Universal remotes could be making a comeback if devices like Cantata’s Haptique RS90 and RS90X actually deliver and are as good as advertised. The connected remote claims to double as an integrated smart home controller, but for now it’s just a Kickstarter hopeful. Over $300,000 has been committed to the serial remote (remote folks?), and as of this writing, less than $10,000 is needed to fully fund the project, with a current expected ship date of August 2024.
It differs from sparse competition in that it is centerless. You don’t need to plug a separate box into your TV or IR repeater to do this. It comes with a charging base, has a relatively spacious 3.2-inch color touch screen, and works with an Android-based operating system. The display sits above a set of 24 basic physical buttons used to navigate and control everything, including a button to initiate voice control. In addition to being compatible with more than 3,000 traditional infrared devices, including TVs, projectors, Blu-ray players and A/V receivers, the stylish, phone-shaped RS90 also features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities to work with the latest smart home devices and platform connections (even PS5 eventually).
Cantata promises early support for smart home integration with devices from popular brands like Philips Hue and Sonos, third-party and other open source hubs, and platforms like Samsung SmartThings, Homey and Home Assistant, as well as direct control of web-based services like Spotify and Netflix. In addition, there are receivers from companies like Yamaha and Denon, as well as popular streaming devices like the Amazon Fire TV Stick, Nvidia Shield TV, Apple TV, and Roku.
“Now you have a bunch of apps instead of a remote control,” he told me marginal Nilay Patel has been interviewed extensively. “The real question was, ‘Can we be the app selector? Can we somehow be the interface between all these apps and you?’ We looked at it. We all thought about it hard. We realized To app selection is an area of players that are already doing well in the market and we have to be able to do something special for our customers.
This is real! I can now use the LG Magic Remote to control most simple functions on my soundbar, TV, streaming box, and even my Xbox Series X/S (mostly thanks to HDMI-CEC). I just need to keep track of a few remotes in case I need to do something more specific. However, if you have dozens of other smart home devices or a more complex A/V setup (with parts from different brands), then this equation changes, but so far, my smartphone has more than enough to fill the gap. These blanks.
The Haptique RS90 aims to solve all these problems. The idea that it could fully serve as a one-stop smart home hub sounds too good to be true, considering it’s already a bit behind the curve – it lacks Matter support, for example – but at least someone’s try. You can currently buy this new favorite on Kickstarter for €240 (~$258), but the listing shows that once early bird pre-orders dry up, it will retail for €360 (~$387).
