I’ve been burned before—those sleek remote controls that promise to “do it all” and, of course, fail miserably—so I’m trying to stay grounded this time. But it’s hard ‘cause I think this could be it, yesssss, the one, my Precioussss. First, as the name suggests, the OpenPeak WiFi SimpleRemote is indeed WiFi enabled, meaning it can wirelessly access your home network and the Internet from it’s gorgeous 262,000-color 2.2” LCD display—pictures, movies, TV listings, even RSS feeds are literally at your fingertips. It also means that unlike typical RF and IR remotes, it can control just about every device you own, no matter where they are in the house. Think about it, you could stream music from the PC to the stereo, check your flailing Google stock, watch a movie trailer, dim the porch lights, even instant message with your buds as you watch Battlestar Galactica, all while keeping an eye on Jr.’s babycam. Yes, that’s a lot to take in, but honestly, if only half that works it’ll be a huge victory for us couch potatoes. Another great touch is its “interview-based” setup—no codes, no fumbling for old manuals, just a couple questions about your devices and how you want use them. If you haven’t experienced this type of setup process before (several manufacturers are now using it) believe me, you’ll love it. Pricing is set around $250 and OmniPeak is said to be partnering with some big name companies for additional branded versions. Enjoy, my little Hobbitses.

Credit: CEPro

OpenPeak