With rumors ramping up of a Siri-controlled Apple television coming from Apple, Todd Treece was able to beat them to the punch and get Siri to fully control his television set using an Arduino IR remote setup and SiriProxy.

We've seen Siri do amazing things like start your car and control your home thermostat using SiriProxy as well, but this setup actually shows the power of having Siri used as a remote control for your TV.

We'll have to wait until Apple ultimately releases their own television set with Siri control before we see something like this hit the masses, but in the meantime you can get your own setup going as long as you don't mind a little bit of hackery.

Source: Todd Treece via iDB

When Apple announced that iOS 5 would let you snap pictures with the volume up button, it was only a matter of time before some enterprising developers discovered the ability to use a headset equipped with volume remote control as a camera shutter release.

Using the stock Apple headphones that come with your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, you simply:

1. Open the Camera app
2. Click the volume up remote to release the shutter
3. Enjoy your long distance picture taking power

So camera enthusiasts, is this a big deal for you or just a nice to have? Will it change the way you take pictures with your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad?

[MacRumors]

Normally, this would not necessarily be too exciting, except I just got done testing this release. I am very excited to report that I was able to log in to my remote desktop, then check mail and other apps. Put the iPhone to sleep, come back minutes later and open LogMeIn Ignition and... my desktop was still there!

They're no doubt using iOS 4 multitasking's task completion feature (the same one that lets uploads finish in the background). It won't let you keep the connection open forever -- more like 10 minutes -- but it's still fantastic and I can't recommend this app enough. This is very exciting to see developers adopting iOS 4 so quickly and in a useful manor.

Oh, and here is a tip. If you keep LogMeIn "running" in the background for a while, and want to make sure you don't get a timeout error when you return to the app, check the setting on the client machine. It needs to be more than iOS 4's 10 minute task completion limit (the default on mine was 20 min.)

[$29.99- iTunes Link]

How do you use your iPhone/iPad as a remote control, and what do you use it to control?

When Apple introduced the iPhone, they also introduced Remote, and app that you could use to control iTunes or your Apple TV. Since then a variety of other, more wide-ranging remote control apps have become available in the iTunes App Store for controlling media, entire computers, and even complete household automation.

With the introduction of the iPad, there's even 9.7" of screen real estate to fill all your controlling needs.

Let us know your favorite remote control apps for iPhone and iPad, and favorite ways for using them in the comments!

If you ever held your iPhone in one hand, then got angry you still had to hold your big, expensive, horrible-screen universal in the other, L5 has an app -- and an accessory for that!

The process is straight forward. Download the app. Drag and drop in your custom control setup. Buy the infra-red (IR) dongle. Teach it your remotes' commands. Enjoy total iPhone or iPod touch power over your A/V components.

Video walk through after the break!

Rē Remote Control is a a new plug-in accessory for the iPhone (and iPod touch?) dock port that aims to turn Apple's mobile platform into the holy grail of living room devices -- a full programmable, multitouch universal RI remote.

Word has it the unveiling will be at CES in January, and TiPb will try to check it out and see if it impresses. However, given how slick WiFi-based remote apps have been for Apple TV, Keynote, VLC, Boxee, etc. it's safe to say we're the tiniest bit excited at the possibilities.

The only drawback looks to be the hefty on-device dongle. What say you, is this the way to go or would you prefer a Bluetooth box that sits with your AV gear and handles the remote duties off-device? Do you prefer portability (you could take this dongle anywhere) or invisibility?

[via Chip Chick via Gizmodo]

In the ever-envigorating game of "What's That Apple Patent for Anyway?" this time we get a look at a multi-touch click-wheel iTablet, a way to remotely control your Mac from your

First up, an un-thin looking iTablet-style device with a retro click-wheel but an even more interesting backstory, according to 9to5mac, as:

One of the patent applicants for Apple is a one Dr. Carlin Vieri. He's no longer with Apple (hel left just over a year ago). He happens to be the VP of Engineering for [rumored Apple iTablet screen supplier] Pixel Qi right now.

Second, a patent to allow the iPhone to remotely control your Mac either via gestures, specialized on-screen buttons, and/or Voice Control, as well as support for peripherals like printers. PatentlyApple has the goods, but from the sounds of it, you could email that new PDF home, launching Preview, deleting some pages, then sending it to the printer so it's waiting, warm and ready when you get in door.

