Filed under: Accessories, Multimedia, Portables, How-tos, Mods, Ask TUAW
Ask TUAW: Where do you put your Apple remote?
A time old phrase uttered countless times in countless living rooms across the world, usually accompanied by an expletive or two. Now that Apple has standardized Front Row and bundled a remote with nearly its whole range, Mac mini, MacBook and MacBook Pro owners are also screaming out for their lost "thingy", "zapper" and "remote control". iMac owners are in the clear: they've got a nice little magnetic section on the side of their machine that the Apple remote will elegantly stick to. Mac mini, MacBook and MacBook Pro owners aren't so fortunate. Apple's forgot to give us non-iMac owners a place to stash our remote! The MacBook, with its magnetic lid, offers a semi-viable solution. The remote will happily stick to the left and right corners at the top of the screen where the lid magnets are. It looks pretty stupid though.
One solution that Apple could use, for the MacBook Pro at least, is to adapt the Apple remote so that it will fit inside the laptop's ExpressCard slot. That would allow users to store the remote out of the way while the machine was closed (our less than elegant solution shown above doesn't tackle that problem). Have any TUAW readers come up with a way to keep the Apple remote with their Mac when they're not using it? Guides for Velcro mods, tractor beam construction manuals and levitation how-tos are welcome!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jason P said 7:35PM on 5-27-2006
even though i have an intel iMac, i don't keep the remote on the holder. Why would i want to store the remote control on the actual device that i'm controlling. do you keep the remotes for your TV and DVD player on your TV and DVD Player?
I use my iMac as a media centre in my room, so i keep the remote on my bedside table. If i want to chill and read a book, i can play some iTunes, if i want to lie down and watch some Scrubs, i can do that aswell, but if you really want to keep your remote fixed to the device you're controlling, go for it.
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tomokun said 7:52PM on 5-27-2006
I use the AppleRemote for my iPod, and I usually leave it on my bed (it is in my room), the floor next to the bed, the chair infront of the iPod or the desk that the iPod is on itself.
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Dave Zatz said 8:00PM on 5-27-2006
When I pick up my MacBook shortly, I will store the remote in a drawer with other useless items. I have no need to remote control a 13" laptop. I'd rather they drop Front Row, IR, and the remote and charge me $35 less. I'll keep the iSight, though!
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daniel Tucker said 8:37PM on 5-27-2006
I'm still on an ibook g4 but will be upgrading soon (just like everyone says they will, but honest I'm really going to). When I do get my macbook I'm just going to keep it in my brenthaven backpack along with the laptop. Its only going to be useful really if I hook it to a tv to watch missed lost episodes or for a presentation at college (which btw kudos to apple for keynote
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Dave P said 8:52PM on 5-27-2006
The Apple remote that came with my Mac Mini got used once; to train my Harmony 880 remote. The Apple remote now lives in the draw along with the cable box, tivo, amplifier, dvd player, and TV remotes.
The harmony does a decent job with the mac mini. The only problem is that sometimes when I'm in Front Row and try to scroll down a list of shows, the scrolling doesn't finish when I release the button it goes all the way to the end. Might just be a matter of re-training that command.
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Brad Meraly said 8:55PM on 5-27-2006
Right by my bed. OMG, I'm such a geek. I fall asleep to my podcasts on Front Row. The remote is great b/c I wake up to my iTunes alarm. The remote becomes my snooze button. Therefore, I have multiple alarms ;)
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Thayne Miller said 9:24PM on 5-27-2006
although I do wish there were an easier place to store the remote, I just keep it in my messenger back along with my macbook. I am constantly giving presentations with keynote and this remote is absolutely VITAL for that very purpose! If you've never tried this remote with keynote, there are actually a lot of little hidden features! Try pressing the menu button during a slideshow. Pretty slick. Plus, I like being able to sleep the macbook by holding down the play button. Charge you $35 less and drop front row? Excuse me, but I happen to LOVE front row and the remote! I always hook my macbook up to my 52" projection TV to watch LOST episodes, etc, and being able to control it is so slick. I sort of think they ought to have just made the shuffle and/or nano into a front row remote as well.... just one less thing to carry around.
