For us cynical non-believers who refused to inhale while the 3-D pipe was being passed around at last week's CES, there wasn't a whole lot of new technology to get excited about. That's not to say CES was a bust for those who prefer their home entertainment in two dimensions - far from it. I just didn't encounter too many toys worth adding to my Amazon Wish List. LG's "Magic Motion" remote control was one of them.
LG's Magic Motion is a gesture-based remote control that features an internal gyroscope to detect your up, down, left and right movements - not unlike Apple's iPhone or a Nintendo Wii controller. Mind you, this is hardly new technology, as it's quite similar in function to Gyration's line of "in-air remotes." However, this is the first time I've seen the technology ported to a simple, uncluttered and intuitive TV controller.
Pressing a button on the remote brings up the "Magic UI" and simple hand gestures then move a cursor around the screen. Once the cursor is pointed at what you're seeking, a simple push of the ENTER button registers the click on-screen. In the few minutes I played with the remote, response seemed excellent and it felt perfectly natural in little time at all. Hard VOLUME, CHANNEL and MUTE buttons can also be found on the magic wand.
Initially, the Magic Motion remote will only be available with LG's top-of-the-line 2010 plasma and LCD displays - the PK950 and LE9500, respectively. While it's unfortunate that you have to pony up for a high-end HDTV in order to get Magic Motion, this is precisely the sort of technology that will likely trickle down the product line over time.
I wouldn't be at all surprised to see half of LG's displays using it come next CES, nor would it be hard to envision LG's entire 2011 lineup being "Magic Motion-ready," with the remote sold as an optional accessory. All that said, LG's new flagship flat panels look truly superb, so no one's going to blame you if you don't feel like waiting.
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