Last, PatentlyApple also shows off a new kind of universal dock. It employs an elastic, spongy material that can morph into the shape of any iPod or iPhone, past, present, or future. Yes folks, it might just make the dock insert extinct.

As always, there's no telling when, if ever, Apple will make use any of these patents in ant consumer-facing product. But it's fun to watch.

Dear Apple: yesterday, as part of your huge pre-holiday product launch, you announced a new iPhone-inspired multi-touch Magic Mouse with gestures. It looks nice. It might even (finally!) be a decent mouse. But TiPb's left to wonder -- for those of us who already have iPhones and iPod touches, wouldn't it be even nicer to have an official "Magic Mouse" app? Scratch that, given the greater functionality in the MacBook (and MacBook Pro) multi-touch Glass Trackpads, wouldn't it be great if you could just give us that in the App Store?

We have the Apple Remote (no, not the new doohickey, the app!), true enough, but that's limited to iTunes and the Apple TV (not even Front Row!), and we have the Keynote Remote, but again that's limited to presentation software. And granted, there are some great third party remote apps that do way more than just Mac. But you make Mac. Why not just take that wonderful technology you've built into Snow Leopard, hook it up over Bluetooth (until you get WiFi Direct going), and let us swipe, pinch, rotate, one-finger, two-finger, three-finger, four-finger move our way around the Mac just like the Magic Mouse -- or the Glass Trackpad -- from anywhere in Bluetooth range?

Dear Apple, we have the device, you have the technology. Hit the "launch" button on this one already! Sitting 10' away on a sofa, using our iPhone or iPod touch to seamlessly gesture through everything on our media center Mac Mini or massive 27" new iMac... t'would be sweet!

(And hey, Microsoft and Windows 7 developers -- feel free to hook us up for your phenomenal multi-touch support as well!)

i.TV just let TiPb know they've submitted version 2.0 of their popular iPhone and iPod touch app to the iTunes App Store. What's in store for us this time out?

• Push Notification for TV shows
• Tap to download from iTunes
• TiVo Remote via the introduction of "Remote Control Framework":

i.TV now combines the TV guide and the remote control on an iPhone or iPod touch. Remote controls are powered by the i.TV Remote Control Framework, which allows third parties to develop remote controls for use on the i.TV platform.

How's all of that sound to ya?

Z. O. M. F. G. And Dieter just wanted to control little lego robots. Humph. This here GeekMyRide so much closer to Skynet and the Matrix and Cylons... and to think our little iPhone will be the elegant, buttery-interfaced controlled to our post-apocalyptic machine overloads. Sweet.

The car's webserver provides a password-protected web interface optimised for full-screen display on an iPod Touch or iPhone running the SOPODS full screen web browser. The web interface has three screens: 1) Control, which provides a top-down view of the car with buttons for start, stop, lock, unlock, accessory power, and boot release; 2) Telemetry, which displays real-time data acquired from the engine management system such as RPM, vehicle speed, coolant temperature, throttle position, etc; and 3) Location, which uses a Google Maps mashup to display the current location of the vehicle on a map using current GPS data.

[via GeekBrief.tv]

Chad reviewed Air Mouse a while back, and now they've let us know they're back with a 1.5 update that adds some nifty new features, including:

the computer notifies Air Mouse as to which app it's currently running so that Air Mouse can show the correct keys for that app. We plan to make more use of this system in future versions and think that this is the directions that all remotes will be heading in the future.

Check out the above video for more on the navigation and media player support, and if you try it out, let us know what you think!

[This is an iPhone blog App vs. App review! Last week, we ran our Shazam vs. Midomi showdown, with Midomi scoring the win. But which commenter won an iTunes gift certificate? Congratulations Patrick! Want your chance to win the winning app this week? Comment below!]

Ever used a laser pointer? Ever used a wireless mouse? Ever wish you could have both in one and more? Well, there are some apps on the iPhone that allow you to do just that! These devices work great! They turn the iPhone into a remote mouse with a virtual touch pad. You use your finger to control the mouse; left-click, right-click, scroll, it makes no difference! You can even create macros to automate launching applications! Let's take a look at two of these apps: Air Mouse [iTunes Link] and Snatch [iTunes Link]

Function

Snatch (ver 2.1): This app offers a slightly different approach. You get your track pad, but lose out on the laser pointer. But what do you gain? Macros baby! That is right, you can program Snatch to launch your favorite apps with the touch of the screen!

