July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

This sponsored post is produced by StackSocial.

Remote-controlled toys have never really gone out of style, and with technological advances it is likely that you’re already carrying around a remote for one in your pocket – your iPhone – so all you need now is the toy to control.

That’s where the latest VentureBeat offer comes in.

The iHelicopter is a lightweight yet powerful chopper. Its dual rotors allow for 3-directional tilt, but it’s small enough to fly around indoors! And VentureBeat has it for only $49.99!

Here’s what’s included:

• Silver iHelicopter (also available in red)
• Stylish remote control
• USB charger
• A spare pair of blades
• A spare tail rotor

To pilot with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod, just download the free Extreme Fliers App from the App Store. If you don’t have an Apple product that works as a remote, a regular handset controller is included as well – so any pilot can start soaring right away.

To check out all of the product specifications and other important reminders surrounding this offer, visit the VB Store.

Remember that all work and no play makes you a dull boy – or girl – even if you’ve got the latest in iOS gear. Take fun to new heights and pick up the iHelicopter for only $49.99 from the VB Store before this offer flies off for good!

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

This sponsored post is produced by StackSocial.

Durable and affordable headphones are hard to come by. That’s why VentureBeat is bringing these in-ear stereo PolyPhones to the table.

These headphones combine high quality sound output with scientifically developed sound isolation that creates a music listening experience you won’t be disappointed with – especially for only $15!

The moulded earpieces fit your ear perfectly and they’re formed to comfortably seal the ear. This allows you to experience your music and conversations to their fullest potential. The remote control gives you total freedom to start, stop, pause music and video, answer calls, and adjust volume – all right from your fingertips. The built-in microphone works great and is positioned perfectly to catch your voice and to block out background sounds.

(Please note: This offer is open to US and Canadian customers only.)

Here are the top features of these great little earbuds:

• In-ear earpieces are molded for optimum comfort and sound isolation
• High-quality ABS cylinders are moisture-proof and water-resistant
• Remote control and microphone are positioned at an optimum distance on the cord for efficient hands-free communication and playback control
• Powerful full-range frequency response

These white PolyPhone headphones even come in a sleek carrying case so you can protect your earbuds when they’re not in use. For all other details on this offer – including all important reminders – visit the VB Store page.

A deal like this doesn’t come along every day. So head to the VB Store now and start jamming out to your music with these durable and affordable earbuds for only $15 while this deal is still good to go!

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Sitting on a shelf in my entertainment room are five oblong plastic boxes.

One is the remote control for my TV, another for my surround-sound receiver. One is for my blue-ray player, another is for the PVR, and yet another one is for no discernible purpose.

But if I wasn’t half the lazy idiot I sadly am, I could replace them all with a simple app on my iPhone or iPad, like Roomie.

We’re getting fairly used to our mobile devices being remote controls for the various aspects of our digital and not-so-digital lives. Your LG fridge has an IP address, can text you when food is going bad, and can be controlled by your phone. Home security systems that come complete with an app, and can tell you what’s happening in your home, are almost the norm.

OnStar gives your car a remote control too, and if it’s not exactly a James Bond-style actually-drive-your-car-by-remote app, it at least tells you the condition of your battery, how much gas you have, and lets you remotely unlock your vehicle. (Oh, and by the way, if you do want to drive your car by remote control, just buy the Chinese BYD Su Rui, an ordinary 5-seater sedan that yes, can be driven by remote control — at 1.2 miles per hour.)

Next week at VentureBeat’s Mobile Summit 2013, we’re going to be talking about mobile as a remote control for life. Security systems, cars, homes, appliances: everything modern, seemingly, has a remote control.

Even you.

One of the things we’re increasingly using our mobile phones/remote control is to control ourselves. Sometimes with little devices like a Fitbit or an Up, but often also simply with our phones and apps like Digifit, which monitors and tracks our fitness and workouts. Others help us get better sleep, stop smoking, and walk more, simply by letting us set goals, and then holding us to them.

One, the Gain Fitness app, helps us to manage our fitness with one simple feature: the workout streak tracker. Although the app does other things, it tracks every day you do a workout, and every day you do not. Miss one, skip one, or avoid one, and your workout streak is broken, and you start back down at zero. Essentially, it’s a simple motivational trick to make yourself do what you know you really want to do, but sometimes don’t feel like.

In essence, a remote control.

More on devices, gadgets, the internet of things, and the mobile computers we call phones that are enabling this remote control trend at Mobile Summit 2013, April 1-2 in Sausalito, California.

photo credit: Stéfan via photopin cc

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

This sponsored post is produced by StackSocial.

Most of us know how enjoyable remote control cars were back when we were kids. The Sub-Zero Helicopter is the adult version of remote control fun and from Extreme Fliers – the leading brand of remote-controlled toys – you really can’t go wrong. For only $29 (plus shipping) you can let that inner child live on forever. Simply put, if you’re looking to add a fun little gadget to your life, then this VB Store offer is it.

