Filed under: Accessories, Reviews, iPhone
iPhone/iPod touch Remote Control
Say what you will about scroll wheels versus touch screens but you can't effectively operate a touch screen from your pocket. Fortunately the iPhone provides decent, and the iPod touch excellent, compatibility with standard iPod accessories like this $6.30 Borgvik remote control from Kai Domain (formerly Fifth Unit). It's labeled as a nano device but works well with both touch and iPhone. Using a remote allows you to operate your iPhone or iPod touch without physically touching the screen. As you can see in the picture here, this remote allows you to to adjust playback volume, play and pauses and navigate between tracks.
Of course, if you're using the iPhone earbuds, a remote control isn't particularly necessary. The squeeze control located on the headset wires allows you to pause/play (single squeeze) and skip to the next track (double squeeze). If you prefer to use your own earphones (as I do) or play back through the iPhone speakers (not necessarily in your pocket), a remote can come in handy. The control clips to your shirt so you don't have to keep grabbing to find it.
Be aware that the iPhone throws up a warning whenever the remote attaches, letting you know that the accessory was not made for the iPhone. It prompts you to enter Airplane mode, a choice you can readily decline.
The attached adapter plug works well with the iPod touch but does not fit into the iPhone's unusually deep headphone jack. Overall performance with an iPhone: 3 Apples out of 5, with an iPod touch: 4 Apples out of 5.
My personal iPod touch with remote:
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Tucker said 11:40AM on 9-28-2007
That looks like the old-school remote that used to ship with iPods back in the day (2nd gen, maybe?). Anyone confirm if they work as well? I could dig mine out of the bottom of a drawer somewhere. Also, I thought the Touch didn't support the 'squeezemote' from the iPhone...?
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dave said 11:57PM on 12-07-2007
my 3G had a similar remote, but it used the little extended headphone jack that apple stopped supporting 3 years ago. so it wont plug into any of the new ipods, touch and iphone included.
i just got a touch today, i might look into this remote.
Mark Zell said 11:43AM on 9-28-2007
This is cool. But why can't I use my offical Apple Radio Remote? I don't even really care about the radio, I just want to use the remote that I bought.
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marcus said 11:50AM on 9-28-2007
what do you mean? i don't have to pay $50 for a remote for my $200 ipod?
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Frank Owen said 11:57AM on 9-28-2007
I don't get it. Does this thing plug into BOTH the doc connector and audio jack? So on iPhone, you'd have cables coming out both ends? That would be pretty weird. Or does it just plug into the doc connector?
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Mercury7 said 12:00PM on 9-28-2007
Hi, can you confirm it is the one made for the nano that you tested on the touch...the one on the link you sent us to pictures one made for the video ipod. I wanted to go ahead and order. 6 bucks seems pretty sweet for this.
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Joseph said 12:01PM on 9-28-2007
For those of you looking for an easy way to hook up any headphones to your iPhone (with a standard minijack headphone plug), check out Belkin's extender: http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=374491.
Picked it up for $9.95 at the Apple Store. Works great, and it's flexible (literally).
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Dave said 12:10PM on 9-28-2007
Still waiting for a good set of buds that have all the functionality that the stock buds do for the iPhone... and BLACK ones at that!!!
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dave said 12:04AM on 12-08-2007
vModa vibe duo.
if you're willing to pay 90 dollars for a pair of headphones, the plug fits right into the iphone, and there's a mic built into the headphone cord. i dont know about the one-button remote function, though.
Stephen Lang said 12:09PM on 9-28-2007
There are a ton of these on EBay too, for similar prices. I've seen some with a Shuffle-type control pad, which I prefer.
You just have to be careful not to buy one with radio, otherwise I would think they should work fine too.
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Adam said 12:09PM on 9-28-2007
That's a raw doppelganger for the original "wired remote" that came with my 3rd Gen. Congratulations random iPod company accessory company X, you've successfully made it to 5 years ago.
In reply to #1, no, your old remote won't work. The new iPods don't have the "remote connector" on top. This replica likely connects via the dock connector.
That said, it's a useful little device. Before I got my bluetooth headphone system all worked out, I made extensive use of the remote with my 3G. I think I'm the only one I know who did. Most of my friends carried the iPod in their front pocket and pulled it out all the time, mostly to show off the svelte I think. I preferred to leave it in my bag and run the remote wire out.
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Daniel said 12:09PM on 9-28-2007
That Belkin extender is hideous and doesn't look flexible at all. I bought the white adaptor made by Apple for the old Shuffle sport case.
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byron church said 12:21PM on 9-28-2007
That reminds me of my Grama's enema bag !
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Mercury7 said 12:28PM on 9-28-2007
Thanks for the tip...just ordered it for my touch
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Mercury7 said 12:54PM on 9-28-2007
Could you test for me if this remote will contol volume while coverflow in landscape mode? this was one of the things apple did not provide without flipping it and will be great while using in the car if it works
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Hermiod said 1:08PM on 9-28-2007
Can anyone suggest where I can get one of these in the UK ?
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ICEBrk said 3:04PM on 9-28-2007
Now if they only made an extender cable with remote and mic functionality I could plug into my in ear buds. As it is they have a 1' cable that would connect perfectly to a mic/remote control clip-on unit. Market! where is my product?
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Joseph said 1:23PM on 9-28-2007
@Daniel: I agree it's ugly, but it certainly gets the job done. And it is flexible.
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Bert said 2:49PM on 9-28-2007
Wow, that's not flexible at ALL. Why didn't Apple make something similar to the iPhone earphones, but without the microphone?
Just a tiny little button to be able to pause and play ...
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mark audacity said 10:24PM on 9-28-2007
bert: Because the touch is a product designed for the sole purpose of shutting people up. It takes away the biggest whine about the iPhone—that is has that pesky revolutionary phone attached to it. The iPod touch is not and never has been a replacement for the "best iPod we've ever made" that is in the iPhone.
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