
Don’t Touch That Dial: A History of the Remote Control
What started as a lazy person’s dream—changing the channel without getting up—actually began with torpedoes, Tesla’s radio-controlled boat, and a whole lot of weird engineering experiments.
From Zenith’s cord-tripping “Lazy Bones” to the sun-triggered Flash-Matic, the ultrasonic “Clicker,” and the 92-button monstrosities of the 1980s, the TV remote has a history that feels more like science fiction than anything else. In this episode, the boys trace how a once-luxury gadget turned into the most lost object in your living room—and ask whether today’s “universal remotes” or voice commands have finally solved the chaos (spoiler: not really).
Segment
The history of the remote control: Why are they so awful?
The surprising origins of the TV remote
Remote Background - Zenith Electronics
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