Another one of those pesky remote controls ...
Photograph: Roger Tooth
In a sure sign that Christmas is approaching, the amount of improbable research slopping around our wastebins is growing. But this latest piece, from Intel, deserves not to be filed away just yet ...
"SWINDON, UK - 7th December 2004 - As the UK gears up for Christmas, coffee tables will feel the strain as the nation experiences the growing phenomenon of remote control overload.According to a pan-European survey commissioned by chip manufacturer Intel, an amazing 52% of British households now have five or more remote controls for home entertainment use and even one in four households boast more than seven remote controls [...]
This threatens to cause confusion and squabbles in the household as many of us prepare for a Christmas spent with the family in front of the television, listening to music or watching DVDs.
The survey also reveals that nearly half of the UK (42%) feels a sense of technology overload, with their home becoming increasingly cluttered by too many pieces of home entertainment equipment, remote controls and cables.
The final point - about technology overload - may be more interesting for fellow geeks, and points towards the purpose of this piece of "research". Intel is trying to flog "convergence", or a PC that can live in your living room and combine the functionality of lots of gadgets, but in one box (with, one presumes, one remote control - thank goodness!).
But the first three paragraphs look perfect for the wonderful Annals of Improbable Research. And, in case you're wondering, Intel didn't just make this stuff up - even if you feel they might as well have. According to their press release, Intel's researchers spoke to 5406 people across five countries. They spent real money on this ...
