Give each remote a tracker

Lost remote Control is the slightest crisis. There is almost no trouble, and it is usually solved by turning enough sofa cushions. This may be why it took so long for the destructive type to find a solution. However, these solutions are here now, and they are very enjoyable.

Credit to year First: It pioneered remote search a few years ago, although it only applies to higher-end streaming media player models. But in the past few months, there has been a small revolution in remote control tracking, enhancements and improvements, and options that have never been explored before—including Roku itself.

The most obvious beneficiary of the small transformation is Apple TV users.This Siri remote, A small slender number, seems to be deliberately designed to slide into a location that cannot be found, except for using the Apple TV Remote app on the phone, it cannot cure the disappearing problem. (This can work in a pinch, but the remote control with physical buttons is much better than the experience of tapping the glass.) Even the updated version of the hardware announced in April and released next month is still unusable.This may be particularly surprising, because Apple not long ago Designed a so-called U1 chip Whose main job is Help find something.

Fortunately, Apple does use U1 Aviation label, The company recently announced its answer to Tile and other tracking widgets. This is the opportunity that Derrick Ensley, who runs the 3D printing store PrintSpired Designs, sees. Soon after the release of AirTags, Ensley began designing a slim Siri Remote case that had enough space to smuggle AirTags on board.He sells at the same time The case itself with Schematic diagram For anyone who wants to print it, whether it’s the previous generation or current hardware.

“Because the remote control is very thin and the material is very smooth, it is easy to slide between sofa cushions,” Ensley said of Apple’s remote control. “Of course, there are many people who cannot understand how people lose the remote control, but as the father of a 2-year-old child, it is easy to misplace it.”

Ensley said he was still able to sell dozens of boxes a week after the initial orders surged after reports from some technology news websites. Although his business has benefited from Apple’s design decisions, he found it puzzling that even without the integrated U1 chip, the company did not provide any form of lifeline for owners of lost remote controls.

“For Apple, at least adding a small speaker to their second-generation Siri Remote to help people find it is trivial,” he said. “AirTag’s U1 function may be a bit overkill for the remote control, but I found that having Siri play a sound on my remote AirTag is enough to quickly find it.”

However, without these measures, the AirTag case solution is accelerating its development.This week, accessories company Elago announced its Apple TV Siri Remote R5 Case, A thick silicon shell, including an AirTag slot. Elago has solved the naughty remote problem before, using the R1 housing with magnets, which allows you to safely place it on any metal surface. “With the launch of Apple’s new AirTags, we have seen a natural transition to a new remote case,” said Michael Limm, general manager of Elago. “Through our R1 chassis sales, we know that the demand for such functional chassis is important to our customers.”

Ensley said that given its ubiquity, he has received requests to expand to other remotes, especially Roku. But for some Roku owners, the case is meaningless. The remote control has done the work for you.

The hide-and-seek rules of the streaming lady have been limited to a few high-end models, but it provides a good probation for those who are ponies. For a long time, Roku Ultra and Roku 4 streaming media boxes have buttons. When you press these buttons, the relevant remote control will make a noise for a minute or until you find it, whichever comes first. If you delve into Roku settings, you can even choose from a variety of sounds.