At a recent dealer show in Paris, Sony publicly revealed some preliminary details on their next top-of-the-line remote control, the RM-NX7000. I’d like to thank Kingsley for providing the following photo and details.

RM-NX7000: Click to enlarge.

The RM-NX7000 is a new touchscreen learning remote control with full graphical color TFT display supporting vibrant 16-bit color. It features a PC-editable user interface, USB connectivity, a Sony Memory Stick slot for expandability, clock and timer functions, plus “games and website links”. It sports 7 hard buttons for menu navigation control, 6 buttons for volume/mute and channel/recall, 4 buttons for remote navigation, plus 5 auxiliary buttons. The tentative price is listed at £499 (approximately $799 US), with availability reported as this coming August.

The photo you see here is a wood mock-up unit, so that is not a real screen or current example of the user interface. Since the remote is still some ways off, details for now are quite spotty. I’ll be updating with new information as I receive it.

Update 6:00PM:
I'd like to thank Rob Grabon for providing additional details on the upcoming Sony NAVITUS RM-NX7000 from Tuesday's Sony Products Show in New Jersey:

• Fully customizable: screen, layout, key labels, IR codes, macros.
• Data exchange through USB or Memory Stick.
• 3.5" color TFT display (65,536 colors).
• New tactile response touch panel.
• High speed data down/upload with USB connection and Memory Stick.
• Easy unique functions (direct access button, favorite channel zapping, etc.)
• Learning, macro commands, timer functions.
• Easy-to-use hard buttons.
• Brushed aluminium front panel.
• Docking station and AC jack for battery recharging.
• Edit software on CD-ROM.
• Linux OS.
• Dragonball 200MHz ARM9 CPU.
• MSRP: $799.99 US.

Catalog: Click to enlarge.

And a quote from the Sony 2003 Accessories Catalog:

Advanced technology delivers the ultimate simplicity.
Take control of every component in your home theater with Sony's fully customizable remote control. The NAVITUS remote has the latest infrared codes in its universal database, featuring more than 500 brands. The Navitus remote communicates with your PC through the supplied USB interface. Or you can use the optional Memory Stick media to carry programs from a remote PC to the Navitus controller - a great alternative for custom installers. The ergonomic, streamlined design with brushed aluminum front panel houses a 3.5" color LCD with clear 65,536 color, easy to use hard buttons, quick keys, menu function buttons, plus convenient unique functions such as direct access buttons and favorite channel zapping.

[ Talk about Sony remotes! ]