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Debbie said 9:47PM on 5-27-2006
I never have the remote handy and since I put the hacked installation of front row on my Power Mac G5, I am used to the keyboard commands. That's what I use.
I have the newer mac mini (intel) also, set up in my living room next to my 50" plasma for media center and did the same thing as Dave P - just used it to program my harmony remote.
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CBuck said 11:04PM on 5-27-2006
I can honestly say I have never used the word "Zapper" when referring to the remote. :) But I keep my "zapper" next to the TV remote.
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Chris P said 11:06PM on 5-27-2006
It would be cool if Apple put some R&D on remote storage especially for the note book users. But their thinking is probably "Hey you all got other small gadgets you carry around and don't lose. Like small flash drives, and media cards."
Now if they would just add bluetooth or some other wireless system built into the iPod then we could just use our iPods as remotes with full color screens!
Imagine this! Your out for a jog with your Nano. Your still really into the song your listening to so once you get into your home you have your Nano sync wirelessly with your Mac mini that's then hooked to an Airport Express that's in turn hooked to your home stereo. In just seconds the you listening to in your ear buds is now playing through your home stereo where you left off. And it's not streaming from the iPod BUT your iPod is telling iTunes which song and at what time in the song to play. Once that happens then you sit on the couch and as your taking off your Nike Air whatevers with the new Nike+ system you are having you ipod sync your run to your Mac mini and then onto the Nike+ database online.
The wireless system and upgraded firmware is the only thing not allowing this scenario to become a reality.
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Richard said 2:09AM on 5-28-2006
The remote for the intel iMac we have at work is kept in a draw, on the other side of the room, so that I don't get distracted by it while i'm trying to work
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Andrew Harrison said 2:22AM on 5-28-2006
i'm planning on buying a MacBook, but I haven't thought about where I'm going to put the remote.
I have some tiny magnets lying around which would be good. Maybe i'll make a pouch or something for it and keep it attached to my bag.
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Justin said 3:42AM on 5-28-2006
I'm on an iMac 17" the first type released, running front row.I don't have a remote, so i just use my keyboard.
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Ken said 3:48AM on 5-28-2006
First thing I though of were rubber bands.
The second, most convenient method, is drilling a hole on your MacBook and sliding it inside when not in use.
Then again, I may just be jealous of not having a MacBook yet :)
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John Russell said 4:16AM on 5-28-2006
I have an Core Duo Mac Mini and I have it placed on its left side on my desk as to take up less space. Thanks to the small size of the remote, I just stand it up against the front of the mini, although I wish the Mini had a magnet somewhere.
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Chris Andrews said 10:28AM on 5-28-2006
I like the idea of sliding it into the Express card slot. how 'bout making it run on a slim small rechargeable battery that would charge via the Express Card Slot.
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Justin Cash said 10:37AM on 5-28-2006
I just ordered a Mac Book Pro for school (15.4 inch, 2 Gig). And honestly, I think all my pc user friends and co-workers are feeling a mix of jealousy and boredom (cause i can't stop talking about my new Mac). It hasn't arrived yet though unfortunately (stupid memorial day). This is my first Mac, so I'm not used to having peripherals on my desk like this. I have no idea where I'm gonna keep this remote. Maybe over next to my iPod box. Maybe that way, it won't be lonely.
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Ted Brzinski said 4:05PM on 5-28-2006
I jury-rigged a small bracket that I've adhered to the back-top-right corner of my MBP. It's just made from some scrap bit of steel I had at work, and actually compliments the aluminum finish quite well. I just made it, so I haven't really gotten to use it yet. I'd post pics, but my isight's facing the wrong way ;)
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Ben H said 6:09PM on 5-28-2006
Actually on second though. I have now swallowed mine. To activate front row at the moment , all i need to do its punch myself really hard in the stomach
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CBuck said 10:57PM on 5-28-2006
How do you adjust the volume? On second thought, I don't need to know... :P
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