7 Comments

Lazy couch bums pay your respect, remote inventor dies

February 17, 2007 by in Entertainment,Random with 7 Comments

Could you imagine watching television without a remote? A lifestyle that required that viewers actually get up and walk to their television to change channels? Can you imagine such a life that lacked the convenience of wireless remotes? Our ability to enjoy the wireless remote convenience can be traced back to Robert Adler who passed away at the age of 93.

Robert Adler, a US inventor best known for the creation of the couch potato’s dream device, the TV remote control, has died at the age of 93. He received an Emmy award in 1997 for the 1956 invention jointly with fellow engineer Eugene Polley. [...] He was also known for his work on military communications equipment during World War II, and is considered a pioneer in surface acoustic wave technology, essential for modern-day TV and computer screens.

If Mr. Adler had not have created the remote, do you think someone else would have created the gadget farther down the road?


  • Andre

    Apple would :D

  • http://www.donawilson.com/ Don Wilson

    “If Mr. Adler had not have created the remote, do you think someone else would have created the gadget farther down the road?”

    Just like every single other tool in our life, yes, eventually.

  • chadillac

    Thank you Mr. Adler… although I have lost the remote to my TV in my room thus making me get up (from bed mind you) and manually adjust volume, change channel, or turn off the TV I grow ever more thankful for your invention for living room use.

    (Day 520)

  • http://is.derekpunsalan.com/ Derek

    I should have rephrased the question. It should have been more along the lines of “would our idea of the remote be something completely different had Adler not created the TV remote?”

  • Mister Macphisto

    if Microsoft invented it…

    -a new firmware update available every week to fix security flaws
    -the ability to own one at a time, owning more than one remote costs incredible amounts of money in licensing fees
    -every new edition of the remote only offers a cosmetic enhancement… the same old flaws are still there
    -buttons that are completely useless
    -a talking paper clip, that doesn’t mute!!!
    -the remote would have to be upgraded for a newer version when the battery goes flat
    -when another company releases a newer remote with superior technologies, Microsoft will buy them out and transfer those technologies into their product

    and im running out of ideas…

    feel free to add some more!

  • Cass

    Just to add, every time your TV remote crashed you’d have to close all the windows in your house and go out side, come back inside and re open all the windows to make it work again.

  • Ryan

    Remote Defender would ask permission every time you try to change the channel or volume

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