While the tech world is engrossed in the prospect of an Apple TV – Samsung is striking while the iron is hot and has created a new intelligent universal remote for its forthcoming internet Smart TVs and devices.
The new remote does away with hundreds of crude buttons in favour of a minimal touch-sensitive trackpad in a similar vein to a magic mouse/trackpad, and it’s also reported to have voice controls as well.
Apparently the controller will be released alongside Samsung’s new smart TVs which will be launched in the second half of 2012 – to try and compete with the rumoured Apple-branded TV.
There are a few buttons alongside the touchpad for channel changing and volume, while there’s a dedicated button for searching the internet and an inbuilt microphone for voice-active controls.
Samsung, which launched a similar remote at CES 2012 minus the touchpad, isn’t the first manufacturer to bring voice control into play. LG’s latest smart TVs incorporate voice recognition and allow users to speak search requests.
Canada’s two largest telecommunications companies, Rogers Communications and Bell Canada, reportedly have the new Apple TV in their labs for testing as they try and strike future media deals with Apple.
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