Specifics

The "laser pointer" feature is quite nice. It uses the accelerometer in the iPhone to track your movements onscreen, thus replicating the effect of a laser pointer with your mouse. Simply point the iPhone at the screen and make your gestures; tilt to the left or right, up or down and the on-screen cursor responds accordingly. I found this to be effective, but a little fickle and practice is definitely need, but it does work as advertised. Having the instant switch feature really enhances its usefulness as well. Switching on the fly from pointer to mouse is really an added bonus.

Snatch (ver 2.1): Though similar to Air Mouse, Snatch offers a few more  configuration options for the remote mouse. For instance, you are not limited to just portrait, you can also use landscape as well. How many mouse buttons would you like? You can create up to three virtual buttons with Snatch.

Multiple mouse buttons one of the advantages over Air Mouse; there are more options too. Air Mouse offers virtual no options where Snatch gives you just about any option you can think of. Let me give you a small selection:

• Button placement (top or bottom)
• Inertia (on/off)
• Speed
• Cycle between text or numerical keyboard
• Plus a few others!

{Update: For those that are interested, there is also a free version of Snatch that can be found here [iTunes Link]. It is missing scroll, keyboard and macro functionality, but hey, it is a free mouse }

Configuration

One more thing, and this is really important: These apps only work on your LAN. For example, you are at your house and the computer and iPhone are using Wi-Fi though the same router. These apps MAY NOT work at say, Starbucks or your corporate environment. However, Snatch does offer the ability to create your own Ad-Hoc network with your Mac, so this is not much of a problem for Mac users.

Conclusion

Air Mouse Rating

• Solid app
• Fast
• No-hassle setup

Snatch Rating

• Portrait and landscape
• More configuration options
• Macros

This application has me rather excited since I already use this service; and it works well. I am currently hooked on Jaadu and Win Admin, but this could be a very viable option for replacement of these apps. The preview page discusses little about actual functionality, but based on the third image in the above graphic, you will be able to use multi-touch to zoom in and out of the screen. 

Also, by looking at the toolbar, it looks like you can search (a shortcut to Spotlight?) left/right-click, keyboard and even a globe (perhaps a shortcut to Safari?)

All in all, very exciting indeed! We will update you as we learn more!

Those lucky... bloggers over at Gizmodo have scored a video walkthrough of both the iPhone 2.0 software (build 5A345) and the matching iTunes 7.7 developers received last week. What say they?

As you can see in the video, the App Store is there—although it's not active yet—along with the new Push data feature, the content restrictions, and the BCC field in Mail, among the rest of the new features.

Though they also say that the Gold Master didn't drop last Friday due to some remaining glitches. However, the iPhone/iPod Touch Remote Control was already baked in!

Check out the video and then keep wiping the drool until the 11th!

iPhone 2.0 and its App Store are almost upon us, and while deep-delving every new SDK/firmware beta has revealed many a gem before, this time it's the Read Me file from the new, developer-only, iTunes 7.7 beta that's giving up the goodness:

Also use the new Remote application for iPhone or iPod touch to control iTunes playback from anywhere in your home -- a free download from the App Store.

YES!

This feature -- and hopefully parallel Front Row and Apple TV remote control -- has been near the top of my wish list since the iPhone was announced, and while this type of functionality (and much more!) has been hinted at before, it looks like we might finally see it.

Now how about hurrying up with 2.0 already, Apple, you teases!

Read

One of the features I most want for the iPhone is the ability to use it as a Wi-Fi remote for iTunes (and related services like Front Row or the Apple TV). Sitting back, multi-touch flicking through lists of content, finding something interesting, tapping, and -- boom -- having it "just work" on my TV or Mac would be Jobsian perfection.

Well, if TUAW's latest rumor pans out, Apple may be about to deliver, well... not exactly that, but something just as cool:

Apple is working on a new iPhone application called iControl. Like Apple TV and other remote controllers, it would allow the iPhone to connect wirelessly to local iTunes libraries and browse through and play media from those sources. TUAW is told that a media navigator will allow you to view videos, play podcasts, listen to music and even support shuffle playback.

As is increasingly the case, the rumor comes via deep delving into the latest firmware and discovering all sorts of interesting localization strings. Whether this means we'll just be able to play iTunes content on the iPhone as though it were a mobile Apple TV, or if I'll be getting my dream iTunes/Front Row/Apple TV remote control via the iPhone as well, we'll have to wait and see.

And I really am finding it harder and harder to wait. How about you?