Microsoft today revealed the Xbox One media remote that had recently been leaked, and it's due out in early next month. The remote has several advanced features, such as motion-activated backlit buttons so it can be used in the dark.
It includes dedicated "Back" and "OneGuide" buttons, which allows you to access your TV shows and movies through the Xbox's built-in guide. The remote uses Kinect to control your console and TV, as you can use it to power on or off your set and control volume.
Given the Xbox One's emphasis on being an all-in-one media center, it's good to see Microsoft providing a device to make best use of the console's features. The controller is functional for this, as are the Kinect voice controls to a lesser degree, but neither are as optimal as a traditional remote.
It can be used to control Blu-ray movies, as well as the streaming content available on the console. It would have been nice for them to package something like this with the console to make users feel like they have the media center device that Microsoft are going for. After all, you wouldn't get a DVD or Blu-Ray player without a remote, but the console does come with the controller. That, plus the fact that it would push the price up even higher, which is the last thing Microsoft would want when it's already $100 more expensive than its competitor.
It will retail for $24.99, which is a fairly reasonable price in my estimation. Look for it on shelves in early March.