Some of my friends are looking for an iPhone remote, and this makes me wonder why in the world would someone need a remote control for a mobile phone, and - obviously - I have no answer to that one yet. Even more, I won't even try to find an answer to the question above, because using the iPhone itself like a remote sounds better.
Now, there's only one question remaining, and I think you know it already. Could you use the iPhone remote with your garage door? Or maybe with your TV? Nope, that's not it. Better think about a gaming console! ;)
According to an article by AppleInsider, "At the iGames Summit, Shervin Pishevar of the Social Gaming Network demonstrated the use of the iPhone or iPod touch as "virtual Wii Remotes" for interacting with PC games using the company's new iFun software in the session "Building Gesture-Driven Games for the iPhone.""
The iFun app allows your iPhone remote to send control signals over local WiFi, or even via the 3G mobile network, and it seems we're talking about a really awesome application here. During the even mentioned above, Pishevar used the iPhone as a virtual steering wheel for a PC racing game, and even as a prototype Wii-style golf club or tennis racket unit, thanks to the accelerometer inside it.
The conclusion is that I have to talk to my friends right away, because they have a treasure already, but they're trying to find something completely different...
