New Apple Remote?

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Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Well I'm sad to say my cat got to mine and dropped it in the laundry basket (it drops a lot in there) and it went through the wash and no longer works. Is there any chance of a newer version of it coming out soon, or should I just go out and buy a new one now?



On second thought this might be better off in "General Discusion." Oh well...too late so lets also add some speculation...



If Apple were to make a new remote, what new features would you want on it? Personally I would like Bluetooth.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 30
    i think there will be a new one soon coming out with the new iMacs because that mac program( i cant remeber the name) that lets you view pictures, and songs on your mac using your remote is supposed to be expanded in leopard and i believe that there will be a new remote but i would just go and buy the old one
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  • Reply 2 of 30
    alright well I'm not planning on getting leopard for a while so I will go out and buy one now like you suggested. Thanks for your response.
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  • Reply 3 of 30
    mrtotesmrtotes Posts: 760member
    The addition of Bluetooth and a Clickwheel would make it a much neater device...



    Oh and if it could fit in an Express-card/34 slot too...
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  • Reply 4 of 30
    irelandireland Posts: 17,802member
    IMO we wont see any new remotes until Apple brings out their Television. I'm guessing either touchscreen or about 9 buttons. <<, >>, >/||, +, -, MENU, HOME, Rec., ON/OFF. It's hard to know what buttons they'll settle on, but I am most definitely convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt they are wroking on TV's.
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  • Reply 5 of 30
    touchscreen remote? Somehow I doubt that. Not apple-esque enough for a remote if you ask me.
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  • Reply 6 of 30
    rongoldrongold Posts: 302member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    IMO we wont see any new remotes until Apple brings out their Television. I'm guessing either touchscreen or about 9 buttons. <<, >>, >/||, +, -, MENU, HOME, Rec., ON/OFF. It's hard to know what buttons they'll settle on, but I am most definitely convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt they are wroking on TV's.



    I think we've already seen the new remote. It's called the iPhone. Once Leopard is out and the iPhone is released, Apple will enable the capability with the inclusion of a mini interface type app to run on the iPhone. Probably through Apple TV.



    Remember, you DIDN'T hear it here first. You heard it first from a post I made here about 2 years back when I said iPods will eventually be a remote to control your content from a television.
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  • Reply 7 of 30
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Shadow Slayer 26 View Post


    touchscreen remote? Somehow I doubt that. Not apple-esque enough for a remote if you ask me.



    Not just a touchscreen. Nothing but a touchscreen. Which, given the iPhone, would be about as Apple as you could get.
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  • Reply 8 of 30
    irelandireland Posts: 17,802member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rongold View Post


    I think we've already seen the new remote. It's called the iPhone.



    As much as I like the iPhone, I don't play on spending 5 or 600 dollars on a remote.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rongold View Post


    Remember, you DIDN'T hear it here first. You heard it first from a post I made here about 2 years back when I said iPods will eventually be a remote to control your content from a television.



    I'm sure you meant to say "on your television", funny I never used a Mac 2 years ago, never mind AI. Sorry to disappoint you.
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  • Reply 9 of 30
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    There won't be a new remote; any updates will occur in software. The beauty of the Apple remote is that it's so simple, and most functions occur in software (i.e., Frontrow).
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  • Reply 10 of 30
    rongoldrongold Posts: 302member
    Yeh, so simple that it doesn't allow for alphanumeric entries.
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  • Reply 11 of 30
    Yes, use the iPhones new touchscreen technology to make a new remote? That would be pretty sweet. The remote is useless for me unless I'm watching something through iTunes. (well I guess the volume still works). I need to trick out iTunes to be able to play all of my other downloaded movie formats... but that's another story.
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  • Reply 12 of 30
    Yes but isn't one of the biggest complaints about remotes is that you have to look at where each button is? With a touchscreen that would make it even more difficult most of the time. The normal Apple Remote is the only remote I have used that I don't need to look at occasionally.



    Looking at my phone is fine though, so it works well.
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  • Reply 13 of 30
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Shadow Slayer 26 View Post


    Yes but isn't one of the biggest complaints about remotes is that you have to look at where each button is? With a touchscreen that would make it even more difficult most of the time. The normal Apple Remote is the only remote I have used that I don't need to look at occasionally.



    Looking at my phone is fine though, so it works well.



    I don't think the complaint is that you have to look at the buttons. It's that the average multi-device remote has so many buttons it takes a while to even find the one your looking for.



