The pronto when connected to the PC actually sends the ir commands of the buttons pressed on the emulator. With a couple of utilities this can be used to control the devices Pronto controls, over the phone. The first utility needed is a macro editor like Macro Magic with the ability to record mouse movements. You can create macros on the pronto for the desired task, or to record the sequence of pressing emulator buttons. Then assign a hotkey on the macro. The macro can be invoked by one of the phone answering applications with dtmf recognition.
Record the show you didn't have the chance to program on the vcr or turn on the central heating a little before you get back home...

Not a bad idea but I have taken this a bit further. I have a remote utility for my pc made my Symantec. It is called pcANYWHERE. I use it for work and support purposes. A while back I thought similar to the above with a few exceptions. Using pcANYWHERE, I can control my desktop from a remote computer. I leave my RC5K hooked up to the serial cable. I use pcANYWHERE to launch the RC5K setup software and then the emulator. I have a live cam that I have hooked to the computer as well. I have the camera aimed at my bigscreen tv so I can see the tv screen from the remote computer. I use the emulator to program my TiVo unit for shows that I have forgotten to select. The video is only 30 frames/sec so it is not too great for watching the tv but it does work just fine for setting up the TiVo or vcr if I still used it. This is useful tool when I am not at home. If you have the means, check it out.

Oddworld

Next it will be a Pronto with wireless internet. That would be sort of cool. Your watching TV and your Pronto lights up and says "You've got mail".

It sounds like you both have a cool setup. How about changing the pins of the charger base to connect to the serial cable 9 instead of charging thr battery. This way you would not have to plug and unplug it everytime.

Chris Couture
www.x10ideas.com

Ever wonder if the design engineers ever envisioned their Pronto doing this kind magic?

Gary

Just wait until BeIA powered appliances proliferate... And Jini-powered stuff too... Pretty soon everything will be connected, and you'll be able to call your DVD Recorder directly and tell it you want to record "Dilbert".

A few links:
Free BeOS R5 (when released between now and march 31) http://free.be.com (Try it! You'll like it!)

BeIA (OS for Internet Appliances) [Link: be.com]

And last but not least, BeDope... News related to Be, with a whimsical twist. http://www.bedope.com

(sorry for the commercialism! :) )

It appears that some folks have a little too much spare time I think :)

That's a matter of opinion! Some folks, like yourself, just do not seem to have enough spare time. (I think)


Anyway:

Life is what you make of it, time is of the essence and the more time you spend asleep, the more time others will pass you by with technolgy! If your eyes are closed, o'well, you'll miss it. Don't blink because tomorrow a new, better and cheaper verison will be released and what you have will be outdated tomorrow. However, never try to stay on top because you will soon fall to the bottom! Just remember that there is always something better, someone is always smarter and the price you paid for it today was higher than it will be tomorrow!

Just my opnion, it's free!

Xtremist

My backlight also died last week, so I brought it back to the store where I bought it. They told me it will be gone for 10 workdays.

arno
The Netherlands

Sorry, I send it to the wrong subject.

Arno