That picture is adorable and sleazy at the same time. I love it!

If the iphone were able to act as a sophisticated IR blaster, I'd have one RIGHT NOW!

Fantastic, now if it could be a universal remote for my whole media center, that would be awesome.

Sounds like a plan... Guessing this will work with PS3 as well?

At only $400, it clearly is one of the best deals on PS3 remote controls. Act today, and we will include these handsome Apple ear-buds, too!

So, is the goal of your average iPhone user to control the universe from the fancy-schmancy touch screen? It sounds like we are getting close.

The iPhone should be a remote for everything.

sounds like the PSP interface only worst.

BD Touch = Bondage and Domination Touch

Apple is really expanding their market share.

interesting, iphone 3g ftw =D
and loved the picture =D

@justinpe: i think so too, they should make an ir dock plug adapter for it =D
and a software-lke from the palm where you copy the ir signal, frequency and program =D

When overhyped tech collides!

thanks jesus, you always come through when it comes to making me look like an insane retard randomly laughing in front of my computer at work

Are they going to have interactive touch features for pornos?

why would they have an infra red dock, since it already has bluetooth, btw im guessing thats what that BD means although i have to admit i like Deadwriters interpretation of the abbreviation... in any case i think this is a wicked awsome idea seeing as i already own an iphone, saves me buying the ps3 remote...

Hmm...I'm not so sure about this concept if its primary use is as a remote control. There's something about having actual, tactile buttons on your remote that your fingers can just find in the dark and/or without looking. I, for one, NEVER look down at any of my remote controls to operate them, I just know where the buttons are by touch.

Besides, what's the cost of a typical, button-laden remote? $20-ish? Or just pony up for one of those fancier, universal remotes, again with real buttons? I don't yet see how this iPhonePod-as-remote is really all that interesting...but I also acknowledge that we have not yet seen screenshots/videos of the software interface in action. I'd love to be awed, just not yet.

The iPhone will eventually replace the dog as man's best friend

I thought the iPod Touch didn't have Bluetooth?

@bosskev:

iPhone remote works pretty good, also Rmeote Buddy is pretty slick. I understand your argument for physical buttons, but there are plenty of advantages to using the iPhone as a remote.

First, the UI can be customized for each device that it would control making it more efficient. Also, the screen lights up, making it much easier to use in the dark than a traditional remote. Why pay $20 for a crappy piece of plastic when you already own an iPhone? People aren't going to buy an iPhone for the sole purpose of using it as a remote. BTW, people are already paying $300-400 for high-end universal remotes with touch screens. Except they can't email, text/call people, browse the internet, take photos, play games, or brush their teeth with it.

@Erwos:

"The application will use the network capabilities of Blu-ray hardware and Apple's handheld devices to transfer data"

I don't think they said anything about Bluetooth. iPhone Remote and Remote Buddy already work in this manner for controlling your mac. Although, I think Bluetooth would be a much better way to do things.

@bosskev: I don't hardly look at my remotes either, but being able to control playback as well as having a copy of a flick to watch on the iPhone...as well as all the other features of the iphone/touch....make this interoperability really attractive.

Now if Sony ever releases their ps3 DVR capabilities here in the states and I could control with an iphone/touch.....I would be one very happy couch potato.

So you're telling me that they figured out how to access the iPhone's bluetooth hardware, and this took higher priority than A2DP?

The iPhone; is there anything it CAN'T do?

I'd much rather just use a normal remote for my ps3. it does more then some icrap software

This has nothing to do with Bluetooth, it's an IP based app (otherwise it wouldn't work on all blu-ray players, just the PS3).

@Chimera: Ah, that makes more sense. All this Blue/Blu flying around I got confused.

If only apple will not cripple their bluetooth in europe so i can send files back and forth to my mac like i do with my Nokia E90.

My iPhone 3G wish list:

HSDPA
MMS
Object exchange bluetooth (send files such as docs and pdf to my computer)
3.5mm headphone jack (instead of using those horrible adapters)
possibility to use own unprotected MP3 or AAC songs as ringtones.

Add all of this plus 32GB and the i will ditch looking forward to the nokia N96 which is likley to be free and pay £269 for the iPhone

(then unlock it.....

then go back and get the N96 for free...

then sell it brand new for £350...

then put the N96 contract sim in the iPhone.....

then make a profit of £90 from the sale of the N96....)

Come on Apple N95 (take 1) had this from the get go and it sold over 7 million worldwide in under a year

@justinpe: Or at least the AppleTV

my mistake i mean a profit of approximately £79... sorry people

no no no i meant a profit of £81... sorry again people

@The Full English Please!!: There's a free program called Tonelogg that will edit and convert mp3s to iPhone ringtones.

I just wish Logitech would make a BT adaptor for its Harmony remotes...is it too much to ask for technology to be simple and have only ONE remote????

It would be nice if Apple decided to make some kind of sleeve docks for their iPods as well. An IR sleeve that adds a little extra to the top or bottom of an iPod Touch could fit an IR transmitter, or add a sleeve that gives the iPod a speaker and mic (and extra battery and BT) to use as a cordless landline phone (with a base that plugs into a standard or VoIP jack, sweet). A clamshell case with a qwerty keyboard, a horizontal analog game pad sleeve, you get the ides. It's neat that the iPhone can do so much, but the iPod is going the way of the dinosaur. Who'll need one once iPhones bump up to large capacities (beyond 32GB)? Besides, we take our phones with us and our families would be screwed once we left the house. I'd love to have an iPod sitting on my coffee table that my family could use to browse music, TV listings, the web, email, and control my home theater (or automation) products. Besides, I had a Logitech Harmony which I paid $400 for, did a fraction of what an iPod does for the same price, and was the biggest POS remote I ever overpaid for. The thing lagged every time I pressed a button and it's a nightmare to use with a DVR. Please, Apple?

@Galley: Has it learned to copy/paste yet?

Seriously though if this is going through the IP then I hope to see it ported over to other WiFi capable devices. It'd seem silly to limit it to just one niche market with the iFone

I got a PS3 Blu-Ray remote from dealxtreme for $13, because I was tired of using the game controller to watch dvds (just can't get used to it), but unfortunately only half the buttons work right, so I welcome this program to the iphone!

@jetexas: Sweeeet, will pass it on to my brother, he has an iphone (hacked my me the geek of the family) but will not use it as primary phone until he has his on ring-tone (hey he lives in london, make that Peckham, the Harlem or Brooklyn of london, u could get shot for something that stupid... then the phone will get robbed)

Thanks again

@The Full English Please!!: Actually, I remembered that wrong. (The company is called Techlogg.) The program is called ToneShop -- but it's still free and still works with iPhone.

[lifehacker.com]

funny, just yesterday i was thinking how cool it'd be for the iPod touch to be used as a remote for a home theater.