Multitalented Mouse Controls More Than PCs

NEW YORK -- The ultimate couch potato's remote control is taking a bow at CeBIT America here this week, with the introduction of Media Center Remote, a combination wireless mouse/remote that uses unique motion-sensing technology to let hand and wrist movements navigate a PC cursor.

The gadget is from Gyration, maker of the Ultra Cordless Optical Mouse, which uses some of the same technology. With the Media Center Remote, you can operate your PC, TV, DVD, music, and slide shows without ever leaving your sofa.

The Media Center Remote is scheduled for release in September, priced at $150 alone or $180 with a compact wireless keyboard.

How It Works

The Media Center Remote uses radio frequency technology, which does not have the line-of-sight limitations of typical infrared remote-control devices. It is designed to handle remote-control functions on PCs running Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition.

The mouse component of the remote can operate as a conventional one on a desktop, or control software from as far as 100 feet away from the PC. You simply point the remote at the PC and, by toggling the underside gyration button, click on the mouse in midair. You control the cursor on the screen by hand movements.

"What makes the Media Center Remote a particular improvement over traditional remotes is the freedom it gives users not to have to look away from the TV screen, locate a button, and then point and click," says Thomas Quinn, Gyration's cofounder and chief executive officer. "Now, anybody can simply wave their hands and click, and that's particularly good in a dark room while viewing a DVD movie or TV program."

The device comes bundled with a suite of software called GyroTools, which are designed to enhance remote-control activity. For example, if you're having difficulty reading a Web page, the software enables you to just click and zoom in on the screen, raising and lowering your hand to change the volume.