Comments on: Dear Apple: Don’t Use the iPhone As the Remote for Your TV

By: Darren Swanson

Darren Swanson — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 22:05:00 +0000

Ya but they would, though.

By: n

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 17:35:00 +0000

thats not retina

By: Jared Bollman

Jared Bollman — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 16:32:00 +0000

The very same backward thinking arguments were made by me and many others when we saw a smart phone that abandoned the key board. Now you won’t find a high end phone that has one and the aftermarket keyboards are almost non existent. After the initial setup the only thing any one does with a remote is volume up/down channel up/down and input select. Once in a great while we may get into the setup to tweak a color here or there, but this article is absolutely ludicrous. The simple fact is everything is moving to touch screen, buttons have always been the weakest point on a remote. They break, there’s no clear logic flow to them, and the are completely static leaving a lot of dead nearly useless clutter on a bulky hunk of plastic. The issue I have with most touch screen remotes today is they depend too much on user configuration and the logic behind their navigation isn’t always sound. I’m all for a touch screen interface regardless of whether it comes from Apple, Google or Harmony that really functions.

By: dingo

dingo — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 06:27:00 +0000

I guess if there were rumors of an Apple branded car you would assume Apple could ditch the steering wheel in favor of an IOS device …

By: fistbuck

fistbuck — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 05:18:00 +0000

bitter boy.

By: fistbuck

fistbuck — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 05:16:00 +0000

Just how long should Apple use outdated tech? 20 years? We’d still be using floppy disks with your logic. Every other company uses a different sized charger with every new phone… Apple has waited 10+ years.

By: Rajko

Rajko — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 17:34:00 +0000

Siri much?

By: yeld

yeld — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 14:32:00 +0000

You can hate Apple all you want. But their ability to build user-friendly interfaces can’t be denied.

By: yeld

yeld — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Where are you guys getting these delusional ideas from? Apple wouldn’t in a million years make an iPhone or iPad REQUIRED to use their TV set. In all likelihood, the remote will be similar to the Apple TV remote with some added buttons or a touch pad for scrolling.

Also, you don’t NEED all of the buttons on your current remote. The only reason we feel like we do is because box-set and TV manufacturers have overly cluttered and poorly designed menus. If you can find a specific song that you want to play on an iPod that has 10,000 songs in less than 5 clicks, then you should be able to watch whatever you want to watch on TV with the same.

By: MaxxFlash

MaxxFlash — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 05:00:00 +0000

The “new” Apple TV isn’t just going to be a TV. It’s going to be more of a communication HUB that will have all Apple products tightly integrated via iCloud, NFC presence, Siri voice control AND voice ID, apps/programming and finally home automation. Just imagine with a tightly integrated home; you pull into the drive way, your Craftsman garage door opener detects your iPhone approaching and begins to open, your Nest iOS controlled thermostat brings down the air to your crispy 60 degrees, Siri chimes in “We’ve made it home Steve, I have the NBC Nightly News on in the living room for you (refresh current gen Apple TV features powerful infrared transmitter; iCloud powered Universal Remote abilites, all controlled from your iPad mini (included with new actual Apple TVs); sounds like a terrible day on Wall Street. Is there anything else you need?” “Yeah, go ahead and FaceTime mom on my iPad; tell her I’ll be right there” “OK, I’ll FaceTime mom and ask her to told.” “Your really going places Sir! Thank you Steve.” (END SCENE) Oh yeah, to really get things moving until their actual 50″+ TVs are on the market. Every Apple product will be an “Apple TV”; with direct access to iCloud and real time programming, every single device that has a playback screen with be “Apple TV” BOOM. It’s just so simple.

By: Nicholas Loomans

Nicholas Loomans — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 04:33:00 +0000

“Better yet, it’ll deliver high-quality visuals that should make its competition reevaluate their future decisions.”
What does this mean? 4K TV or what?

By: Tilpots

Tilpots — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 01:29:00 +0000

I use HippoRemote on my iPhone for my Mac Mini HTPC everyday. Best remote ever. Your article is I’ll informed, and if it somehow is based off hands on experience, you’re stupid. Remotes suck.

By: iwantthatphone

iwantthatphone — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 23:32:00 +0000

Very good point. Can’t wait to check one out though… The biggest question is the price. Price-value ratio is often too high on Apple products…

By: casinrm

casinrm — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:06:00 +0000

Except that Roku had 1080p, Netflix, and Hulu Plus before the Apple TV. Your blind allegiance to Apple is showing. It is not “fact” that no one can compete with Apple, as evidenced by the iPhone and Macbook’s market share. BTW, other companies had retina resolution for notebooks before macbooks did. Just look at the Series 9 with 1600 x 900 and the Zenbook with 1920 x 1080.

By: casinrm

casinrm — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:03:00 +0000

The Apple TV has even less content than the Samsung smart TV (unless you solely rely on iTunes) and leaves out web browsing, voice control, and gesture control. Except if Apple does the exact same thing, everyone will be saying it’s the best thing ever and Apple invented the smart TV.

By: tastygroove

tastygroove — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 15:04:00 +0000

Same socket size for 12 years.. Time to move on.. Micro USB gives size advantages.. Apple can keep extended functionality, without the easy-to-break factor of microusb(ask any android owner) and make room for other components/reduce size.

By: tastygroove

tastygroove — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 15:01:00 +0000

Firstly, the atv comes with a remote.. A sweet aluminum remote.. With a $99 box.. Pretty sure they understand remotes.

