Foolography Community

Hi all,

I would like to request a new product:
A programmable / configurable Bluetooth Low Energy remote control that fits in your handpalm (like the Canon BR-E1) and own dedicated App in which the App user can program/assign certain function-buttons that are on the physical remote control. Making a dedicated App for the remote control means that you can reprogram the remote control to hook it up to other devices in the future as well, and can reprogram the buttons to do other things with these buttons. Meaning: using the App to pair the remote to another device, like an Unleashed or another smartphone.

Example of a programmable interface is that you can hook up the remote control to a smartphone and trigger certain functions in the App running the Unleashed App and let that App run scenario's in photography styles/modes. Another example is that you hook up the remote control not to a smartphone but an Unleashed (or multiple Unleasheds) directly. That way the remote control has a mind of its own (own firmware) which can be programmed to do stuff after a certain button or button combination is pressed.

That would be really cool to have! I would pay 50 euro for such remote control if it really is programmable with an App.
I don't think the electronics for it would cost that much, it's only the development time and production of firmware and plastic mold that would increase the production cost. A lot has been programmed already in the Unleashed firmware and App, so the knowledge and somewhat the code is already there to create such wonderful product!

Greetings,
Unfoolishly

Yes, finally!

Sorry, I missed this post. Finally what?

If I understand your suggestion correctly, you're basically asking for a subset of the app functionality but in the form of a remote. Why not just use the app as the remote? Sure, holding your phone as a remote is not super ergonomic, but it's not so bad. I mean, it's not like you are using it continuously for hours, like a computer mouse for example.

Andy wrote: ↑

December 16th, 2020, 4:03 pm

Sorry, I missed this post. Finally what?

If I understand your suggestion correctly, you're basically asking for a subset of the app functionality but in the form of a remote. Why not just use the app as the remote? Sure, holding your phone as a remote is not super ergonomic, but it's not so bad. I mean, it's not like you are using it continuously for hours, like a computer mouse for example.

Hi Andy,

No, I mean a small (tiny) remote control that can be hold in the handpalm more in the size of a single or double AA-battery size, no smartphone. Smartphone is really too big in some cases. I think my description is clear enough to understand that it should be a new product to enhance the current product portfolio.

Do you want to hold the smartphone the whole day in your hand just to make that photo of a landscape waiting for a fox coming out of his hole, or would you like to hold a small (tiny) remote control that is linked to the Unleashed directly or through the smartphone which is linked to the Unleashed? I would recommend anyone to use the small (tiny) remote control, if it is a BT Low Energy remote, that is.

No subset of the App, just the remote BT stuff, with a few physical buttons and a dedicated App to program the buttons for specific functionality. You already have a lot of code (of the Unleashed App) which can be stripped off a lot of functionality to implement the code of the remote control BT chip.

Just my 2 cts.

Greetings,
Unfoolishly

We'll have it in mind, thanks for your suggestions :)

Andy wrote: ↑

December 18th, 2020, 10:05 am

We'll have it in mind, thanks for your suggestions :)

I really do think this is highly appreciated in the community: a small Bluetooth Low Energy remote control that is programmable / configurable for the Unleashed and the smartphone Unleashed App, even configurable specifically for Nikon , Canon, Sony, Olympus, etc. But mostly for the controlling of the Unleashed directly and indirectly. I have not seen any BT LE remote controls with a range of 40m, but there are a lot BT Classic remote controls available. The only problem with these BT classic devices is that they can't be used with iPhones for the purposes mentioned in this post.

What you could do is rapid prototype such small/tiny remote using a 3D printer, build a prototype App (stripping the code from the Unleashed App) on Android (sideloading the App, not using the Appstore) and have some selective beta-testers test and comment on your first prototype. And improve from that point on. Just an idea.

I think that many users would eagerly pay 50 euro for such programmable / configurable remote control. Because this type of remote control has not yet surfaces on the commercial markets AFAIK.

Greetings,
Unfoolishly

This would be really awesome and no doubt I would spend some money on that as well. Would add nicely to the product portifolio.

Barbazul wrote: ↑

December 18th, 2020, 5:10 pm

This would be really awesome and no doubt I would spend some money on that as well. Would add nicely to the product portifolio.

Amen.

To Oliver, Andy and the rest of the Foolography team: told you so. MANY will find this a "must have" for their camera equipment when they have bought the Unleashed(s).
You already have the hardware and firmware knowledge, firmware code and App code. The only thing you have to do is strip the design and code of the Unleashed and only keep those parts and lines of code that are used to control the Bluetooth Low Energy chip inside the remote. I know this is not done in a few months, because I know how much work goes into correct development cycle, BUT you already do have all the pieces of the puzzle in your hands. It is not that you have to start from scratch. Just take my advise: create a BT LE small/tiny remote control prototype and spread it among you most loyal customers/supporters/backers. You will see that development will go much faster if you give them something to play with, so you can focus on improving the product and develop it into a commercial successful product which you can sell next to the Unleashed itself.

Greetings,
Unfoolishly