With the increase in the number of high-tech items in our homes comes the frustration of having to control all of them, by constantly adjusting volume, temperature, switching channels and so on. While some of you may think this is mainly a first world problem (and it most certainly is), the fact that in the last year the concept of a unique, phone-integrated remote control has become increasingly popular, proves that there is a gap in the market and that people really enjoy simplifying daily life however they can.
Over a year ago, Color Tiger, a California-based start-up came out with the Smart IR Remote app, which did exactly that – replaced the old gang of remotes displayed on your living room table by using a database of over 800.000 remotes and the IR Blaster on certain phones (Galaxy S4, S5, HTC One) to control all the devices in your home. Fear not, the iOS version is almost ready and will be launched in November of this year. The app can be found on Google Play and has been very well received, having a rating of 4.6/5. Smart IR Remote is what controls AnyMote Home, through a Bluetooth 4.0 Smart connection, that will ensure fast and efficient communication with either your phone or tablet. The Smart Remote display is pretty straight forward, clean-looking, and you only need a couple of seconds for the app to connect to the AnyMote.
[adsense300gray]In turn, simply put, AnyMote Home is the device you place in front of whatever equipment you want to control, so that it will act as an intermediary between your phone/tablet and the InfraRed controllable electronics (including air conditioner and IR-controlled power plugs). The Bluetooth signal can be sent from around 10 meters and in some cases, the AnyMote doesn’t necessarily have to be in a straight line with the equipment, depending on the reflecting surface you point the phone or tablet towards. Among other interesting features, probably the most exciting one is the integrated Sonos system, which welcomes you home by playing music, turning the air conditioning on and adjusting room light and temperature.
If you don’t like extra decorative elements in the house, you can now hide AnyMote somewhere in a drawer, but why would you do that when it’s so discreet and elegant-looking?
The device has been getting a lot of backers in the few days since the Kickstarter campaign has been launched, so go check out the offers, see if it’s the right thing for you and your home.
