Universal Remote

    This one is more for the guys… but I think more and more women have taken over the remotes in their homes. In the average living room you can probably find many devices that ship with a remote control. From TVs and cable boxes to Blu-ray players and integrated amplifiers (no one says “stereos” anymore, do they?), each separate box can be made to do your bidding from the comfort of the couch or big comfy chair. But with all those remotes, how do you manage them all?

Well, outside of duct tape or various clever uses of velcro, a universal remote might be the best friend your media setup has. Instead of five or so remotes to juggle, a universal remote can herd the components into an orderly symphony of control.

The amount of control a universal remote offers appears to be directly related to its price tag. From universal remotes that now ship with cable boxes (such as the Comcast remote, which can control your TV and otherwise along with the cable box), to an Advanced Harmony Remote Control that not only controls many units, it can do so with a single press of a button. This kind of control and simplicity is definitely nice to have at your disposal.