CEATEC 2008: Panasonic's futuristic OSD/touchpad remote control (video)

http://blip.tv/play/ih_Q1SuJ5FQ
At the CEATEC 2008, Panasonic drew a huge crowd with its so-called EZ Touch Remote, a remote control that consists of two touchpads separated by a small keyboard.

The device superimposes an almost screen-size image of itself on the TV. Users can choose and press buttons by keeping their eyes on the TV, following a “virtual thumb” on the screen.

Cool (yet potentially useless?) stuff, but the Panasonic staff didn’t say if the remote is ever going to be mass produced.