@ jasonology:

Using Remote Buddy with its sensible defaults: zero clicks.

Exchanging the action mapped to a button: one click and selecting the new action of your choice from the popup

Configuring the menu: one drag and drop action per menu item

Flexibility: endless

I'm sorry, but I don't see how this'd be overly complex or how it could further be streamlined below one click or drag and drop operation.

If you have an idea on how to streamline this further, please drop me a mail (I only check by here more or less randomly). I'm always open to new approaches and ideas.

Best regards,
Felix Schwarz

I bought this without trialling when it was on mupromo, based on the reviews. I haven't tried Mira, but I believe Sofa Control has a more elegant interface despite having fewer features.
That is, Remote Buddy has a nice modern GUI, but the interface is confusing. I feel like I need to drink 1L of coffee every time I launch it. Perhaps an easy-setup wizard would help.
Maybe ex-Windows switchers or Germans are used to having complex software.
I am only using it from a Bluetooth phone, but the .hid file provided doesn't let me assign all of my phone's buttons (it's a Sony-Ericsson) so I am limited in the number of functions I can assign.

Your three primary options (that I'm aware of, at least) for controlling your mac remotely are Mira, Sofa Control, and Remote Buddy.

I've tried all 3, and IMO Remote Buddy is far more customizable than Mira and far easier to customize than Sofa Control. Plus there are some features you can't get with the other two, like support for Bluetooth-enabled phones and the Wii remote (which I love, BTW).

There's also a bunch of scripts that come built-in and ready-to-go with RB that make it just that much easier to use. You could mirror the same functionality in the other two, but it would require a bunch of scripting (or, at least, downloading add-on scripts from their website).

With all that being said, RB isn't perfect. The movie library browser for VLC is underdeveloped and the music browser for iTunes is slow and sometimes glitchy (displaying the wrong song info). Also, better support for 480i TV as a secondary display would be nice. And as insanely customizable as the RB on-screen menus are, there are some pretty basic tweaking options that are just... absent (like screen positioning and font size).

But the pros far outweigh the cons (again, IMO). I can't imagine going back to the time before I started using this.

It's excellent. And makes remote more responsive than in plain OS X!

@ willow:

I guess you don't need any of this then (features ONLY Remote Buddy offers at this point):

- virtual onscreen keyboard
- real Apple Remote emulation (on all Macs)
- presentation tools that highlight the area you want to highlight (instead of hiding it)
- a proper, reliable and absolutely clean fix for the Apple Remote "double press" issue that doesn't cause side effects or even ask you to delete your system files (which we consider an absolute no-go!)
- easy, one click button mapping (instead of diving into XML or AppleScript)
- flexible drag and drop menu configuration with any number of hierarchical levels
- support for almost 100 applications
- support for easily and reliably mapping multiple Apple remotes differently
- direct access to all screen settings parameters
- freedom of choice on how menus should be organized and how buttons should react
- embedded, visual volume and rating controls
- powerful, FAST, built-in iTunes, EyeTV and VIDEO_TS browsers with metadata and covers/previews
- support for using the Apple Remote with many popular Keyspan IR receivers (and their bundled remotes) for Macs that don't ship with one
- easy-to-use online updater that provides quick fixes, adapations and support for new applications and updates to applications
- top-notch iPhone and wide hardware support
- ..

I invite you to have a look at what Remote Buddy actually is and what you can do with it on our website at http://www.iospirit.com/ .. you'll find even more greatly useful features that are exclusive to Remote Buddy there, too.

Cheers,
Felix Schwarz

Apple Remote apps my 2 cents:

OK: Remote Buddy
Good: Mira
Best: Sofa Control (simply the best)

I love this product.... I was able to include control to new programs without complications.

Perfect way to add remote control with bluetooth to a hackintosh which has no built-in ir receiver.

i really love it!

best app ever! i thought i was never going to use that remote, but now i use it for all sorts of things, not just iTunes.
It's a tool that can seriously save you lots of time and clicks!