You may remember Peel as the maker of the pear-shaped hardware device which sits in between your smartphone an TV, turning your phone into a universal remote control. Today, as promised, the company has updated its companion mobile application with more social features that allow you to share the shows you’re viewing, see what your friends and family are watching, post recommendations and comment on others’ posts.
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The makers of the Peel iPod phone adapter have outdone themselves. Their new device – called the Vooma Peel PG92 – is a unique case that, in conjunction with a jailbroken iPhone – adds dual SIM capabilities to the iPhone 4 and 4S.
The device itself consists of a back-up battery that can charge your phone and what amounts to a dumbed-down cellphone. When you jailbreak your iPhone and download the Vooma app, you can control the phone inside the case to make calls using an SIM card. In short, it charges, unlocks, and enables dual SIMs for your iPhone.
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When I think about Peel (the channel surfing/TV show recommendation app originally for iOS, not the crazy Chinese case that turns your iPod Touch into a phone) — I think of it as a sort of two-part formula: one part application, one part hardware. The app by itself is a fine little piece, complete with a slick design and a rather dang good behaviorally trained TV show recommendation engine — but without it’s accompanying, $99 IR blaster automatically tuning your TV to the right channel and acting as a universal remote, it all feels a bit.. incomplete.
It’s a bit strange, then, that the just-released Android build of the Peel app doesn’t support the aforementioned hardware add-on. → Read More
Peel, a startup that’s looking to turn your iOS device into a super-powered universal remote (among other things), has some big news: it’s just closed a $16.7 million Series B funding round led by Ravi Mhatre of Lightspeed Venture Partners, with participation from existing investor Redpoint Ventures and several seed investors.
Last month we took a thorough look at how Peel is setting out to become to the bridge between your iPhone (or iPad) and your home theatre system — both in terms of actually controlling your myriad devices, and in presenting you with content you’ll want to watch.
First, you purchase Peel’s special hardware ‘fruit’, which looks like a plastic pear and is available from Apple retail for $100. This device sits in front of your home entertainment system (it actually looks like a nice ornament on a coffee table). → Read More
Peel is a really cool way to ditch your TV provider’s outdated on-screen guide for an app on your iPhone. Set it up with your TV likes and provider info and Boom! instantly better channel surfing interface (Peel works with pretty much every provider).
Today, Peel announced availability of their hardware companion at the Apple Store — the free app is on the iTunes Store. Cost for Peel is $99 for the hardware/software combo. → Read More
It’s a problem as common as it is ugly: between your television, Blu-Ray player, surround sound tuner, cable box, and DVR, you probably have at least three remotes sitting on your coffee table. And then there’s the elaborate list of steps required to get each component working properly (don’t forget to set the tuner to HDMI2 before firing up the Blu-Ray!) The associated headaches have spawned an entire industry of super-remotes like Logitech’s Harmony devices. But what about the mobile powerhouses we’ve already dropped hundreds of dollars on — shouldn’t our smart phones be able to control our home entertainment systems?
That’s the promise of Peel, a Santa Clara-based startup that is looking to help you take control over your entertainment system using your iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, or (soon) Android device. The company has just launched its first product — the Peel fruit — that retails online and in the Apple store for $99. Check out the videos below for an interview with the startup’s founders. → Read More
The iPod touch has always been looked upon like a phone-less iPhone, but users will soon be able to change that as suddenly, there’s a few different 3G jackets popping up. The seemingly Sprint-bound Peel hit the FCC a few days back and now a similar product was reviewed in China. The Apple Peel 520 (probably not officially endorsed by Apple) seems slightly different than the Sprint Peel as it’s more of a case than a backpack, but its goal of adding a 3G modem to the iPod touch is the same. Spoiler? It works. → Read More
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