Tech Blog

[#1]

I did a WES wrap up before forgetting to post one more important post, so here it is!  For those of you who remember a company called Unify4Life, they've now partnered up with Audiovox to bring their BlackBerry universal remote along with other products to the new Zentral Home Command.

The premise for these products are to enable your smartphone to do more, and they now support the iPhone as well as BlackBerry smartphones!  With the Zentral Home Command products, you can turn your BlackBerry or iPhone into a AV remote control, an iPod jukebox , and a garage door control.

Smartphone AV Remote: Allows you to use your smartphone as a remote control for your TV, stereo, DVD player, etc.  After you download the app, you get access to the interactive TV guide so that you can see what's on (on your smartphone) without having to activate the guide on your TV.  In some regards, this is similar to the idea of the Logitech Harmony remote, but with the extra ability to access the TV guide on your BlackBerry or iPhone.  This works via Bluetooth and connects to the bridge, which has IR technology.

Smartphone Jukebox: Allows you to view your playlists, song info, etc. from your iPod on your BlackBerry or iPhone, allows you to charge your iPod while it's plugged in, and plays it on any stereo system with audio plug ins.  It's compatible with all 30-pin iPods and iPhones.

Smartphone Garage Control: Available for BlackBerry only at this point, this allows you to open/close your garage door using your BlackBerry, so no more need for your garage door opener.  It also comes with a proximity sensor which allows for hands-free use.

According to the reps I spoke with, these products are being targetted for a September release and should be available in stores like Future Shop.

[#2]

Is there a monthly charge for this product?  I guess the TV listing is the only thing that could incur monthly charges.

[#3]

According to the Unify4Life site (the original manufacturer of the AV remote), the system comes with one year of access to the UnifyGuide, then after 1 year, the application will ask you if you want to renew for a charge of $19.99 per year.   The TV listing part is not required for use of the application though, so it's up to you if you want to continue using it or not.

Now then, that's under the Unify4Life system.  Under the new partnership with Audiovox and Zentral, it may be a bit different, although I'd expect it to be the same or very similar.