A handful (http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/03/motorola-unveils-the-xoom-2-and-xoom-2-media-edition/) of new Android tablets can take control of your television thanks to their built-in IR blasters, but Griffin has just come through with a solution for those of you stuck with less versatile hardware. Enter the Beacon, a standalone IR transmitter that helps turn your Android device into a remote control (http://store.griffintechnology.com/beacon-android). Setting up the Beacon itself is pretty straightforward -- just pop in four AA batteries (ugh), pair it with your phone via Bluetooth, and you're off to the races.
Attribution: CNET, ECTNews and TechCrunch.