Great idea! I'm about 2 weeks into my 30 day return period for the N800 from Amazon. I love the little thing, but find it adorably useless. Every time I think about returning it, I can't. Its like a cuddly little toy or a Roomba vac. I show it to friends, and they coo over it, particularly the great screen. But as cute as it is, it 1) doesn't have a decent PIM, 2) can't play Audible.com audio books, 3) Rhapsody requires a Wi-Fi connection and can't do Rhapsody-To-Go (so I can carry along my subscription music) and 4) the email client is terrible. But the browser is SO much better than my Moto Q. Its definitely a Linux toy for early adopters, and I ain't an early adopter. So I desperately want it to have a few more utilitarian uses to justify the $375 price. Being able to use it as a programmable remote would be FABULOUS.

In looking at that post, though, of the endgadget gadget that turned an iPod into a programmable remote, the key would be that the IR attachment would need a 90 degree elbow. The N800 is landscape orientation with the headphone jack on the end.

I hope someone comes up with this. Wow! Being able to sit on the sofa and control my gear AND check email at the same time. Now that's something I'd personally find as useful as Skype.