Standing out among the newbie apps to debut at this year’s SWSX festival was the Peel Universal Remote, a device and app that personalizes the home media viewing experience. PEEL, a Silicon Valley startup, publicly debuted its universal remote at SXSW by playing on the device’s pear-shape and distributing over 15,000 fresh, PEEL branded, pears with fruit stickers that lead to a demo for the new gadget.
A novel product in the remote industry, the Peel Universal Remote uses common Apple devices like the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad to invisibly control entire home entertainment systems including TV cable or satellite boxes, Blu-ray and DVD players, Apple TV, Roku, stereos and more.
Boasting an easy 5-minute virtual foolproof setup, the Peel designs a personal programming package by using a recommendation engine to collect user preferences based on a variety of criteria that become more refined over time. This customization provides an easy-to-use mosaic of a user’s favorite shows filtered by type and genre in the order of preference.
Unlike previous attempts at universal remote control, Peel’s wireless technology powered by a single C battery requires no cords, dongles or cables, but instead controls an A/V rack using a wireless IR blaster. Users are able to search and automatically switch channels and inputs, and adjust volume via gesture methods even when they are out of the viewing room. Peel’s combination of program discovery, seamless universal control and shared entertainment experiences, challenges competition like Logitech’s Harmony System and single-device remote apps including DVRs, Apple TV, and Boxee Box.
Founded in 2009, Santa Clara, Calif. based PEEL includes members of the original iTunes Store design and engineer teams, finalists from the Netflix recommendation improvement contest, as well as recognized experts in social media, and technology. The company received Series A financing from Redpoint Ventures, known for its successful endeavors in consumer entertainment and interactive media including Netflix and Tivo.
The user-friendly fruit is currently available at Apple Stores nationwide and online for $99, while the free Peel – Personal TV Show Guide app is available to download at the iTunes App Store.
