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SPIN remote: The simplest most stylish remote ever

One remote for all your devices, free of all those buttons you never use.

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SPIN remote: The simplest most stylish remote ever

SPIN remote: The simplest most stylish remote ever

SPIN remote: The simplest most stylish remote ever

SPIN remote: The simplest most stylish remote ever

SPIN remote: The simplest most stylish remote ever

One remote for all your devices, free of all those buttons you never use.

One remote for all your devices, free of all those buttons you never use.

One remote for all your devices, free of all those buttons you never use.

One remote for all your devices, free of all those buttons you never use.

Arjan van Bremen
Arjan van Bremen
Arjan van Bremen
Arjan van Bremen
1 Campaign |
Meteren, Netherlands
$5,406 USD by 50 backers
$4,847 USD by 46 backers on Feb 16, 2015
Choose your Perk

SPIN remote

$92 USD
Est. Shipping
September 2015
30 claimed

SPIN special

$149 USD
Est. Shipping
September 2015
7 out of 100 of claimed

Family pack

$161 USD
Est. Shipping
September 2015
5 out of 100 of claimed

Beta tester

$173 USD
Est. Shipping
September 2015
2 out of 10 of claimed

Escher Exclusive

$230 USD
Est. Shipping
September 2015
0 out of 100 of claimed

Small business pack

$520 USD
Est. Shipping
September 2015
0 out of 50 of claimed

Large business pack

$984 USD
Est. Shipping
September 2015
0 out of 50 of claimed

Do you remember when things were simpler? When you could operate a device with just 2 simple dials? One to change volume and one to change channel, no more, no less. We have made it our mission to bring back that simplicity to todays over-complicated applications and we started with the remote control.

The remote control hasn’t really evolved since 1980. It is time for a revolution. Meet SPIN remote, the remote control of the future.




"SPIN enables ultimate comfort on your couch" - Newsweek

"SPIN remote is a lean, green, button-fightin' machine. Meet the last remote you'll ever need" - Atmel

"It's a fascinating concept, not least due to how it simplifies the sometimes complex remote control." - Gadget Review

"Simple enough, and sporting a clean design free of all those buttons you never use, this might be a hit for your home." - Daily Crowdfunder

The average household has 3 remote controls laying around in the living room, with about 40 buttons each. Do we really need 120 buttons to choose from when all we want to do is watch TV, play a movie or listen to the radio? The remote control has become too complex, we want to change this.

Do we really need yet another remote for every device we buy?

We strongly believe that technology should make our lives easier, not over-complicate it. With SPIN remote we want to bring back simplicity. We do this by bringing together what you really use and stripping away all that you don’t really need. A simple solution for a complex problem.

SPIN remote is the remote control revolutionized. A remote control shouldn’t have so many buttons, while you only use a handful. In fact, we believe that it shouldn’t have buttons at all. With SPIN remote you can do what comes naturally; turn rotation and touch into action.

The process for each prototype has been the same; Build it, test it, get feedback and improve.

SPIN remote connects your existing Infrared equipment to your smart home and it offers a tangible interface to your smart devices. Boundaries start to fade, as you can just as easily control your non-networked TV as you can dim your smart lights.

SPIN remote is the only remote you will ever need.

SPIN remote sends out infrared signals in every direction, so gone are the days when you had to point your remote control towards your equipment. Touching SPIN remote is enough to activate it and let the magic happen.

SPIN remote activates as soon as you touch it.

SPIN remote supports macros (or sequences), which means that you can for example turn on multiple devices at once.

SPIN remote not only transmits infrared signals, it can receive them as well. This feature is used to learn commands from your existing remote controls. Even though SPIN remote can talk with your smart devices via Bluetooth, it is primarily meant for your non-networked equipment and your not-so-smart HDTV.

SPIN remote can perform different functions depending on how it's held. For example to set the volume when held sideways.

SPIN remote can also talk with your smart devices. For example set it up to control your lights when held upside down.

SPIN remote is packed with sensors to detect motion, rotation, orientation and touch. These are used to determine the position it’s in and the action that’s performed. That’s how SPIN remote can seamlessly transform your actions into commands your equipment will understand.

And the best thing about all of this innovative technology: You don’t have to worry about it.

You can setup the touchpad for more advanced functions. For example to browse your TV guide or to control your Apple TV.

You can use the App to setup SPIN remote, after which you can even use your smartphone as a universal remote.

Your SPIN remote comes with a free App that will guide you through the setup process in just a few simple steps.

