How about a TV Remote Control that use a touchscreen. It has two ways of function. The first one shows a number keyboard where you can choose a channel by pressing the number, the other one shows a ribbon of all channels available with a preview than you can choose a channel moving the ribbon from left or right, or it can shows several previews grouped by theme (sports, comedy, news) and move all over the themes and then choose the channel, this way you can see what is showing on the channel and if you like it before change it. These Remote should works by Bluetooth.
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I think this idea has potential. I'm not sure if it would be a good idea to put the previews on the remote itself though. It might be better to put the previews on the bottom of the TV screen instead. The remote screen would be so small it would be hard to really see what is in the previews. However, the touch screen could be useful. You could program it to have exactly the buttons you want and put them exactly where you want them. You could have multiple preset button arrangements, so if for example you want to watch a DVD you could bring up a set of buttons designed to control a DVD player, but if you want to channel surf, you could bring up a different set of button designed just for that.
I think making the remote itself smart with pictures and stuff is probably the next logical step and likely to be a great idea. I can't see ever being willing to pay $100 for a TV remote, but with the technology as prevalent as it is, yes, this seems like a good idea.
they already exist, except for the preview part. look at this one http://www.universalremote.com/product_detail.php?model=34 it has a touch screen plus standard buttons to quickly change channels, volume, etc. I programmed a couple for a house with a huge theater system and audio everywhere, a bunch of tv's, used rf instead of ir transmitter, so it could be used from anywhere, and you just select whatever room you are in to get the appropriate screen. downside: it took days to program, and you couldn't do previews, it would have to recieve a signal as well as transmitting, plus having a bunch of previews would be tough, since that means more cable, or sat, tuners for each channel you want to show.
They should make controllers for video game consoles with touch screen features. It would allow a wider range of games to be developed for consoles, with custom input screens for each screen. For example, they could have a full alphanumeric keypad for games like "Wheel of Fortune". An alphanumeric keypad could also be used for entering passwords or sending text messages.
xenonapple, I have to disagree about the video game controller being touch screen. When you're playing a game, feedback and quick response are important in the controls. You get neither of these from any touch-screen I've used.
The feedback from a button--when it clicks-over and you feel that it has been pressed, is very important in a sound-intensive environment. For instance, avionics I've designed often takes twice the button pressure you'd expect for a home appliance, because planes are loud and you need to be sure it's pressed. The only way I've ever been able to provide user feedback for a touch screen was with an audible 'beep' from a speaker, which required processor time and could still be drowned out easily, resulting in people pushing the same button again.
In general, you can tell I'm not a fan of touch-screens. Even though I have a halfway touch-screen phone, a centro, I'll almost always dial from the 'real' buttons.