Mashed Pixel's Surc Case Looks To Turn iPhone Into Universal Learning Remote

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It’s looking like a spot of bad news for the crew out at ThinkFlood as a new item emerges from Mashed Pixel: the Surc Case, an iPhone case that allows the iPhone to function as a learning universal remote, will be showing at the next CES. However, the news may not be that bad for ThinkFlood after all; though imitators were pretty much certain to show up at some point, their effect may be limited.

The Surc Case is pretty much what it says on the box, a case for your iPhone to help clear up that whole “suddenly dies when you touch it in the wrong spot” problem. But it also offers something you may not immediately think of: a small IR transmitter built right into the case that will let it function as a universal remote that learns.

It works with the iPhone 3G, the iPhone 3GS, and of course the iPhone 4, and once you download a free app that goes along with it, you’ll be able to let it learn the inner workings of most any remote controlled device you have in the house. You’ll also get an included program guide with that app, allowing you to scroll through your various television options and then jump to said program right from the iPhone.

But take heart, those of you who think ThinkFlood had it right–they may not be so doomed as first indicated. See, at last report, the Surc Case doesn’t support the iPad. It can’t, really, because it’s just a big case. And when iPhone 5 shows up, chances are, the Surc Case won’t be working with that either, so the ThinkFlood Redeye line will have a serious edge over the Surc Case by force of sheer longevity.

So if you’re all right with using a doomed product for the time being, then you can get your hands on a Surc Case and channel surf with your iPhone until it falls apart. They’re taking pre-orders on these right now, and you can get them for $69.99, with delivery expected sometime in the first quarter of 2011.