Buried within the TiVo Edge release notes is reference to a new “Lux” remote control. So, as I’m wont to do, I tracked it down.
The TiVo Lux is essentially the same TiVo Bolt/Mini Vox voice remote. But, now enhanced with full backlighting — as you’d expect from a premium product. This isn’t the first time TiVo has bundled a backlit remote, but it may be the first since the original TiVo Glo hit way back in 2006 with the Series 3. Initially, this will be an Edge Antenna pack-in, but I suspect it’ll ultimately make its way into TiVo Cable boxes and become available as an accessory for Bolt and Roamio.
While some like Apple and Roku have gone minimalist with their remote controls, I still find value in a reasonable number of clickable buttons with sufficient feedback — especially a directional pad, as the Apple TV remote can be infuriating. Yet, it’s not clear how or if TiVo will utilize those thumbs given the deprecation of manual rating for content recommendations.