It could use the Apple upcoming "iTunes for mobile phones".
It is supposed to find, through Rendez-Vouz, the iTunes app on a local network, see it it has permissions, and control iTunes playlists and songs.
Just Play, shuffle, Repeat and - or + Volume and song selection.
Exactly, it could have an extreamly "Lite" OS that could send commands to the main computer via AirPort (Wifi) using Apple Events (Java on PC's?) and Macro's could be programed using AppleScript and or Tiger's new "Widgets." It could have a conventional IR remote built in with "Preset's" downloaded from the internet as well as "Learning" from an existing remote. The main challenge would be to keep this as cheap as possible, say no more than $50. It would also be a good transition to a future video archive/library and controll system similar to iTunes. A nice bonus, when you change rooms just tell the remote to take controll of the devices in the new room.
One other "Killer" feature that you could have on it, paging from the main Mac, similar to that on a cordless phone so that you could find the remote when it gets misplaced.
OK, then it ought to have a small, simple, easy to read B&W LCD display, like the iPod has -- not a large, expensive, hard-to-read color display.
PBG4 Dude meant that the things you are controlling are the same things that are controlled by the iPod's controls. So therefore, it makes sense to emulate its user interface, which the user may be familiar with.
Making it look too much like an iPod would likely be a mistake, though. Perhaps it could be longer and flatter, and/or have some extra buttons.
Does it communicate with the Airport Express, or with the computer sending the music? I think the latter, thru the AE, so it has to have Airport Extreme capability (unless it uses some kind of bluetooth bridge).
That said, I wonder if it could be used for other things, such as operating a presentation.
Nice mockup, BTW. "4 day single charge" is very important. You don't want your remote going dead on you.
Making it look too much like an iPod would likely be a mistake, though. Perhaps it could be longer and flatter, and/or have some extra buttons.
Does it communicate with the Airport Express, or with the computer sending the music? I think the latter, thru the AE, so it has to have Airport Extreme capability (unless it uses some kind of bluetooth bridge).
That said, I wonder if it could be used for other things, such as operating a presentation.
Nice mockup, BTW. "4 day single charge" is very important. You don't want your remote going dead on you.
Thanks for the compliment.
I think it would communicate with iTunes and the controller is a running completely in the Mac. It is a controller server like Apple Remote Desktop Server and it sends all the visuals through 802.11g to the Remote. The remote runs a small client that passes only basic controls to iTunes through the server.
The main power requirements to the Remote are the 802.11 g chipset and the OLED. It does NOT need to run any thin OS like the iPod. Me Thinks.
BTW: I wish Steve Jobs a speedy and full recovery.
BTW: I wish Steve Jobs a speedy and full recovery.
Me too. I'm thinking this was the reason behind Apple saying the iMac would be introduced in September.
The hospital where my wife works doesn't even say the word cancer. They just call it CA or the big CA because it's so deadly to so many people.
[on topic]
In my earlier post, I wasn't saying to make an iPod lookalike, I was saying since you are controlling the same functions that are on the iPod why not make the UI the same as the iPod? I'd certainly expect a visual difference from the iPod. It'd suck to grab what you think is your iPod, then get to work and find out all you have is a remote!
[BIn my earlier post, I wasn't saying to make an iPod lookalike, I was saying since you are controlling the same functions that are on the iPod why not make the UI the same as the iPod? I'd certainly expect a visual difference from the iPod. It'd suck to grab what you think is your iPod, then get to work and find out all you have is a remote! [/B]
I see what you mean.
I didn't see it as an iPod UI because the iPod is such a iconic product that Apple wouldn't want to see it reproduced , even just the UI, on anything else.
And a different UI takes it completely away from the iPod concept. Hmmm maybe I should NOT have drawn a scroll wheel on it ...:-)
That's a very cool design but I really would not want to carry that around with me. I sorta like the little iPod controllers that connect betwen your iPod and your earbuds. Put bluetooth and a watch battery in it and it would be a nice little remote that you can put in your pocket or clip to your shirt. I want something small, inexpensive and definitely not fragile.
Comments
Originally posted by PBG4 Dude
Why not an iPod (or smaller) size remote? If all you're doing is emulating iPod functionality, wouldn't you keep the same UI?