In its most simple form you just select the function you want to add (for example “volume up”), press the button on your old remote and you’re done! You can now use SPIN remote to control your volume, just as we’ve shown in our video (hold it sideways and rotate clockwise).



If you want more, you can always use the App to create your own presets, add new devices, configure the touchpad and combine function with rotation just the way you want.

Our main video showed you the basics, now let's talk about the more advanced features of SPIN remote.

Smart touchpad

Presets

Smart lighting

No matter how much time you spend on decorating your home, you always end up with those same plastic remotes laying on your coffee table. We want to change this.

We believe that your remote control should be personal.

It should fit in with what you already have and be different from the one everybody else has. That’s why we offer 5 different shells to choose from right from the start.

SPIN remote

The standard aluminum shell (as seen in the main video) that comes with the SPIN remote perk.

SPIN special

The polished aluminum shell with optional laser engraving that can be selected with the SPIN special perk.

The polished brass shell with optional laser engraving that can be selected with the SPIN special perk.

Escher Exclusive

An exclusive series of which only 250 will ever be made worldwide, with it you will be able to bring a true work of art into your living room.

Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972) is one of the world's most famous graphic artists. His art is enjoyed by millions of people all over the world. We are proud to share that SPIN remote has been exclusively licensed by the official M.C. Escher Foundation to use Bird / Fish (No. 22).

All M.C. Escher works copyright © The M.C. Escher Company B.V. -Baarn-Holland. All rights reserved. www.mcescher.com

Colored shells

Colored shells are available in matt black, matt white, matt orange, matt blue and matt red. For every $14 you add to your current perk, you are allowed to choose one extra colored shell (so add $28 for two, $42 for three, etc.). Before shipping you will receive a survey in which you can fill in the additional shells you selected.

Our matt black prototype has been developed using a process called anodizing.

No more plastic remotes, imagine how great this would look on your coffee table.

If for example you select the SPIN remote perk ($92) with worldwide shipping ($17) and you want to have an additional matt black shell ($14) your total would be $123. You will now receive both the standard aluminum shell and an additional matt black one.

Dimensions: 1.61" top, 2.48" bottom, 1.38" height (41, 63, 35mm)

The more we spoke with friends, family and funders, the more ideas we got on how we could make SPIN remote even better. Even though most of these ideas are still being looked into, we are excited to share a few of them with you. Depending on your feedback, we might even turn some of them into stretch goals. Be sure to check back often, because we are planning to announce new ideas every week.

Find Me

Did you know that the average TV viewer spends about two weeks looking for lost remotes during their lifetime (article)? If you ask us, looking for a remote control should be a thing of the past.

That’s how the idea was born of having a ‘Find Me’ button in the App. Pressing it will cause SPIN remote to start sounding its buzzer and flashing its LEDs so you will have it back in no-time.

Status: We love this idea so much, that we decided to include this feature in our first release.

API / SDK

The feedback we got from funders and fellow developers was clear. You want to use SPIN remote exactly as you want it, so we will provide the tools to do so. We will develop an API / SDK that will allow you to control SPIN remote. You will be able to set its properties, send out Infrared commands and receive rotation and touch events.

Status: We already decided to turn this idea into reality. We did not plan to include the API / SDK in our initial release, but depending on your feedback it could end up being a stretch goal.

SPIN spider

Some of our funders shared that all of their A/V equipment is placed in a closed cabinet and that they have to open the cabinet doors every time they want to use their remotes (since Infrared doesn’t travel through them). While we can’t change the laws of physics, we can come up with a simple solution for them as well.

That’s how the idea was born to link together multiple SPIN remotes (via Bluetooth) and to develop an affordable add-on that will allow Infrared signals to travel past any blockades (cabinet shelves, other equipment). You could place 1 SPIN remote with your equipment and keep the doors closed while you use the other to control your equipment.

Status: We have determined that the idea is technically feasible and we have created a 3D impression of what the add-on could look like (below). Depending on your feedback, it could end up being a stretch goal.

The SPIN spider, a potential extender add-on for SPIN remote.

Our core team consists of 3 highly motivated professionals with the right skills to make SPIN remote a success. We are (from left to right) Ruud de Vaal (inventor and hardware specialist), Arjan van Bremen (product development and marketing) and Mathijs Vaessen (business development and operations). Between the three of us we have over 40 years of experience with prototyping, product development and project management.

“Years ago, when I first had the idea of a buttonless remote control, the technology to produce such a device just wasn’t commercially viable. With recent technological advancements and a group of talented people joining forces everything changed. The result is an amazing product that brings back simplicity to the living room.” said Ruud de Vaal, Co-Founder and inventor of SPIN remote.


