Remote Control Apps

The way they are entering into our lives, I would tend to believe it when someone around me exclaims “Apps shall rule the World”. They have already started ruling the home, by elevating the handset and the tablet into devices that adroitly perform complex domestic tasks.

The final bastion, the reason behind many a couch war is the remote control and even that has not been spared. Apps have now helped change the nondescript remote controller. It still looks like a bar. It still has buttons. It still changes channels and adjusts the volume for you. What's new about this remote control is that it is an app on your smartphone.

Samsung's Smart TV range and many of its WiFi ready Blu-Ray Disc players can be controlled directly through its Remote Control app, available for both iOS and Android. The app not only performs all the basic roles of flipping channels and adjusting the volume, but also acts as a keyboard and a gaming input device.

Samsung isn't the only brand that has iPhone and Android phone apps for its TVs. LG and Philips also have their remote control apps for their smart televisions.

But that isn't just one remote off the cluttered coffee table. These apps, that can run on all iOS and Android supported devices, are designed for a wide range of products. Almost everything in the living room that needs to be controlled, can be controlled; televisions, home theatres, sound bars, Blu-ray Disc players. These devices just need to be WiFi or Bluetooth enabled.

And while the phone is busy fiddling around with the telly, there's another app – ‘TV Call Notify' – which shows your calls and texts on the TV.

Even TiVo, that changed TV viewing experience at one point in time (seems very distant now, though), has an app for iOS devices, that can browse, search, schedule and even share the stuff you recorded on this DVR.

So that's the living room, where the apps have assumed control. But that's not where they stop. They remotely control the stuff on our desktop and portable computers as well. Since almost every computer is able to communicate wirelessly these days, a number of popular software makers have developed apps for their products.

There are many of us who prefer watching downloaded episodes of Chuck Lorre's shows, and depend on the almighty VLC media player to entertain us. That is probably the reason why VLC, which is capable of playing almost any media file that has ever come into existence, can now be controlled remotely from a tab or a smartphone through an app.

VLC Remote, developed by Hobbyist Software, gives you control over all the features of VLC, even the ones you didn't know that existed while using it on the PC. Nothing more needs to be said.

Again, that's not the only software that can be remotely controlled by an app. Popular media players like Windows Media Player, KMPlayer, Media Player Classic and even Winamp (remember?) also have dedicated remote control apps.

Even YouTube and Grooveshark have their remote control apps on both Android and iOS. So that makes sure that you have control over your music and entertainment, whether you're on the couch or the can.

The app pendulum swings both ways. While new apps are being developed by the hundreds for existing hardware or software we use around the house, there are firms developing devices to be controlled exclusively by our mobile communication devices.

From healthcare to utility to entertainment, the Apple store has more than 30 devices to offer, that can be controlled exclusively by the ‘iDevices'.

The iBaby monitor, for instance, is a device designed to keep an eye on your infant, and even communicate with the baby, through the iPhone. The iBaby monitor has a camera whose motion can be controlled with a swipe on the screen of the iPod, iPhone or the iPad. It also sends an alert to the device if the baby starts crying. Talk about kids being exposed to technology at a very young age.

Withings, which produces a similar Baby Monitor, also offers a Blood Pressure monitor.

So while parenting has been taken care of, the iStore has something for the leisure weekend as well. The Zepp GolfSense Sensor is a tiny motion sensing device that sends an analysis of every swing played to the iPhone. That's some smart golfing, I must say.

And there are also a few toys for the kiddies (yes, actual toys) that can be placed on the iPad and played with, like the Disney Cars2 Spinmates and the Duo Plink for iPad. And while we're at toys, let's not forget the iOS-controlled (“remote-controlled” seems too archaic by now) Parrot AR.Drone and the Silverlit Bluetooth enabled Ferrari Enzo R/C car.

And just when I was thinking how Apple takes care of the entire household, I stumbled upon an iOS app controlled device called Tagg-The Pet Tracker, meant to monitor your pet's whereabouts via GPS. Kind of makes Apple sound like Santa, doesn't it, taking care of everyone?

So there are apps for our household devices, and household devices for our apps. And for the sceptics who believe that apps shall not rule the world, watch out, there might be a remote control app that your missus might be looking for. To control what? Take a guess.

sabyasachi.b@thehindu.co.in

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