|
Photograph courtesy of One For All
 See Also
Tech TIME Archive
 |
 |
By WILSON ROTHMAN
If you have ever wondered why some universal remotes cost $30 and others cost
$300, the reason is flexibility. Expensive models work with more devices and
let you have more customized buttons per device. The trouble with those big
bad remotes is that you sometimes need a computer science degree to get it all set up. The newest One For All, designed by Universal Electronics, Inc., is nicely positioned between the dumb remotes and those that are too smart for your own good.
The first thing you notice about the Kameleon 8 isn't its usefulness,
however. It's the totally blank face staring up at you from the coffee table. Relying
on an internal motion sensor, the glowing buttons only show themselves when
you're using the remote (although it's so twitchy, it sometimes also lights up
when it detects footsteps and other rumblings). The result is a friend-wowing
sci-fi effect that has a real battery-life conserving purpose.
The Kameleon's adaptability doesn't stop there: depending on what device
you're trying to control, the remote only reveals the appropriate buttons. For
instance, if you're in TV mode, you need volume up and down, but you don't need
FFWD or Pause, so they stay hidden. Touch one of the other animated function
icons — for Cable Box, CD Player, DVD Player, Audio Receiver, VCR and PVR — and the button layout changes before your eyes.
Speaking of PVR, the Kameleon comes ready to take on the rather simple
demands of controlling a TiVo (something far greater remotes seem to have a hard
time sorting out). I was able to set the device to control products from
Sony, Pioneer, Panasonic and Scientific Atlanta in a matter of minutes, and
when there were buttons that didn't correspond to my most-used controls, I
"taught" the remote what I wanted — and where I wanted it — without any fuss.
The limit of the Kameleon 8's power is right there in its name: after eight
devices, one for each of the categories I mentioned above, you're out of luck.
People who like to program a second TV and VCR or audio system on the master remote should know: this Kameleon is a one-room wonder.
|
