GoRemote Bluetooth 4.0 LE Waterproof Remote Control
The Satechi GoRemote is a portable remote that controls audio and video content, adjusts volume, releases the camera shutter and activates Siri on iPhones and iPads. Enjoy the convenience of controlling your media wirelessly whether you’re exercising, in the car, bicycling, at home, playing sports, in the office, at the beach, outdoors, indoors, and more!
How it Works
Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy Technology
Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy technology (BLE) is one of the most advanced wireless protocols available. This means you can achieve immediate communication between the GoRemote and your devices with little to no latency.
The Low Energy (BLE) feature of Bluetooth 4.0 allows the GoRemote to have an amazingly long battery life. The included coin cell battery will last approximately two years before needing to be replaced.
Using the latest version of Bluetooth also allows you to control your iOS device from up to 33 feet away without requiring line-of-sight. You can control your iOS device while it’s in your pocket, in your purse, in a car or bicycle mount, on a table, on a docking station, or elsewhere!
Real Life Uses
Who it’s for:
The GoRemote is for anyone who has an iPhone or iPad and wants easy and convenient access to the controls of their device when it’s out of reach. Use the GoRemote while playing sports or exercising, in the car, on your bicycle or motorcycle handlebars, or a backpack – anywhere indoors or outdoors, the GoRemote is the perfect companion for your iOS device!
- Change tracks and adjust volume of audio and video content without reaching for your iPhone or iPad.
- Ask Siri for navigation while driving or bike riding without looking away from the road.
- Go swimming, snowboarding, to the pool or beach without worrying about water damaging your GoRemote.
- Take a blur-free picture with your iOS device by using the GoRemote as a remote shutter. Place your iPhone or iPad on a stand or tripod, and capture pictures remotely – or include yourself in group photos or selfies!
Early Stages
The GoRemote went through many iterations before reaching its current version. Our original vision of the Remote was a compact, discreet device that could easily control your audio. We knew that we had to make the remote really exceptional, so we added the Home button – allowing you to activate Siri via the GoRemote. This is such a cool feature because of all the ways you can use Siri in conjunction with the Remote!
Our first prototype of the GoRemote was incredibly thin, but too much so; it was easy to forget you were transporting it in your pocket, and felt flimsy when holding it in your hand. There were also limitations on the technology we could use with such a small design.
The second prototype felt like a solid, stable product and allowed us to use Bluetooth 4.0 technology. However, there were some finishing touches we wanted to make to ensure the GoRemote was absolutely perfect.
The final prototype of the GoRemote features an enclosed case, allowing it to gain waterproof certification. We also raised the buttons and coated them with a rubberized finish – even the button icons are embossed above the surface. This gives the buttons a great tactile feel and lets you easily use the GoRemote in low-visibility situations. We came a long way from the original design, and we’re proud to now have a product that is feature-rich, ergonomic, and fun to use!
Technical Specifications
- Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy Technology
- 2-Year Battery Life
- Waterproof IPX67
- Can withstand temperatures between: 50F-122F (10C-50C)
- Compatible with: iPhone 5S, 5C, 5, 4S; iPad 2, 3, Mini, Air; MacBook Bluetooth 4.0; iMac Bluetooth 4.0
- Wireless up to 33 feet away
- iOS control – play/pause, forward/backtrack, adjust volume
- Return to the Home screen
- Activate Siri
- Camera shutter release
- Tactile indicators
- Weight: 8 ounces
- Measurements: 2″ x 1 5/8″
- Optional accessories: wrist strap and car/bicycle mount
Components
Who is Satechi?
Satechi’s mission is to help you live your life efficiently. We make products that work with smartphones, tablets, PCs, Macs, cameras, music players, and other devices. Our products are constantly evolving to fit into our customers’ lifestyle.
We manufacture Bluetooth devices such as the Bluetooth Multi-Media Remote, which garnered acclaims from CNet, PC Magazine, TUAW, Engadget, SlashGear, and many other blogs and publications for being able to control your smartphone or tablet from this small remote. With the success of the Bluetooth Multi-Media Remote, we want to take it to the next level. Customers raved about the original remote and told us they were attaching it to their steering wheels or motorcycle handlebars using Velcro.
We wanted to take the original remote one step further and make it extremely portable and able to be attached anywhere, including onto wrists, bicycle/motorcycle handlebars, steering wheels, onto a backpack, or even attached to a keychain. We want to make sure you can take it with you to the office, the beach, in the car, while exercising, and more! This new remote is small enough to inconspicuously fit into your lifestyle, allowing you to control your iOS device hands-free, making life easier and safer. This remote can control smartphones while life evolves.
Alan Turksu, CEO and co-founder of Satechi
Brock Guclu, President and co-founder of Satechi
Alan Jacobson, Graphic Designer
Alyssa Humbert, Marketing and Research
Project Timeline
We’re asking for your help to continue improving the GoRemote and get it to production. We’ve gone through several prototypes and the GoRemote is in the final stages of design. Next, we’ll be moving into pre-production and final testing. Adding Bluetooth 4.0 requires additional materials and testing, as does making it waterproof certified from IPX54 to 67. We’re still improving on the wristband and car/bike mount to make them more comfortable, secure, and easy to use. Below is our timeline for getting the GoRemote on the production line and into your hands:
Rewards
Risks and challengesLearn about accountability on Kickstarter
Making the GoRemote waterproof is an extra process that has proved challenging, but we believe is essential to making this remote adaptable to any lifestyle. Testing the remote in different conditions and making it waterproof certified requires additional time, materials, and funds, but is an important obstacle to overcome.
We’ve also tested different orientations of the buttons to make this remote versatile on a wrist, steering wheel, bicycle, and other convenient locations. It’s important that customers can use this in their active lives, which is why we also created the wrist strap and car/bicycle mount. It took several tries for us to find a convenient way to attach the GoRemote to different accessories, but we found snapping it onto the wrist strap and handlebar mount is a secure way to attach it where you need it, while making it easy to remove for use with other accessories.
Using Bluetooth 4.0 has added additional costs to this project, but we feel it’s necessary to achieve a long battery life and reliable wireless connection between your device and the GoRemote.
The GoRemote has gone through several prototypes so we could maximize the functionality while keeping it small and portable. Through the stages, we added Bluetooth 4.0, tactile buttons, waterproof seals, meeting IPX waterproof certification requirements from 54 to 67, ridges to attach it to the wrist band and steering wheel mount, wrist and steering wheel accessories, and more. We’re offering the ability to control your iOS device in the most compact and discrete way possible.
