Apple has released a remote, which enables you to control your apple products such as iPod, MacBook, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, iMacs remotely. Now Apple TVs also have an Apple remote.

Plug your iPod into the universal dock and then choose a playlist. Now your iPod is ready to control remotely from up to 30 feet. The same applies to Macs, enter into your front row (media center) and then your remote will give you total control over of your music, photo, video, and DVD. When you are playing music on your iPod or Macs, you are able to change the up-down volume, going to next-previous chapter, play-pause, front-back forwarding etc with the infrared-based transmitter Apple remote. It also allows you to put your Macs in sleeping mode, slide show presentation, locking your Macs from anywhere in your room.http://store.apple.com/us/product/MA128G/B

Only six buttons on this remote, provides:

• Pairing in Macs.
• Control sleep option of Macs.
• Control Booting of Macs.
• Control Apple Keynote.
• Control iPod music when it is connected with the universal dock.
• Control iPod Hi-Fi.
• Control media player like VLC media player.
• Control your Apple TV.

http://www.macinstruct.com/node/79 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Remote

In our tests, the Apple Remote reliably connected with the Dock under overhead fluorescent lighting - our typical stress test - at a distance of 20 feet when pointed directly at the IR receiver. At 21 feet, the connection became poor, and at 22 feet, they wouldn’t connect. But if we put the Dock under different lighting or turned off the lights, the remote not only worked without a problem from a distance of 30 feet, but could actually work without being pointed precisely at the Dock. By IR standards, this is quite good - http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/reviews/entry/apple-computer-universal-dock-and-apple-remote-ipod/

Apple’s Remote application is a brilliant piece of software that manages to tie the company’s bevy of wireless and music server technologies into the iPhone. It’s easy to use and has a great interface, though Apple’s application restrictions mean that you can’t use the iPhone in any other way while Remote is running. - http://www.goodgearguide.com.au/review/software_and_services/apple/remote/254905

The App store went live a few minutes ago and the remote app we saw last week went live as well. It controls your iTunes through a screen that looks just like the regular iPhone/iPod touch player, and it only works through Wi-Fi. You can control AppleTVs, too, and you can also control speaker output. - http://gizmodo.com/5023715/apple-remote-iphone-app-controls-your-itunes-over-wi+fi

Then, sit back, relax and enjoy. Ready to move on to the next song? No need to get up from your sofa--just press the forward button on the Apple Remote. Phone ringing? Just click pause, then pick up where you left off. - http://store.apple.com/us/product/MA128G/B#overview