Here are some of the features of this tremendous toy:

• Gyroscope technology assists with stability
• Three-channel IR control
• Durable and lightweight frame
• Bright LED chopper light
• Up to 10 minute flight time
• Weighs 29 grams / 1 ounce

The Sub-Zero’s light weight gives it easy maneuverability and longer flight time, while two flexible, counter-rotating blades ensures smooth-as-silk flying.

The helicopter features three-channel IR control allowing you to give tea bags an airborne tour around the kitchen, with an LED light for night-time flights and a sturdy body to ensure that turbulence doesn’t become a problem.

You’ll get the following in this great package:

• White Sub-Zero Chopper
• Stylish remote control
• USB Charger
• A pair of spare blades
• A spare tail rotor

For more details on this great VentureBeat offer (including shipping prices), head over to the VB Store page.

The Sub-Zero Helicopter provides a faster, lighter, and more agile experience than any other model helicopter on the market. Boasting a 50% lighter body than your typical 3-channel helicopter, the components are made with a super-light durable rubber, is hand-assembled into a lattice structure.

A deal this great won’t last for long. So head over to the VB Store page and get the Sub-Zero Helicopter for just $29 (plus shipping) while the getting is good!

The BYD Su Rui is an ordinary-looking 5-seat sedan with 154 horsepower and 36 miles to the gallon. But it comes standard with very un-ordinary remote control technology that allows owners to park the car in tight spots, call the car over to pick them up in case of inclement weather, or show off for their friends — all at the sedate pace of 1.2 miles per hour.

At least, until hackers figure out a way to boost that speed.

Source: TechNovelgy

The Su Rui remote control is not exactly like James Bond’s remote control in Tomorrow Never Dies.

BYD won a “Best Leading Science and Technology” award at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show for its remote driving technology. And while it won’t allow owners to drive their vehicles at the speed and distance of James Bond’s BMW in Tomorrow Never Dies, it is the first ever full-size vehicle you can treat like an RC toy from Radio Shack.

Using the included remote, drivers can start the car, move it forward and backward, and turn. Owners can also turn on the heat or A/C to get the cabin temperature just right.

The remote control functionality, however, is only operational when the driver is within 30 feet of the vehicle, likely as a safety measure. Again, I’m sure that interested hackers will increase that range shortly. In fact, install a camera, extend range via WiFi or radio … and the remote control could get even more interesting.

And I’m not sure why hackers would only mod their own vehicles. I’m predicting here and now that we will hear stories of car hacking, whether malicious or prank. And possibly even police reports of vehicles being stolen without any actual thief being physically present.

The Su Rui is available for just $10,365 USD for the base 1.5 liter model, or $15,710 for a turbo-charged version.

Image credit: BYD

At the Consumer Electronics Show, the Israeli company showed off a next-generation TV interface that lets you control your TV experience with a wave of your hand. Like Kinect, the system uses a 3D camera with chips made by PrimeSense that can capture your movement in a 3D space and translate those motions into commands for the TV. If it succeeds, you can say adios to your TV remote control and engage in what PrimeSense calls “total digital immersion” with your body as the control for future smart TVs.

Inon Beracha (pictured right), chief executive of PrimeSense, has a customer in Asus, which took the PrimeSense camera and turned it into a TV control product debuting this month. But beyond that, Beracha hired industrial design firm Ideo to create a next-generation TV control system where you wave your hand at the TV to activate the 3D depth camera. You point your hand at one of the menu items and pull back to select it. To let go of something, you push forward with your hand. It’s a lot like the control system that actor Tom Cruise used in the futuristic movie Minority Report.

“It’s not science fiction anymore,” Beracha said.

The interface moves extremely fast in the demo, though it will likely be slowed down as your TV waits for a video stream to load when you’re switching TV channels. You can use your hands to swipe the interface from side to side. You can control movies, play music, do virtual shopping, or play simple games. By contrast, Kinect relies on voice controls for many of the actions for controlling a TV.

“It brings the magic of control into the living room, like turning your TV into a giant touchscreeen,” he said.

Microsoft announced at CES that it has sold more than 18 million Kinect systems. But the non-gaming TV viewing audience may need something different for a natural and intuitive interface, and that’s where PrimeSense is targeting its next products. You can use it to play dance games (pictured above) or try on clothes using an application from Bodymetrics.

Check out our video of Beracha showing the PrimeSense system at CES.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Lots of people use their iPads as companions when they surf TV channels. But Logitech‘s Harmony Link device takes that one step further, turning the iPad or smartphone itself into a one-touch remote control for your TV.

The product being announced today is a fresh take on how to integrate a traditional TV with a touchscreen tablet that is a more natural user interface than a remote control with too many confusing buttons. As such, Logitech may have one of the most interesting new TV accessories on the market this fall. You can use it on an iPhone, iPod Touch or Android smartphone as well.

