John Sciacca

Looming just outside the PRO Audio Technology booth are speakers that literally dwarf my 6-foot 4-inch self. These speakers weigh upwards of 300 pounds, feature massive horns and woofers and are driven by 10,000 watts of amplification to deliver organ pulverizing SPLs in even the largest rooms. So when I went into the PRO Audio demo, I certainly expected to be blown away by big sound. What I didn’t expect was what I saw when the demo was over and the company revealed what was actually playing!

The Philips Pronto touchscreen remote control revolutionized what a non-professional programmer could do when it came to customizing their personal controller. User groups traded graphics files, created games, and spent hours tweaking and refining their beloved Prontos. But this venerable remote was discontinued by the manufacturer several years ago, and the Pronto name was all but lost, only to be spoken of in hushed and revered tones.

But, good news, Pronto and iOS lovers! The new Pronto Peel is going to bring some of the love and control back in a new form factor and simple to use way!

Back in the day, canaries would be carried down into mine tunnels to warn of any dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide. When the canary died, you knew it was time to get the heck out of dodge. This modern Canary is designed to protect your house while you’re away and notify you of any break-ins.