universal remote (have you seen the prices Logitech charges for their touchscreen Harmony devices???) but I am not interested in having to wire up an IR repeater somewhere in front of my A/V set up. What has me much more interested is a product like this one mentioned on Engadget (UiRemote is like a remote... in your iPhone - Engadget). Of course, like all consumer products, it is going to be for the jesus phone and I strongly doubt there will ever be enough presumed interest to get a BB version going. But even given the slim chance a similar product would ever be produced for my beloved Storm, and the mild annoyance of having to attach an IR dongle of some kind to my phone, I'll still hold out hope for something along these lines before plunking down the cash for Unify4Life.
He11, plug that little thing in the Storm's headphone jack. im sure it's compatible..
I ordered this.. sad to say they advertise that it works on the Storm but you cant download the device software