Live at CES: Hillcrest Loop, The Future of Remote Controls

I just had a chance to check out the Hillcrest Loop remote control here at CES, and it’s awesome. The Loop is a remote that combines the motion-sensing of the Nintendo Wii and the functionality of a mouse, making sorting through the mountains of content that comes with current digital cable and satellite services a snap. Rather than having to scroll through hundreds of channels with simple up-and-down arrows, the Hillcrest system arranges your content visually, letting you point at exactly what you want. It makes getting to what you want really easy, and once you see it in action you’ll wonder how you survived with a normal remote for so long.

Hillcrest won’t be releasing their remote and interface under their name. Rather, they plan to license the technology to large, already established companies such as DVR manufacturers and cable providers. They told me that they’ll have the Loop in people’s hands by the end of 2007, and here’s hoping that’s true.

Technorati Tags:
hillcrest loop remote control digital cable satellite