The Freescale IoT truck in which SPIN remote was showcased.

Our portable demo board visualizes 2 of the most important features of SPIN remote: channel switching and volume control.

Note that the speed at which you can switch channels or set the volume will be the same as with your current remote. If you don’t want to surf all channels one by one just use the App to preload SPIN remote with a list of your favorites.

Risks and challenges

SPIN remote is a high tech product that requires innovative hardware and software to work together seamlessly. We have already done a lot of testing with our early prototypes to make sure that SPIN remote meets all of our requirements, but as with every project there may still be some challenges down the road.

As you might have seen in our perks list we find it very important that we incorporate feedback from you, our funders and end-users, into our final product. This means that the feedback we receive from our Beta testers might result in having to develop new features. Those features would have to be designed either in software or in hardware. To minimize the impact this has on our overall schedule we have already included a number of feedback loops to make sure that we can cover the most important feedback without having any delays.

When developing a product there is always the risk of not receiving the right components on time. Therefore we have chosen backup suppliers for each and every single component . If one would have a problem delivering or meeting our quality standards we can easily switch to another and minimize the overall impact on our schedule.


Shipping - Will SPIN remote ship internationally?

Yes. We want to bring SPIN remote to every living room across the globe!

Shipping - How much will shipping/delivery cost?

Shipping will cost $8 in The Netherlands and $17 for international funders.

Technical - Does SPIN remote work with my equipment?

Even though SPIN remote can talk with smart devices, it is primarily meant for your non-networked equipment and your not-so-smart HDTV (that use Infrared). If you are using an Infrared remote to control your equipment right now, then SPIN remote is able to learn from it and replace it.

Technical - With what smart devices does SPIN remote work?

When designing SPIN remote we paid extra attention to energy efficiency and connectivity, that's why it's equiped with a Bluetooth Low Energy 4.0 module (BLE for short). So to start off with SPIN remote can communicate with any device that contains a Bluetooth 4.0 type radio, often indicated as a BLE, Bluetooth Smart or Smart Ready device. When wanting to control Wi-Fi or Internet enabled devices, the App can function as a bridge. Meaning that it connects to both SPIN remote to receive rotation events (via Bluetooth) and your networked device (via Wi-Fi).

As you see, the possibilities are endless! With SPIN remote you can control your Infrared equipment, talk to your Bluetooth smart devices and use the App to get networked.

Technical - Does SPIN remote work on any surface?

Yes it does! As you've seen in the video, it even works in mid-air.

Technical - How long do the batteries last?

Although the battery life of any product strongly depends on its use, we are aiming for at least 6 months with normal use. As you can expect from us, we have made it very easy to replace the batteries (3x CR2032).

Technical - Why does SPIN remote have 6 Infrared LEDs, while my old remote has only one?

Your old remote has only one Infrared LED, which is mounted in the front. As a result you are forced to pick it up and point it towards your equipment. SPIN remote sends out Infrared signals in every direction, making pointing your remote a thing of the past.

Technical - Will SPIN remote work with my Apple TV?

Yes, and there are several ways to do so. Probably the easiest one is to learn the Infrared commands directly from your Apple Remote using the SPIN remote App. Another option is to add SPIN remote as a third-party remote control using the Apple TV itself (see the link below). Either way you have 6 functions to setup: up, down, left, right, select and menu.

The smart touchpad at the bottom of SPIN remote can be divided into 5 segments: a smaller button in the middle and 4 larger ones which each make up 1/4th of the remaining circle. You can setup each segment to perform a different function when pressed once or twice. What makes the touchpad so smart is that you don't ever have to figure out how you're holding it. Just think of it as a compass; your arrow up function will always be the key that's facing up (North), independent of how you're holding it (and thus just as you would expect).

For the Apple TV it would make sense to setup the arrow keys as you would expect and setup select and menu for either 1 or 2 taps on the center button.

http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201856

App - How do I get the SPIN remote App?

You will be able to download it from the App Store (iOS) and the Play Store (Android) at the same time we start shipping SPIN remote.

App - Are you planning to charge money for the App?

No, the App will be free of charge.

App - Will you create an App for BlackBerry and Windows Phone as well?

We certainly didn't forget about our BlackBerry and Windows Phone users, but for our initial release we simply had to make a choice (iOS and Android). What we can tell you however is that if we are able to get more funding, supporting more mobile platforms is definitely one of the first things that we are going to do! Help spread the word and help increase compatibility!

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