Gavin’s Gadget – The “Noviiblaster” SDIO

Review by Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

Welcome to my next Gavin’s Gadget review “The Noviiblaster” by www.novii.com.

So what is the Noviiblaster? Simply it is an SDIO card that drops into your palm handheld and instantly converts it into a universal remote control. The Blaster consists of a chip that controls most infra red equipment. In fact the device comes with codes for over 100,000 home entertainment devices, which should cover most devices on the market. Inside the Blaster is a powerful infra red transmitter which then controls all your infra red devices. The Blaster comes packaged with the SDIO Blaster, a cute base to store the card when not in use and a CD-ROM.

The Blaster at present only works with the Tungsten E, T2, T, Zire 71 & 72.

After opening the packaging simply load the CD-ROM in to your PC and follow the instructions. After installing the Blaster software on the handheld from the CD-ROM, you just insert the Blaster card in the SD slot. Next, just choose IR codes from the given list – one codebase for each category. Eg. TV, VCR etc.

The program also contains an autosearch function for finding the right codes, and the “Add Device Wizard” makes it simple to search for a codebase for your device if for some reason you don’t find your codes right immediately. I have not had this problem yet! Another neat touch is the display on the palm being in high resolution mode. Note that the codes are stored in your palm’s memory. This does enable a quick set-up. As a guide my Thomson TV and Aiwa VCR along with all my Panasonic DVD equipment was a simple click and I was instantly controlling them. The Blaster protrudes only by a small amount from the palm and feels very secure.

As you will note from the pictures the palm screen controls the operation. You can use the hard keys as well. This is useful for quickly turning on the TV, adjusting the volume or whatever you like.

Whilst you can buy the universal remote software from novii.com (software is called noviiremote), the Blaster does have additional benefits. The Infra Red transmitter built into the device is very powerful. Often palm’s have weak infra red ports. The Blaster increases the infra red range by 300% and can work from any angle. So now there is no need to sit in front of the TV aiming directly at the TV’s infra port.

To give you an idea of its range, I was in a nightclub, and switched the channels on the plasma screens. The staff were baffled and even more frustrated when the channels kept changing. I was quietly having a drink from a long safe distance. I roughly got around 75 feet away before the Blaster stopped controlling the nightclub screen’s . J

What really strikes me is just how small the Blaster is. You need to hold it to really appreciate how compact it is. As stated before the Blaster is a powerful infrared transmitter. It is possible to use it from any location in the room, while holding one’s palm at a natural viewing angle, and without having to point at the device.

In summary, the Blaster allows the you to control almost any entertainment system inside and outside the home, for example at local sport clubs, at a friend’s house, or while traveling and in hotels. So far I have successfully controlled all my family’s devices and every pub I have visited in the last two weeks and so on.

The Blaster cost $59.99 which in my opinion is good value. This is a very cute, but powerful and effective device. And most importantly it is a cool gadget!

Thank goodness I still had my old Tungsten T. Now it has a new lease of life. :-)

Highly recommended!!

Any feedback or questions to gavin (at) palm247 (dot) com.