For the horde of iPhone owners who’ve been looking for a way to transform their beloved devices into an all-in-one remote control, the going has been slow and the results, disappointing. However, a partnership between Phillips and the company that has transformed millions of Android phones into universal remotes, Peel, may have just come up with the ultimate solution: Say hello to Pronto.
Debuted on the showroom floor at CES 2015 Unveiled in Las Vegas, Pronto is a battery-powered little unit that shoots infrared in 360 degrees to thousands of devices, in order to allow control over virtually anything in your home theater. Pronto uses Bluetooth BLE to speak through Peel’s intuitive and simple iOS app to follow commands from your iPhone.
And unlike most devices we’ve seen in this camp, there is almost no lag involved. Punch the volume, and the volume changes. Hit pause on the Blu-ray, and voila, the movie is frozen.
Peel’s reps say the new Phillips-crafted device will last almost a year on a pair of AA batteries. It’s set up to work with thousands of TVs and other devices — including an Apple TV — as well as offering an electronic channel guide from your local cable or satellite provider. And this being the age of smart … well, everything, the Pronto is also designed to follow your TV habits, and learn what you’re into to offer helpful hints. Best of all, this baby is only $50, making it one of the cheapest iOS all-in-one remote solutions we’ve seen on the market.
We’ve only spent a bit of time with the Pronto, and we’re already fairly excited about its potential. The device is slated to arrive sometime in January. And if you’re still wary of its talents (believe us we understand), you can hold off for our forthcoming review, as we’ve got a Pronto of our own on order.
