Here's an interesting little video from the guys at Savant showing off their novel take on a universal remote.  The 'Select' is a hardware device that you dock with an iPod Touch to create the worlds only multi-touch, retina display, home automation remote control.  Check out the video after the jump.

From simple source control in any single room to complete two-way whole-home automation, the Savant Select seamlessly merges the familiar functionality of Apple's latest iPod touch (featuring the new Retina Display) with easy-to-use push buttons, creating a sleek yet powerful home control interface.

Supporting Savant's TrueControl iPod touch App and TrueCommand On-TV navigation, this powerful smart remote delivers the perfect balance of backlit pushbuttons and a 3.5-inch color touch screen.

Immediate and immersive home control system access, Smart Select allows you to control everything from intelligent lighting, home theater or media room, whole-house audio and media, security, and climate—any home appliance connected to a Savant Smart System.

Key features & benefits 3.5-inch Multi-Touch Retina display, 960 x 640 pixel resolution Wireless communication, 802.11b/g/n 31 backlit buttons with key transport keys Multi-tasking, switch from TrueControl to thousands of Apps Customizable graphics View wireless video from network cameras Front and rear-facing cameras Includes a Lithium-Ion battery and elegant charging base"

www.savantav.com : Savant Launch Desktop and In-wall iPad Docks

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written by Fulltopuk , December 15, 2011

What an amateurish video! If Savant are advertising this as an enhancement then why not show it in the video making the most of the hardware buttons rather than showing mostly touch screen buttons!

PS Savant - Get a professional camera operator!

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written by Carlton Bale , December 15, 2011

I agree; pretty much everyone knows what an iPod Touch does. What I'm wondering is:
-Do the hard buttons work if you are not in the Savant app? (I'm guessing not)
-Do the hard buttons work if the iPod is off? (I'm guessing not)
-Why are there no hard buttons for stop/play/pause/fastforward/rewind? The picture in this post doesn't represent the actual product. Have they not considered how critical these buttons are for DVR users?

With all of these potentialdeficiencies, I think money is better spent on something more capabale as a dedicated remote. Or saved until a truely hardware-integrated Android remote is released.

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written by Carlton Bale , December 16, 2011

The video definitely focused on the iPod Touch way too much. I think most people know how an iPod Touch works. But I think there was another reason for the focus on the iPod: the remote kinda sucks compared to a dedicated hard-buttoned remote. I haven't used it, so I can't say for certain, but I think that:
-The hard buttons only work when in the Savant app is open
-The hard buttons only work when the iPod is on
-There are no dedicated hard buttons for Play/Stop/Pause/Fast-forward/Rewind (the picture in this post must be an old prototype; it's not the final version - the one in the video is.)

Assuming this is the case, who wants a remote that you have to click, swipe, and unlock to use the hard buttons? Alternatively, who wants a bright touchscreen that doesn't turn off distracting everyone in the home theater? Have the designers never used a DVR before? You can't Fast-forward without looking at the TV screen, and you can't easily select the correct soft buttons on the iPod screen if you aren't looking at the remote. You are much better off with hard buttons when commercial skipping with a DVR.

Compared to any other remote app running on an Apple device, the Savant hardware is a step up. But compared to a dedicated hard button remote with a touch screen, it lacks some key basic functionality.

I would rather save my money and wait for dedicated hardware that is truly integrated with a version of Android; that design would be able to overcome these limitations. Apple will never open up their platform enough to allow the needed deeper integration with third-party remote hardware.

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written by Prem , December 18, 2011

In my humble opinion, this just looks plain stupid.

The remote is NOT ergonomic or intuitive.

It's almost as bad as trying to use an ipad sized device like an iphone to make and receieve calls!!

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