With the Harmony Link, you plug in a small wireless device next to your TV. Then you use the iPad to connect to the Harmony Link via a Wi-Fi wireless network. When you use your finger to change a channel on the user interface on the iPad, the Harmony Link translates your finger stroke into a command for the TV. The Harmony Link sends an infrared signal to the TV, completing the channel change.

To get it to work, you need to download a free Logitech Harmony Link app for your iPad. After setting it up, the Harmony Link and the app work together to delivre a personalized schedule of your favorite TV shows, channels, and genres so that you can find something good to watch. When you finish browsing and find what you want, you can use the iPad rather than a remote control to switch to the right channel.

The benefit of using the big screen of the iPad is that you can find out a lot more about your show through the web-based interface that appears on the iPad. You can read a longer description of the show that is on your current channel. There’s a big “watch now” button that you can tap on the screen when you choose to view it. Over time, Logitech learns which shows you like and how to organize them for you.

Logitech found that many people are using their iPads while sitting on the sofa watching TV, said Ashish Arora, vice president and general manager of Logitech’s Digital Home Group.

You can use the iPad to control various devices via “watch a movie” or “listen to music” controls. You don’t have to manually switch the input source for your TV (such as switching from HDMI port 1 to HDMI port 2 so you can watch a Blu-ray movie or a TV show). The Harmony Link automatically handles that switch for you, so you don’t have to fumble with multiple remotes.

The Harmony Link can control up to eight devices via the Wi-Fi network. It’s about the size of a hockey puck and only has to plug into a power outlet. The Harmony Link can also connect with more than one iPad at a time, so that multiple family members can use their own iPads to control the TV, rather than fighting over a single remote. There isn’t a huge delay in translating the control input from the iPad to the TV.

Initially, smartphones have somewhat less functionality, since they will not receive personalized program guides from the downloadable app. But Harmony Link has all the remote control functions. You can pause a show with the iPad and start it again using a phone. Logitech teamed up with Rovi to provide program guide information for the Harmony Link app. Rovi has data such as synopses, movie reviews, and images to go with the programs.

The Harmony Link will go on sale in the U.S. in October for $99.99.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

The plucky startup Peel, which recently launched an iPhone app to help you find things to watch on TV, is making a big step forward today by launching hardware that will turn its app into a powerful universal remote control.

Now not only will you be able to make sense of what’s on TV with Peel’s app, you’ll also be able to tune directly to a program from within the app.

But even with the addition of new hardware, Peel is still focused on TV discovery with its app. After downloading it from the iTunes Store, you simply need to provide the app with information on how you access TV. The app then begins to personalize your experience by having you order your favorite genres and sports, and it lets you delete items you’ll never watch.

Peel’s “Top Picks” section offers recommendations to you based on your preferences, and the app’s recommendation engine is updated as you ‘favorite’, share and hide shows. The company says that Peel is smart enough to determine what you like to watch at specific times of the day. The app also lets you see what TV shows, movies and sports are on the air, and it lets you search programming as well.

Peel’s universal remote control hardware consists of two parts: the Peel Cable that plugs into your router, and the Peel fruit, a citrusy looking device that sits within view of your entertainment system. Since hunting and pecking for buttons on a touchscreen isn’t ideal for TV watching, the company developed gesture methods for controlling aspects of your entertainment system like volume.

Peel says that the hardware can control thousands of models of TVs, DVD and Blu-ray players, cable and satellite boxes and more. It’s also compatible with web streaming devices like Roku’s set-top box, Apple TV and Google TV. The company hasn’t settled on a price for its universal remote hardware yet, so it’s letting would-be customers name their own price for device on its website.

The combination of a killer TV discovery engine with universal remote control capabilities makes Peel an app to keep an eye on. Google is currently trying its hand at TV discovery on Google TV, but it’s nowhere near as smart or attractive as Peel’s solution. I wouldn’t be surprised if Google ends up snapping up the company, as both its app discovery and remote technology would be a boon to Google TV.

Peel is based in Santa Clara, Calif., and has entered into first round funding with Redpoint Ventures. Harrison Metal has also invested in the company.

The survey covered 1,000 adults in each of the following countries: US, Germany, France, UK, Netherlands, Sweden, and Australia. In nearly every country surveyed, almost half of remote users needed to press three or more buttons to watch a DVD. Nine out of 10 (93 percent in America, 89 percent and higher globally) people believe their home-entertainment experience would be more enjoyable if they could just push a single button to enjoy their favorite feature film.

In the last five years, people in all seven countries have increased the number of remotes cluttering their coffee tables. The number of French and Australian households with four or more remotes doubled in that period even though few users seem to know how to operate them properly. Since many living room setups are now approaching NASA mission control in terms of complexity, 15-24 percent of surveyed households contain at least one person who does not use living room devices because they can’t operate the remote. A similar number of consumers (between 16 percent and 27 percent globally) have written a guide to their remote control to help friends, babysitters and visitors make sense of their home-entertainment system.

The most shocking conclusion of the survey is that almost one in five Americans owns a device, such as a DVD player or home audio system, that is rarely or never used due to a missing remote.