For owners of Radio Shack's new 8-in-l Kameleon remote, the
answer to "Honey? Where's the clicker?" is, "Beep
beep beep beep
beep."
This universal remote comes with a separate pushbutton
remote finder, a device about the size of a candy bar that activates
a beeper in the remote control.
The Kameleon has some
other compelling features, especially its amenability to
upgrades. If you purchase a new home theater component
that the Kameleon does not recognize, Radio Shack's consumer
help line
can upload a new code over a land-line phone. Just press
the phone's speaker to the remote's face plate while modem
tones play over the line to capture the new code.
As its name implies, the unit can control up to six devices.
The blue electro-luminescent face plate lights up to display
the right controls for different devices. The generic button
layouts can make
it difficult to identify some functions (on my A/V unit,
switching sources from DVD to satellite requires using number
buttons,
and some additional programming). But at $80, it packs
a lot
of features.
While you may never lose the clicker, you do need to keep
an eye on the locator button. Make sure you use the included
Velcro to secure it where you can find it, or you may once again
have to rummage through the sofa cushions.
