I’m a firm believer in the combining of gadgets. Case in point, the iPhone which is a phone, GPS, calculator, web browser and about 300 different other things. I do NOT believe that the $300 ESPN Ultimate Remote is such a device. But apparently the makers disagree:

Imagine this: You've already got a killer home theater system. And you're a multitasker--you like to sit on the couch with your laptop and your Blackberry by your side, as well as all your system remotes. As you watch the game, you're browsing the web for information on your favorite teams. You like to drink your morning coffee and watch the local news while browsing online for the latest weather forecasts, stock information and worldwide news stories. In short, you like to stay connected--even if it means having a coffee table covered in gadgets.

 

What if one single remote could do all that?

What if someone was dumb enough to spend $300 on a remote? Well, it exists, so there must be demand somewhere. The real question is, why the hell did ESPN make this?

Download program guides, sports scores and play-by-plays, and more. As you watch the big game, get advanced team and player stats right on your remote. Get up-to-the-minute scores from all the latest games. Even keep up to date with your ESPN.com fantasy teams without ever leaving the couch.

Oh OK. This is like designing a super $5,000 toilet that tells me the exact weight and consistency of my poo. WHO CARES? Although, actually I’d get more use out of that toilet than this remote.

And just in case you were worried, the remote DOES have text messaging, so you don’t have to you know, reach all the way into your pocket for your phone or anything. And you can “text another ESPN” remote, which will send a message to only one other person in the country, the guy who designed it, and he’ll text back, “You bought this, seriously? You know we’re in a recession right?”