I just got a great idea. Some entrepreneur is going to get rich by designing electronics with all the controls on the device itself, not on a remote handset. Just think of the advantages. No batteries to run down, no problems with forgetting where you left it, no more trying to figure out which remote goes to which appliance. Not only that, you'll be able to throw the universal remote away once and for all. It never worked right anyway.

And just think of the convenience! If you want to watch tv, or listen to radio, or operate the vcr, you just walk over and do it. Never again will you have to go diving into the easy chair cushions or looking under the couch or chasing down the rugrats to pry the damn thing from their sticky little fingers. And best of all, that drawer in the den full of dead remotes can finally be returned to productive use. And if you move to a new place, it's one thing less you have to worry about losing.

Why hasn't anyone thought of this before?