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Flick This: Control4 Remotes at the James

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 55 East Ontario [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60610
November 21, 2008 at 9:30 AM | by amandak | 1 Comment

Complaining about a room having way too many remote controls is the way things go when hotels get overhyped about their gadgets, but places like The James in Chicago are getting wise to that. The James is one of the first places to want the Control4 remote control in its rooms; the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas is apparently planning to follow.

We haven’t tried this all-in-one remote ourselves yet, but there are a couple of points the marketing hype makes that do impress us. First up, the remote doesn’t need a “line of sight” to be able to operate something, so it doesn’t matter if your chubby boyfriend stands in front of the TV--the remote will still work.

Second, it’s got a backlight that automatically comes on when you pick it up, so you can actually read what you’re about to control. And the Control4 remote is not just for the TV. From the NY Times:

On trial in one guestroom, the system allows guests to operate the lights, the blinds, the thermostat and the television using one remote. It can even be used to set a more customized wake-up experience, in which, for example, the TV turns on and gradually increases in volume.

Doesn’t sound too bad, but we still want to try it first. And in fact what we’re after in a remote control is something it still doesn’t offer--we're kinda hoping that some day a remote control will bring us a drink from the minibar without us having to get up.

Related Stories:
· Hotels Offer Guests the Latest Technology Tools [NY Times]

[Photo: Control4]

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  1. juliana

    HotelChatter Editor

    The Anglers Resort in SoBe

    The Angler's Resort in Miami Beach has one of those control-all remotes. When I stayed there, everything went through one remote--the TV, the DVD and the on-demand movies. The Angler's also had free WiFi. :)
    November 21, 2008 at 11:48 AM
    #Permalink

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