Review: NewKinetix Re iPhone dongle

Re - a plug in IR transmitter for the iPhone comes with an app that turns your phone, iPod touch or iPad into a universal remote. Photo / Supplied

Remote controls have long been the catalyst for blazing living room rows, but there's a new gadget that lets you hide the "God Stick" collection and take charge of the entertainment with an iPhone.

The Re, from American company NewKinetix, is a small infra-red dongle that plugs into the bottom of iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, and combines with a free program from the App Store to take control of almost any remote component.

It's a very simple install - plug it in, boot up the app and select the gear in your audio visual set-up from a scrolling menu that lets you select by brand.

Each brand (and these aren't only "garden variety" products, either - there are hundreds listed, some of them very obscure) has a set of potential remote codes which you choose from, once confirming they control your devices. If it's not on the list, the app will learn it.

It's easier than it sounds - the eclectic test set-up was loaded and working with the Re on an iPhone 4 within 10 minutes, even controlling a weird old CD player that lost its remote years ago.

Each remote can then be edited to suit how you use each device - buttons used often can be moved to the top of the screen to make scrolling unnecessary and less-used controls just moved out of the way.

The iPad's big screen means all buttons are displayed - even better. Room profiles are another useful feature - save any number of remote sets to suit each room's set-up, and it can be used on all your devices at home and work.

Though universal remotes are commonplace, you get what you pay for. Those worth their salt are almost certainly going to be more expensive than the $99 that this costs.