Now you can rule with iRule — over your home’s connected devices, anyway. The company just announced version 2.0 of the iRule Universal Remote Application.
iRule is a cloud-based remote that’s compatible with the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Besides your portable and the free app, you will also need a gateway to connect your devices to the iRule setup.
Two versions of the app are currently available: one for enthusiasts and a little something new for the professional market. The new one allows both designers and installers to add in options for home theater, lighting controls, and much more.
Customization is simple, via a drag-and-drop menu on your PC. From there, you can choose devices by brand name and model, as well as assign those devices to buttons in the app. Users can also choose a background and button style. If you don’t feel like entering every device, iRule also has a learning feature. It can also do macros, linking a series of commands to one button.
There are a few other differences between the standard and Pro editions. The Pro version has two-way communication with devices that provide feedback. For instance, if you’re listening to something on Pandroa, you can view the artist, song title and other info, right on the remote. There’s also a feature that allows Pro users to share panels. Besides sharing amongst the iRule Pro community, you can also browse, filter and preview individual Panels prior to importing them.
“The iRule software based Universal Remote is designed to work on iOS devices, such as the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, replacing current remotes and allowing for touch screen control of almost any household device that uses a remote,” said iRule’s CTO Victor Nemirovsky. “iRule is compatible with all major and specialty brands of remote video, audio, lighting, draperies, heating and cooling, televisions, DVD players, cable television receivers, stereo amps, tuners, speakers and media centers.”