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Originally published on 06/24/2002
Universal Electronics essentially owns the remote control business. This profitable company makes remote controls for many manufactures, as well as its own "One for All" line. It also maintains a giant database of remote control infrared codes. And now it's serving the PDA market: HP is announcing today that the next iPaq, the 3900, will contain Universal's "Nevo" software that turns the device into a super-duper programmable remote control. The 3900 will also have a beefed-up infrared emitter so it can zap a TV from across the room. Sony already offers remote control software in some of its Palm-compatible Clie models.
Fast Facts:
Universal Electronics
www.uei.com |
| Pres./COO |
Rob Lilleness. Last job: VP, project manager, Trilogy
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| HQ |
Cypress, CA
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| Founded |
1986 (public in 1993)
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| Employees |
300+
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| Market |
Remote control technologies
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| Funding |
Public (Nasdaq: UEIC)
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| Profitable? |
Yes
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Yes, using an iPaq as a remote is overkill, like using a PC as an alarm clock. But really, HP isn't including Nevo in iPaqs because it thinks people will buy their next PDA as a remote. Rather, HP and Sony are hoping that the capability to control home electronics serves as a differentiating factor when consumers are shopping for a PDA. If you ask me, though, having built-in Wi-Fi, like in the new Toshiba e740, is far more useful.
Come to think of it, what we really need is both: an advanced version of Nevo running on a Wi-Fi PDA. A networked remote control could, theoretically, receive program information regularly and be used more as a controller of content than of hardware. In other words, why worry about channels, sources, and other settings when you could use a smart remote to scan and control a music library, or to see what's on the air while your TV is playing a DVD?
People like their home entertainment gizmos. But they buy them to watch and listen to media. It makes sense to build remote controls that reflect this.
- Rafe Needleman
email: rafe-needleman@catchoday.com
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