Almost everyone is familiar with losing a remote, and while some TV and A/V receiver manufacturers are beginning to offer their own remote apps, not all of them do. That’s where apps like Tekoia’s Sure Universal Remote app come in.
This week, the Sure Universal Remote app became the first client application certified by the Open Connectivity Foundation (OCF). OCF is the nascent standards group for communicating with IoT components including smart home devices. OCF is backed by many, but not all, of the largest IoT device and systems companies. For Sure remote users, OCF compatibility means the remote will be ready for new smart home products coming on the market, a growing number of which will use the OCF standard.
Tekoia’s app has long been the highest-rated universal remote app for Android devices, and with an August update, both Android and iOS users landed a handful of other useful new features as well. The iOS version, for example, features support for Broadlink Wi-Fi to IR (infrared) converters, allowing the app to control apps on devices with no smart functionality.
The Android version of the Sure Universal Remote app offers support for Sonos home audio systems and the Kodi (formerly XBMC) media player. Users can also stream audio and video content to their phones from DLNA servers, while streaming the other way works as well, with the ability to stream movies from mobile devices to supported smart TVs. The Sure app has supported smart home functionality for some time, and now that extends to the Wulian iCam.
One of the more useful features for users of both iOS and Android devices is the “backup and restore” functionality. This allows the Sure app to backup users’ device information and settings to Tekoia’s own Sure cloud, meaning there’s no reason to have to set up all of your devices again if you get a new phone or need to reset your device for some reason.
These latest updates add to a myriad of other functions the Sure remote app features, making it an extremely useful addition to your home theater or smart home.
The updated apps are available now, and can be found in the iOS App Store and Google Play Store.
Updated 1-25-2017 by Bruce Brown (original article published 8-16-2016): added information about the Sure remote app’s OCF certification for IoT and smart home devices.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.