iPhone as Remote Control?

[gruswitz]

There are now a few applications that you can install on a Mac that with allow serving up AJAX control of the computer. I'd love to see a comprehensive review on Phone Different that evaluates the strengths, weaknesses, and future improvement of this type of technology. Obviously, we are all eagerly awaiting the SDK and most web apps are limited, but this seems like the best possible use of AJAX.

On the future of this type of technology, it would be great to see what potential there is for using your iPhone as a very fancy touchscreen universal remote. A computer could relay IR or RS232 signals to AV receivers or DVD players etc. Apple scripts could also potential execute multiple commands like macros on fancy universal remotes. Execution of such things are still early in development, but I think this is an ENORMOUS advance over the pathetic universal remote capabilities using the IR port on smartphones like the Treo. There are already programs like the newly updated RemoteBuddy, iRed2, Telekinesis, Touchpad, and Signal. There are home automation programs with custom interfaces by CLIQK, Promixis Girder, and Perceptive Automation Indigo.

My dream is to have iPhone or iPodTouch control my TV, MacMini, AV receiver, DVD that are inside a cabinet (no IR). The iPhone can already be the touchpad and keyboard for the computer. I'd love to see the iPhone to replace the fancy Marantz touchscreen remote that I have without sacrificing speed, customization, and features. If RemoteBuddy and Indigo were combined it would have almost everything.

Let me know your thoughts and again I'd love to see one of the PhoneDifferent staff writers do an in depth article on this.

[WatersWest]

You may be getting a little tech-happy here. Why on Earth does anyone need his/her phone to control the home entertainment system? I had a Compaq Ipaq that had the ability to remotely control the TV, and I can honestly say I NEVER used it. After all, that's what a remote control is for.