    Really, the only way to solve the hideously complicated remote problem is via contextual control surfaces. Current "smart" remotes go some way towards this, but not far enough.



    I could very easily imagine an iPhone style remote with an "up/down, back/forth, enter" home row of icons for volume, channel changing, track forwarding, etc., depending on the functionality you were using. It wouldn't take long for your thumb to get used to where those were.



    The rest would be icons of various devices, or icons of various processes (watch DVD movie, listen to iTunes, watch cable with surround on, etc.)



    I've gone on about this in another thread, but I really don't think the kind of technically inclined people that post on forums like this understand how most people relate to their pile of remotes. They barely know how to switch between cable and DVD, turn the volume up and down, and change channels. Beyond that, they're afraid to do anything for fear they'll break it.



    There is a massive opportunity for Apple to completely change this market, if they can make something that isn't crazy expensive.
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  • Reply 14 of 30
    Yah ok so the main screen would be simple...but what happens if I push the DVD menu? Then I get a whole new interface to memorize? And then the receiver too, as you implied with the surround sound and cable? The beauty of the Apple Remote is all in it's software...why not keep the remote simple and the software intuitive?
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  • Reply 15 of 30
    robmrobm Posts: 1,068member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by addabox View Post


    I've gone on about this in another thread, but I really don't think the kind of technically inclined people that post on forums like this understand how most people relate to their pile of remotes. They barely know how to switch between cable and DVD, turn the volume up and down, and change channels. Beyond that, they're afraid to do anything for fear they'll break it.



    There is a massive opportunity for Apple to completely change this market, if they can make something that isn't crazy expensive.



    Absolutely - I agree.

    It's total bs - oh wait here comes BR and Hd dvd and ps3 ....

    more remotes.



    I'll likely opt to go for a Mac mini disc based approach IF they ever get a unified player. Store everything on externals. Have to use a Miglia or Elgato for analogue, tho' ... bummer, YAR™ (yet another remote). sheesh.
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  • Reply 16 of 30
    yah for home entertainment, a touchscreen remote would be great, I agree. However we are talking about a remote to control Front Row and a singular computer...I don't think we need a touchscreen for that.
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  • Reply 17 of 30
    robmrobm Posts: 1,068member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Shadow Slayer 26 View Post


    yah for home entertainment, a touchscreen remote would be great, I agree. However we are talking about a remote to control Front Row and a singular computer...I don't think we need a touchscreen for that.



    The simpler the better.

    And a LOCATOR (a beep would do), shit - my kids are always loosing the freak'n things. Or robbing the batteries to go in Roboraptor or some other roaring mobile torture device.

    I could quite happily throttle them sometimes.
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  • Reply 18 of 30
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Shadow Slayer 26 View Post


    yah for home entertainment, a touchscreen remote would be great, I agree. However we are talking about a remote to control Front Row and a singular computer...I don't think we need a touchscreen for that.





    Yeah, I'm drifting a little far afield here, but if Apple TV integrates your Front Row stuff in with the rest of your home entertainment stuff, that means a separate Apple Remote is just one more in the pile. Since Apple wants to be in my living room, I want them to make the whole experience easier, not just their slice of the pie.
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  • Reply 19 of 30
    But then that will mean I will get a super advanced iRemote ( ) for my computer that can do maybe 1/4 of the things the remote controls? I don't like that...seems like a waste of money. And then what if it breaks on you and you need a new one? Will it cost 100? 200? 300? Half a cent? We don't know, but it will probably be quite expensive.
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  • Reply 20 of 30
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Shadow Slayer 26 View Post


    But then that will mean I will get a super advanced iRemote ( ) for my computer that can do maybe 1/4 of the things the remote controls? I don't like that...seems like a waste of money. And then what if it breaks on you and you need a new one? Will it cost 100? 200? 300? Half a cent? We don't know, but it will probably be quite expensive.



    No, you get a super advanced iRemote that does everything in software so it is limitlessly extensible. You can control everything, and everything can have its own environment.



    It's the same reasoning as Jobs gave at the keynote: when you have to add buttons to add functionality, pretty soon you have way too many buttons and no way to add things after it ships.



    I agree, price would be critical, although "what if it breaks" isn't much of a objection, since by that logic you should never by anything that costs more than $20.



    If it does a lot and does it well and solves the problem of remote insanity, it would be worth more than a lot of CE toys.
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