This is a iTunes controller. Not an iPod.
It could use the Apple upcoming "iTunes for mobile phones".
It is supposed to find, through Rendez-Vouz, the iTunes app on a local network, see it it has permissions, and control iTunes playlists and songs.
Just Play, shuffle, Repeat and - or + Volume and song selection.
Originally posted by nsousansousa
This is a iTunes controller. Not an iPod.
It could use the Apple upcoming "iTunes for mobile phones".
It is supposed to find, through Rendez-Vouz, the iTunes app on a local network, see it it has permissions, and control iTunes playlists and songs.
Just Play, shuffle, Repeat and - or + Volume and song selection.
Exactly, it could have an extreamly "Lite" OS that could send commands to the main computer via AirPort (Wifi) using Apple Events (Java on PC's?) and Macro's could be programed using AppleScript and or Tiger's new "Widgets." It could have a conventional IR remote built in with "Preset's" downloaded from the internet as well as "Learning" from an existing remote. The main challenge would be to keep this as cheap as possible, say no more than $50. It would also be a good transition to a future video archive/library and controll system similar to iTunes. A nice bonus, when you change rooms just tell the remote to take controll of the devices in the new room.
One other "Killer" feature that you could have on it, paging from the main Mac, similar to that on a cordless phone so that you could find the remote when it gets misplaced.
PBG4 Dude meant that the things you are controlling are the same things that are controlled by the iPod's controls. So therefore, it makes sense to emulate its user interface, which the user may be familiar with.
Making it look too much like an iPod would likely be a mistake, though. Perhaps it could be longer and flatter, and/or have some extra buttons.
Does it communicate with the Airport Express, or with the computer sending the music? I think the latter, thru the AE, so it has to have Airport Extreme capability (unless it uses some kind of bluetooth bridge).
That said, I wonder if it could be used for other things, such as operating a presentation.
Nice mockup, BTW. "4 day single charge" is very important. You don't want your remote going dead on you.
Originally posted by cubist
Making it look too much like an iPod would likely be a mistake, though. Perhaps it could be longer and flatter, and/or have some extra buttons.
Does it communicate with the Airport Express, or with the computer sending the music? I think the latter, thru the AE, so it has to have Airport Extreme capability (unless it uses some kind of bluetooth bridge).
That said, I wonder if it could be used for other things, such as operating a presentation.
Nice mockup, BTW. "4 day single charge" is very important. You don't want your remote going dead on you.
Thanks for the compliment.
I think it would communicate with iTunes and the controller is a running completely in the Mac. It is a controller server like Apple Remote Desktop Server and it sends all the visuals through 802.11g to the Remote. The remote runs a small client that passes only basic controls to iTunes through the server.
The main power requirements to the Remote are the 802.11 g chipset and the OLED. It does NOT need to run any thin OS like the iPod. Me Thinks.
BTW: I wish Steve Jobs a speedy and full recovery.
Originally posted by nsousansousa
BTW: I wish Steve Jobs a speedy and full recovery.
Me too. I'm thinking this was the reason behind Apple saying the iMac would be introduced in September.
The hospital where my wife works doesn't even say the word cancer. They just call it CA or the big CA because it's so deadly to so many people.
[on topic]
In my earlier post, I wasn't saying to make an iPod lookalike, I was saying since you are controlling the same functions that are on the iPod why not make the UI the same as the iPod? I'd certainly expect a visual difference from the iPod. It'd suck to grab what you think is your iPod, then get to work and find out all you have is a remote!
Originally posted by PBG4 Dude
[BIn my earlier post, I wasn't saying to make an iPod lookalike, I was saying since you are controlling the same functions that are on the iPod why not make the UI the same as the iPod? I'd certainly expect a visual difference from the iPod. It'd suck to grab what you think is your iPod, then get to work and find out all you have is a remote!
I see what you mean.
I didn't see it as an iPod UI because the iPod is such a iconic product that Apple wouldn't want to see it reproduced , even just the UI, on anything else.
And a different UI takes it completely away from the iPod concept. Hmmm maybe I should NOT have drawn a scroll wheel on it ...:-)