Review: Griffin Beacon Remote Control

Someday soon I may do a review of my Verizon HD service, for the mere fact that I hate the TV Box that verizon gives you.  Until then here is a new gadget that I found to be fun.  The Griffin Beacon does one thing, and does it very well, it turns your IOS or Android device into a remote control for your TV, cable box, gaming system, etc.  The need for this came from my families continual habit of losing the remote control.  Now in order to lose my remote, I have to lose my phone (which aint happening!).  In the box you get a little Beacon device that sits in between you and the devices you want to control.  The Beacon is nicely designed.  It looks like a piece of decoration that you would have on your living room table, sort of like a shiny black rock sitting on a block.  You download the free Dijit app from iTunes or the Android marketplace and you are off and rolling.  The app uses the Internet to identify and program your devices with the Beacon.  The only downside I have on the device is that you works via bluetooth.   Although I use bluetooth, I dont leave it on all day (Battery drain), I have to remember to turn on bluetooth every night to use the Beacon.  But once you use it, it works.  I can control the TV, Verizon box and the XBox.  Additionally, you can program it to work with multiple TV's and devices.  So when I am in the living room, it will work, I take the Beacon upstairs, it works on that TV as well (the Beacon is battery operated, so it is portable room to room).  The app gives you a nice screen with the controls for whatever device you are controlling at the time.  At a cost of about $70, it is a bit pricey, but it does work.  Check out more here.