Customer Reviews

Griffin 4023-ACUSB AirClick USB for Mac and PC computers

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

I'm using it with an old G4 Mac running Tiger to control iTunes and the OSX DVD Player. I only needed it to work in the room the Mac lives in because I just use it to control the volume, pause and skip on iTunes and the DVD Player. One oddity was that I need to reboot if I remove it and plug it in again for the Mac to see it. The other thing it took me a while to notice is that it seems like the granularity of the volume control is very course (10 steps) but if you hold the volume button down at the limits it actually changes the overall volume of the system so it's more useful than it seems as long as you don't mind the largish steps. It also took me a few minutes to realize it installed an icon on top of the screen that is used to select which app it is controlling. So it's not perfect, but it does what I wanted.

I purchased the AirClick USB from Amazon because it was on sale for about $26 (in contrast to the $40 MSRP), and because I was looking for a cheap-but-well-designed and functional remote control for my Mac. The AirClick serves its purpose beautifully, with great design and ease of use. The range is quite good if I plug the receiver into my keyboard, but quite a bit worse if I plug it into the rear of my Power Mac (understandably so, due to all the RF-killing cables and metal between it and the remote control). The software is easy to use and supports pretty much all the programs I'd ever use it for, such as presentations and media. My only complaints concern the buttons. They usually require a firm press to work reliably. Just because it feels like it pushed in doesn't mean that it actually made contact. This might explain some people's complaints of "presses not always working." I believe they just require a firm press because on the occasions when pressing didn't work, the LED on the receiver did not blink, so the AirClick didn't send out a signal, and this was after just sending one before, so it wasn't a result of a "sleep mode" or anything. My other [mild] complaint is the layout. While the current layout is simple and easy to use, it might be better to provide a more intuitive interface (à la iPod shuffle) in the future. Other than those two issues, I'd say this is a solid product, especially for the price. Bottom line: I'm happy with my AirClick USB.

This was an inexpensive item, so my expectations were hopeful but not all that high.
Now that I have had a chance to use the AirClick I'm quite impressed. It was a breeze to install the software, and setup was a snap. To activate it for use with your program of choice you simply click on an icon in your system tray. It comes with an extention cord to put the dongle receiver in a spot of better reception if you need to. I find it works great simply plugged into my USB hub on a desk.
I can control iTunes (only program I've tried) from all over the house- even through 3 walls at 50+ feet. The only clunkiness I see with it is closing out iTunes is a little funky unless you deselect the AirClick for use with that program before exiting (iTunes inquires whether another program requires it to stay open)- that is no biggie though.
All in all I think the AirClick is a great product at a nice price.

This remote works OK with iTunes and iPhoto. However, my main reason for purchasing this (a while ago) was to use it during Powerpoint presentations. This is where the bad begins: clicks take a while to register on a Powerbook during a presentation, especially while transitioning to a graphic-rich slide, so you have no clue for a second whether you actually pushed a button on the remote or not. This is not bad by itself, as I could adjust to waiting for a moment for a slide to transition. However, this remote is programmed such that if you keep the button pushed for just a tad longer than an instant (half a second), the presentation JUMPS TO THE LAST SLIDE, such that the presenter has to scramble, apologise, and manually return to the previous slide during the presentation! This happened to me during the actual presentation and almost caused an embarassment and surely set me back an entire minute. This behavior is not only bad, it is obnoxious, an example of garbage design that trashes the potentially good product. Granted, this is probably not the hardware's fault but the pathetic design of the Airclick bundled driver, but in this case the two must be used together and therefore can not be separated for the purpose of the review.

Also, my Powerbook (and a Powermac) does not sleep when the Airclick dongle is left in the USB port. This defect is not as blatantly bad as that concerning Powerpoint, but it does illustrate the overal attitude of the developers of the Airclick product.

UPDATE: After a few years, the company has released a software update that removes this horrible Powerpoint jump to the last slide and makes the remote useful!!! Should be a 3-star product now. When plugged in, the remote still does not let my Mac sleep. This is the only USB peripheral I know of that behaves this way, therefore only 3 stars. But with the software update the product can now be used for PowerPoint/Keynote presentations, at last.

I want to like this product, which I bought for the old TiBook I've got hooked up to my TV, but it's proving difficult. Using it with Front Row, even with the missing button, isn't too bad if you download Griffin's excellent Proxi application. Proxi lets you assign all kinds of nifty actions to button presses (and combinations of button presses) and for the most part works really well. It does, however, have a tendency to either freeze up or latch onto a particular button and not let go. If it latches onto a direction button, the Front Row icons will just sit there and spin until you force quit the app. If it latches onto the menu button, it'll back you out of your movie and to the desktop, often of its own accord.

The real problem, though, is with the hardware itself. It frequently takes two or three button presses for the AirClick to register one, and the build quality of the unit is sub-par. The buttons are mushy, and the unresponsiveness is very nearly a deal-breaker. I've been tempted to return it, but Griffin's competition looks even worse. Suffice to say these devices really make you appreciate the proper Apple remotes.

I bought this at the end of Feb. 2006 for my Mac. It works well except for the fact that the device is poorly designed. The part where the USB connector is and where the device bends doesn't take the stresses of normal use well and keeps popping open. For a while I put it back together, but this last time it tore out four of the five wires that connect the USB to the rest of the device and it is kaput. The wires are thin and soldered on lightly. It is not a robust hardware design. That is too bad because except for that (serious) problem, the device worked well with iTunes, the DVD player and other software. I wrote to the tech support people at Griffin Technology and told them that they need to replace it because it broke under normal wear and tear. We'll see what happens. I will report back. But if you purchase this, be very very careful and treat it very very gently.

Doesn't work. Really unacceptable lag on the functions even in plain line of sight. Even the Mac updated software V1.0.4 is woefully inadequate, no way to configure in any way other than 'Hacking' using Applescript (Tedious process - frankly, life's too short). OK, I thought I'd give it to my friend to control his PC iTunes with, from one room away (about 20 feet). The thing actually doesn't work from about 8 feet away when slighty round the corner of a bookshelf. Maybe wood to RF is like lead shielding is to Kryptonite - I don't know. This thing is pitiful. I'm taking it back and getting something that fits my only criterion: That it should work.

Software installs in seconds and this unit works perfectly through walls and floors. My place is not that big, so those people with huge homes, well, can't help there. But for my use using this with VLC, DVD player and iTunes works flawlessly. I have a video projection system hooked to my computer, so the idea of having to get up to advance dvd chapters or controling the volume in the dark or using an infared controller was not optimal. But this is super. Thanks Griffin!!! I just love buying something and having it work just as I imagined.

A cool gadget. (...) Works well with my Mac. I'm using my mac as a jukebox and it controls iTunes great. Also used it with powerpoint and keynote without problems.

When I received the unit, it had corrosion on the USB connector (but it worked!). (...) No regrets!

I like the compact design, but it just doesn't work well. This remote has an annoying habit of jumping to the end of a power point show, instead of advancing one slide. This is off-putting to an audience and cumbersome for a presenter. Ugh. I just ordered the Kensington remote to replace this one. Also note: for Mac users, this remote only works with MS Office 2004, not earlier versions of the software.