On Wednesday Ryz Media announced that it has completely revamped its MyTVRemote for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, an accessory that allows iOS device owners to control their TVs without a standard clicker. The MyTVRemote has been updated with a newer IR transceiver, as well as a new orb design. It also provides support for a complete program guide for every zip code in the United States. Using the free MyTVRemote application, TV watchers can see what the most popular programs on TV are or connect using Facebook or Twitter to discuss shows. The MyTVRemote is available in four colors for $9.99 and the corresponding application is free. Hit the jump for the full press release.

MyTVRemote App Gets Hardware Design Overhaul

Colorful New Orb Designs Will Put a Conversation Piece on the Coffee Table,
Also Improves Performance of IR Control

Palo Alto, CA— June 15, 2011 – Ryz Media, maker of the popular MyTVRemote app that turns the iPhone into a super powerful remote control, today announced a new colorful orb design for the hardware that plugs into the phone headset jack allowing control of almost every entertainment device in the living room.

These four colorful new options will improve function as well as form with an updated IR transceiver. The new hardware for the MyTVRemote app includes a complete program guide for every zip code in the U.S., displays the most popular shows on TV and connects TV fans with others who are watching.

“We felt the hardware design for the MyTVRemote needed to better fit the iPhone and Apple design motif,” said Zeev Braude, CEO of Ryz Media. “Now we think MyTVRemote users will get an instant conversation starter on the coffee table because this new hardware is an eye catcher.”

The MyTVRemote app has been hailed by tech reviewers as one of the coolest iPhone accessories ever offered in the app store.  It includes a customizable program guide that allows viewers to create their own unique TV guide. Viewers are then notified when their favorite shows are on and can navigate to them with a single click.

MyTVRemote also incorporates social elements – providing real-time online connection to friends and others watching the same program. TV fans can interact and discuss in real-time the shows they are watching together via Facebook and Twitter without ever leaving the remote. All social and interactive features happen directly on the mobile device to ensure the viewing experience is enhanced instead of compromised.

iPhone users can download the app for free and pay just $9.99, including shipping and handling, for Ryz Media’s cool new hardware that turns your phone into an easy to use remote within seconds. Now with MyTVRemote, users can control every AV device in the home with a simple smartphone app that costs a fraction of the cost of current clunky, plastic remotes on the market.

MyTVRemote supports the iPad and all generations of iPhone devices and iPod Touch media players.
To download it, go to the US App Store and search for either “MyTVRemote” or for “RYZ Media” or follow this link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-tv-remote/id351451688?mt=8

Despite it being another sleepy Sunday, yesterday Samsung decided it was good timeto announce four new entry-level handsets that it hopes will prove popular with the average consumer. Starting off with the S6700 that Samsung has previously shown off at various trade shows, we find a dual-band HSDPA slider with a 2.4-inch QVGA display, 3 megapixel camera with auto-focus and dual-LED flash, GPS and 120MB of internal memory plus microSDHC support. Next up we have the C5510 with its basic 2 megapixel shooter, smaller 2.2-inch QVGA display and microSDHC support. Taking a more music-centric approach is the M2510, which has dedicated music keys, a 3.5mm headphone jack, DNSe audio enhancement, FM radio tuner with RDS and a 1.3 megapixel camera. Finally we have the M2310, the only clam shell device in the bunch and easily the most underwhelming handset we’ve seen in quite some time. It has a VGA camera, 9MB of internal memory, 8GB microSD support and quad-band EDGE connectivity. Pricing and availability for the S6700, C5510, M2510 and M2310 have yet to be announced.

[Via GSM Arena]

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Right on cue, HTC has announced its latest Android device in the Hero. With many of the Hero’s specs being the same as the Magic, the handset does manage to beat out the Magic with its 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus, 3.5mm headphone jack (finally!!!), improved battery life and Adobe Flash support. But what makes the Hero really exciting is the fresh new GUI overlay. Much like with TouchFLO 3D for Windows Mobile, the new HTC Sense UI gives Android a much needed injection of style and functionality by allowing users to keep the content that matter to them — such as weather, contacts, photos, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and bookmarks — at their fingertips.

Another feature found within Sense is Scenes, which essentially allows users to switch from “work to weekend mode” (think of it as Modes on Nokia’s Eseries but sexier) and also helps organize emails, texts, photos, Facebook updates, call logs and more per contract entry much like Palm’s webOS. The Hero’s dedicated Search button features Spotlight-like search, meaning finding the contact, email, app, Tweet and more you’re looking for couldn’t be more simple. One last thing — the Hero is coated in Teflon that not only feels soft to the touch and thus easier to grip, but also protects the devices paint job from your greasy hands.

The Hero will be available next month in Europe with Asian availability coming in the later summer months (Orange UK has already announced it will be carrying the Hero in graphite for as low as £0 on contract this July). As for North Americans, well, we’re just going to have to wait for a little while longer. Hit the jump for the complete specs, some pics and a video.

• Android with HTC Sense
• 112mm x 56.2mm x 14.35mm, 135g
• Qualcomm MSM7200A 528MHz processor
• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, dual-band 7.2Mbps HSPA/WCDMA
• 512 ROM / 288 RAM
• 3.2″ HVGA capacitive touchscreen
• 5.0 megapixel camera with auto-focus
• Gravity sensor
• Digital compass
• WiFi 802.11b/g
• GPS
• Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR + A2DP
• 3.5mm headphone jack
• microSD
• 1350 mAh battery
• 420 minutes talktime / 750 hours standby (WCDMA)

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Think your $99 Nokia E71x from AT&T is all that? It might very well be, but you might just change your tune and turn green with envy as Nokia’s Conversations blog has just posted a video of its successor, the E72, to YouTube and it looks to be quite a nice update. A 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus and flash, optical trackpad, 3.5mm headphone jack and S60 FP2 are all we know about the device at this point in time, though we’re sure there’s plenty more to come in the near future. The video has since been removed from YouTube, so hit the jump for a couple of up close and personal screen caps.

Thanks, David!

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We’re not too sure the same CDMA users who were holding out for the Treo Pro are still interested now that the Palm Pre cat has been let out of the bag, but Canada’s Bell Mobility has just released the Treo Pro for $99.95 CDN ($78.99 USD) on a three-year contract. Bell has had quite the week; first the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 popped up for a mere $29.95 and now the Treo Pro makes an affordable entrance as well. Like we said though, it’s not easy to get excited about the Pro with the Pre looming in the backs of our minds — it’s kind of like looking at a car when the sexy redesign for the new model year has already been announced but isn’t yet on the road. The Treo Pro is a decenct piece of kit though, with a 2 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack, Microsoft Office Mobile, PIE 6 and Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional. It’s just, well, not the Pre.

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