|
...Continued from Page 11.
Our journey through the land of blue and white polyester begins at level 1, with a single layer of fluffy blanket to sparkle through. On a cold winter�s night, one often prefers to keep the remote close at hand, under the covers.
[Insert screeching sound here.]
Hold everything! Nothing. Nada. Zip. To say that I was speechless is an understatement! I have yet to test a remote that was unable to get past level 1 from the standard testing distance. At 5 feet away and pointed directly at the receiver I was able get commands through the blanket, but anything further and there was nothing but silence from the amp. In all fairness, without the blanket I was able to get as far away as 25 feet, a far cry from 50, but control was exceedingly directional and the Nevo needed to be pointed exactly at what was being controlled. In normal use, from a normal distance, the Nevo should perform acceptably, but don�t plan on bouncing infrared off the walls like some other remotes can do.
Conclusion
UEI�s Nevo is indeed an interesting concept. First, it removes most of the hardware design responsibility from the remote manufacturer � they can merely piggyback onto someone else�s prepared product. Second, it�s being added to a much higher volume device. More color PDA�s are sold then dedicated color remotes, so UEI can get their Nevo technology on a better platform at a lower cost per unit. UEI even plans to licence Nevo onto other devices � such as wall display panels. Just think � soon your television could be controlling your... other television!
From a business application standpoint, the Nevo makes absolute sense. It can quickly control boardroom A/V systems where remotes are often broken or outright missing, ensuring that presentations go off without a hitch. It may even be useful in bars and restaurants when you want to clandestinely change the channel to watch something else!
Choosing an activity's icon.
|
Some things are done simply because they could be. That�s been the general marketplace reception of HPC or PDA-based remotes for some time now: a nice idea, but don�t expect miracles. UEI�s Nevo technology goes far beyond �frill�, but still comes across as a secondary function, added value. Despite having the ultimate in pre-designed hardware resources behind them, the Nevo is still too structured and rigid in its remote control capabilities to truly capture the high-end or �hard core� market segment. This limitation has been the burden of other remotes attempting to go up against well-seasoned and established products.
But unlike some of those earlier attempts, the Nevo is free to grow. If UEI can move beyond the �here�s how you�ll control your theater� notion and add further advanced layers of customization � �advanced functionality� needn�t equate with �difficult to program� � the Nevo really could become the next big thing. What other remote control can run Quake 2 or Rayman, browse the internet or balance your books?
As it stands today, Universal Electronic�s Nevo is simply another good reason to buy Compaq�s excellent iPAQ H3900 series. As the software matures, it just might become the primary reason for many people!
- Daniel Tonks (Remote Central)
| 
Previous page
