What can I do with old remote controls?

What will replace television remote controls as a standard?

• The remote control is a UX nightmare. Too many buttons, all varied sizes and colors, and more functionality than most users need at their immediate finger tips.  Multiple remotes for cable, dvd player, television set, etc., only add to the clutter. I have heard speculation of Siri replacing this interaction with voice control on AppleTV, but wonder if it could really catch on with such mass acceptance to really replace the remote. Also curious if television manufacturers like Sony or Samsung ever plan on improving the standard remotes that come with their products.

• Answer:

  I imagine it's gotta to be in the smartphone or smart-watch in the near future. I expect that nearly all media will converge over the next few years and those platforms will be a great place to view and control what you view.  I've got a blue-ray player that works with apple or android devices and it's super convenient--for watching movies, qwerty for the searching the internet, etc...