Secondly: there will be no apple “TV”

By: Alex

Alex — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 07:21:00 +0000

What a stupid article. Have an iPhone as the only remote may be a bad idea but what is wrong if it can act as a remote. And if the current remote app is insufficient then it can be modified.

By: Ittiam

Ittiam — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 06:44:00 +0000

Excellent insightful comment

By: mj23

mj23 — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 05:45:00 +0000

I am a fan of Apple products and I don’t think it would be a bad idea. I am currently using a LG Smart TV and don’t get me wrong I love the magic remote that they have, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea of having the ability to control my TV with the iPhone or the iPad.

By: jc

jc — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 04:54:00 +0000

let alone the fact using up the battery faster so when you leave the house your iPhone is half dead

By: HiTechObsessed

HiTechObsessed — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 04:20:00 +0000

at the moment, I can all but guarantee

So you can do everything on earth EXCEPT guarantee you will buy one? So you can guarantee you won’t buy one? Ive never understood why people use this phrase, it makes absolutely no sense.

By: RichyRoo

RichyRoo — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 04:13:00 +0000

The worst thing about making an iDevice the MANDATORY remote is that unless I get my kids their own iThingies then they wont be able to watch the TV when I’m not home.
Personally I think the iPod was great, the iPhone 3GS was awesome and the original iPad was great too.
Abandoning their customers with the change in socket size for the iPhone 5 is the most abusive thing i have seen a company do for a while, plus the design hasnt been any good since the 3Gs (rounded back was beautiful, now its just another brick).
Apple have peaked, HTML5 will kill their appstore business model and the competition are only being kept at bay by patent trolling.
Apple simply doesnt have what it takes to beat Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Samsung (in the marketplace not in court) all at once! Nobody does!
They will repeat the failure of the 80′s going from a popular platform to one only for fanboys content to exist as revenue streams in the poisoned garden.

By: AgentOrangeMD

AgentOrangeMD — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 01:59:00 +0000

I install Samsung TVs everyday and I firmly believe they are one of the best TVs on the market but…. they’re software is garbage dude. Use an Apple TV even the first gen one and then screw around in the Samsung App store. Every novel software, remote or control scheme Samsung has ever put out has been complete trash. They’re TVs rule but the use interface and built in app store is the first thing most installers throw out the window in favor of a Mac mini, HTPC, AppleTV, XBox, PS3. The only app device I’d pick a Samsung device over is the Wii and that’s sad.

By: AgentOrangeMD

AgentOrangeMD — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 01:52:00 +0000

Oh yeah and don’t think Siri will save your but either, try adjusting volume during commercials with your voice having to shout over them.

By: AgentOrangeMD

AgentOrangeMD — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 01:50:00 +0000

I’ve been a professional AV installer and remote programmer since 2002 (Pronto, URC, Élan, Crestron, Harmony) I can assure you that this article is dead on. Touch screen only based remotes are one of the top things in the AV industry that you think you want until you actually get one and then go back to physical buttons. Customers hate them once they start having to rely on them. It may impress people but its a huge step backward in usability. Phillips Pronto users were the first to notice it the initial models only had vol+ vol- mute channel up and channel down and a couple of unlabeled assignable buttons on the bottom. Try navigating a guide with a touchscreen up, down, left, right, select scheme and count how many times you have to look where the buttons are. Tactile is everything in video control. Unless they get really radical and integrate the guide into the mobile device like the Logitech Harmony Link. I have a Harmony Link perfectly set up and functioning on my system with my iPad and iPhone and everybody stopped using it after the very first try and went back to the Harmony 900 that the didn’t have to constantly look down and then back up at like one of those stupid bobbing duck toys.

By: Jason

Jason — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 01:39:00 +0000

Yes, but every implementation so far sucks. So far, Apple is the only company that has focused on making things work, instead of letting their consumers be beta testers.

By: Jason

Jason — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 01:17:00 +0000

There were mp3 players, then we have the iPod, there were cell phones, then Apple brought us the iPhone and touch interface. There were tablets, then Apple brought us the iPads. There were ultraportables, then we saw the MacBook Air, then MacBook Pro Retina.

There were Roku, then AppleTV 1080p with NetFlix and HuluPlus with AirPlay.

Seems to me bwaner83 is an idiot that has no taste in quality products. Just about anything Apple has, no one else can compete and that is the fact.

I know you will drool over the sideline when the iPhone 5 comes out and that is the fact.

By: sheep

sheep — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 01:15:00 +0000

Oh, and as per the first comment, for a year now, Smart TVs have had apps and Samsung is even planning on coming up with Android integration that would allow their Smart TVs to install Android apps.

By: sheep

sheep — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 01:09:00 +0000

Google FiOS has cloud integration, at 1TB of storage; if you mean the content for visuals, it depends on the content, and Google delivers HD channels at consistent 1080p. I have every reason to believe now that iSheep like you sort news to center only on Apple. Journalists should never be biased.

By: bwagner83

bwagner83 — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 00:51:00 +0000

There is nothing about apple tv that has me drooling. There was already smart tv integration out since 2010. Upgradeables like roku and google tv. Now we have google tv integration with lg and sony tv sets. Apple just releasing their apple tv with the only benefit being a 1080p interface and a horrible-looking UI and pitching it like its the next new thing? Blah. Fool me once (iphone 4s) shame on you, fool me twice (apple tv) shame on me. O wait, i left out the ipad3.