Touchsceen remote that acts/feels like a remote!

Apps & Remote Access
1

Is it possible to use a touchsceen device (tablet/smartphone/whatever) that has the same quick usability as standard remote control?

i.e. when you pick it up off the table, will it turn on automatically and display your remote control buttons?

(rather than push the power button, then slide the screen bar to unlock, then open the remote app)

Is this easy to do?

2

SQremote has a function to keep the device from locking. Yes this would drain the battery, but a cheap dock would solve that!

3

I have two devices that work pretty much the way you want, I think.

Both are android devices- one is a Galaxy Tab, one is a rooted Nook Color. On the desktop of each, I have buttons generated from Home Buddy (an Android client for Vera) and I just hit the button to activate a scene. Works really well.

For the money, the Nook Color is a perfect device for this kind of thing. Although it doesn’t “wake up” when you pick it up, there’s a hardware button smack on the front. You can also disable the stupid swipe to unlock, so it’s almost exactly like a touchscreen remote control should be.

In fact, it’s even better than your usage model- with buttons on the desktop, you don’t even have to load the application before controlling the scenes.