Much hay is being made today about some Swiss TV provider that's giving Apple TV boxes to its subscribers — and also making available a new remote control with it because the Apple TV remote is bad, it continues to be bad, and Apple should feel bad because of it.
To be clear: The only novel thing is that Salt — the TV provider — apparently is offering another remote that works better than the too-thin, too touchpad-y, non-ergonomic thing Apple has made. It's not that a replacement remote control exists, or that you have to go to Switzerland to get one. OK, and the fact that apparently costs less than $20, and works out of the box, with no extra pairing needed.
Still, nobody reinvented the wheel here. I've been using a replacement remote control with the Apple TV for years. And you should, too. And you can pretty much replicate the entire Apple TV remote experience, only in something that actually works, feels good in the hand — and is way more flexible.
And it doesn't require you to live in Switzerland.
Here's what I recommend:
A better remote
Way better than the Apple TV remote
This is the universal remote I tell folks to get. The price is right, it's got all the functionality you need — including smart home devices like lights and outlets — and it's beautifully designed.
