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[dhouston]

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161110005435/en/

http://remote.sevenhugs.com/

http://venturebeat.com/2016/11/10/sevenhugs-launches-smart-remote-to-control-tv-lights-music-and-thermostat/

There will be an API to allow updating the database.

[bkenobi]

Looks cool for $99 but I'd have to really think about it at $300.  I always longed for a Pronto but didn't get one.  I tried a Harmony at one point and thought it was cool, but not really all that useful over a standard universal.  This one looks like it could be a real option.  I do find it a bit ironic that it's basically a small tablet and the promo videos show the lady using an iPhone to set it up.  Why couldn't it have setup on the device itself.   

[dhouston]

The Kickstarter page (has lots of tech info) says...

Add devices and services using the app and designate a location in your room for each device or service using Smart Remote

so my guess is it has less than infinite memory and you need to download and install the data for your devices from the 25,000+ in the database using a smartphone.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/901859853/sevenhugs-smart-remote-the-first-remote-for-everyt?hero_learn_more_select

It's the best approach since the Pronto and $300 is much less than the Pronto cost in its time. There are a number of low cost WiFi/Bluetooth modules coming along. It would be fairly simple to have one of them be an X10 RF transceiver. As is, it should work with the IR543A/IR543AH.

[dave w]

Kinda neat. If it uses room positioning to know what device it will send commands for, what happens if you have a VCR, DVR, and DVD player all stacked on top of each other, and you push PLAY? 
I will check out the Kickstarter page.

[dhouston]

...what happens if you have a VCR, DVR, and DVD player all stacked on top of each other, and you push PLAY?

From the Kickstarter page...

If you want to control a device that is located near other ones—like a media player below your TV or maybe a light next to your speaker—Smart Remote lets you easily select which one you want to control. Just use the device selection carousel that automatically appears at the top of the remote.

Another plus is that it appears to have no direct cloud connection, requiring users to access the database with a smartphone and then load the downloaded data to the remote from the smartphone.

However, it cannot learn IR codes so users are dependent on the SevenHugs database. I've asked a couple of questions regarding this and will update the thread as I receive answers.
EDIT: And here's their quick response...

Thank you for supporting Smart Remote ! Our open API/SDK will allow to add new IR codes. Regarding CCF file management, we 'll add this in our wish list and be sure we will do our best to support our customers to deal with most of IR codes !

Also, there's no IR extender so those with closeted AV gear will need a separate extender.

[bkenobi]

As I recall, all of the universal remotes that could learn codes from another remote (didn't have the correct one in their manual) could only hold a very limited number of commands.  IOW, memory on them was bad and the codes were relatively large to store.  With the number of devices I'd expect an average user of this device to control, there's likely a reason learning individual commands isn't allowed.

[dhouston]

My concern was to be sure there was a way to add to the database and they have responded positively. If developers can add codes and if they add support for CCF files it goes a long way towards assuring continued utility should SevenHugs and their database disappear in a cloudburst a la X10.

And, the SDK-API uses LUA, an interpreter also used with some ESP8266 thingys. While it's new to me, it appears fairly easy to learn.
http://www.lua.org/

[bkenobi]

Good point. It's a fad startup and could go belly up pretty easily. Making sure it can be used without the OEM is pretty important.