3 Reasons You Need a Remote

It seems like everyday there is another app designed to replace the many remote controls in your home. And at first glance, we agree. It’s silly to have a separate remote to control your television, your sound system, your home heating and cooling system, and everything else.

And in some ways, it seems like a natural transition to consolidate the functions into the phone you already have. Traditional remote controls are bulky and ugly. With dozens of disorganized buttons and functions they can be more confusing than helpful. And since everyone has a smart phone and we’ve become tethered to our screens, all other remotes seem unnecessary and even inconvenient.

But - although we agree that owning a dozen bulky and single-functioning remotes are annoying, there is still a need for the physical remote. The ability to find and press a button without being visually distracted is a function that your phone can’t replace.

Maybe the answer is not an app, but a much simpler remote.

APPS ARE SLOW, A BUTTON IS FAST

It may seem convenient to set up an app to perform a simple task like turning up the sound on your TV. You’ll quickly realize, using an app is actually slower than the real life task you are trying to streamline. It takes forever to wake up your phone, slide to unlock, enter a password, swipe to find the relevant home screen, and then load the app. Orrrr, one press and done.

WE’RE DISTRACTED BY TOO MANY SCREENS

Many people are in the middle of doing something when they need to make a quick adjustment with a remote control. They are on a phone call and need to turn down the volume on the TV, they are working on a project and need to turn up the heat in the room, they are driving in traffic and need to send a text. When you are trying to focus on a task - wading through the apps on your smartphone can distract you from the task at hand and can be a time-suck or even dangerous.

SMARTPHONES ARE THE PROBLEM, NOT THE SOLUTION

Sometimes when I sit down to relax, I’m looking for a respite from my smartphone. It’s seems ironic that I the first thing I would do is to pick up the thing I am trying to avoid.

We created the Stone to be a simple solution to the remote control problem. It’s a quick and programmable smart button that keeps you on task, is fast and reconnects you to the real world when you need a break from staring at your phone.