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HongKong, Nov. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The SofaBaton X2 is a new-generation universal remote that turns both hardware craftsmanship and IR performance up to eleven. Its body is built from a unibody zinc-alloy metal chassis with careful chamfer edges and a clean, well-spaced button layout. In the hand, the X2 feels substantial, with a distinct sense of weight and premium metal texture. The surface uses a refined sandblasted finish that resists fingerprints and provides a dry, non-slippery touch. The buttons are tuned with gentle damping, so every press produces a crisp, deliberate click rather than a mushy response – reinforcing both quality and control.
As the company puts it, the X2 combines “ergonomic design with a responsive touch interface,” striking a balance between powerful functionality and effortless everyday use.

Intuitive Display and Interaction

On the front, the X2 features a 2.4-inch touch-enabled HD display that provides instant feedback for every action. With a pixel density of 332 ppi, icons, text and channel artwork appear sharp and detailed, even from typical living-room viewing distances. In daily use, this screen makes it easy to see which device you’re controlling, what you just pressed, and what state your system is in – reducing guesswork and trial-and-error. All device selection and status information is concentrated on this display, which feels both refined and responsive.

The interface also includes touch shortcuts that can instantly bring up macro commands, allowing users to trigger complex multi-device routines with a single tap. Combined with the thoughtfully arranged physical buttons, this creates a workflow where you “look at the screen to choose, and use your fingertips to confirm.” Many users appreciate that the backlit keys keep the remote visually clean, while the medium key travel helps prevent accidental presses and contributes to a stable, confident feel.

A Layered IR System: Remote, Hub, IR Blasters and R1 Repeater

Where the X2 really sets itself apart is in the way it handles infrared control. Instead of being a simple “single-LED” remote, it works as a complete system made up of:

• the X2 Remote in your hand
• the X2 Hub positioned facing or near your equipment
• wired IR blasters for devices hidden in cabinets
• and the optional R1 IR repeater, for extended coverage

This layered design is what allows the X2 to confidently control both visible devices and gear that’s completely tucked out of sight.

Hub-First IR: The Primary Signal Source

By default, the X2 Hub does most of the heavy lifting. When you press a button on the remote, the command is sent wireless (via RF) to the Hub, which then fires off IR signals using its built-in high-power emitters.

Inside the Hub is a set of multi-directional IR emitters designed to project signals:
• in a roughly 360° forward and upward pattern
• with no direct downward emission

In practical terms, this means you should ideally place the Hub:
• Faces or stays side by side with devices, open shelf, or cabinet surface
• not placed above equipment or inside thick doors and drawers

With good placement, the Hub alone can cover most living-room setups. You press a key on the X2, the Hub responds almost instantly, and the controlled devices react with virtually no perceivable lag.

Using the Remote’s Own IR for Tricky Angles

In many rooms, there’s always that one awkwardly placed device – a TV off to the side, a projector mounted high up, or a soundbar that sits outside the Hub’s sweet spot.

For these cases, the X2 gives you a backup: in the app, you can enable the remote’s built-in IR emitter for these devices.

Once enabled, the X2 Remote can send IR commands directly from its own Emitter:
• you simply point the remote at the target device
• the command skips the Hub and goes directly from remote to these devices.

This way, users get the best of both worlds: Hub-based whole-room coverage most of the time, with classic “point-and-shoot” IR control from remote.

IR Blasters: Precise Control for Devices Hidden in Cabinets

Many modern living rooms hide set-top boxes, players and AV receivers inside cabinets to keep things visually clean. To handle this, the X2 system includes wired IR blaster cables that plug directly into the Hub.

A typical setup looks like this:
1. Plug the IR blaster into the Hub’s IR output port.
2. Route the cable into the cabinet or enclosure while leaving the door of cabinet or enclosure open; If not possible, place Hub inside the cabinet or enclosure too.
3. Aim the head of the IR blasters at the IR receiver window on your devices.

Because the Hub itself mainly fires IR forward and upward, fully enclosed devices inside cabinets are best handled by these wired blasters. This lets you keep boxes, players and amplifiers completely hidden behind doors of the cabinet or enclosure without sacrificing reliable control.

Extending Coverage with the R1 IR Repeater

For more complex layouts – devices spread across both sides of the room, a rack in a side cabinet, or even equipment in another room – SofaBaton offers the R1 IR repeater (sold separately) to extend the X2 system’s reach.

The R1 is a compact, puck-shaped IR node that receives IR from the Hub and rebroadcasts signal using its own emitters. You can think of it as a dedicated “IR twin” of the Hub:

• the X2 Remote sends a command to the X2 Hub
• the Hub processes the command and emits RF commands to R1
• the R1 picks up that RF signal and sends out IR signal to devices instead in its own coverage zone

Inside the R1 are multiple high-power emitters that create a kind of 360° IR “shower” around it. It also provides a dedicated IR blaster output with an extended cable, allowing you to pull the signal even further into side cabinets, corner installations, or secondary racks.

In simple terms, this combination lets you:
• place the Hub near your main TV and primary equipment stack
• position the R1 near a second cluster of devices or even in another room
• and still control everything seamlessly with a single X2 remote in your hand

Instead of rearranging your room for IR line-of-sight, you can hide devices and cables where they make sense aesthetically, and let the X2 + R1 IR network quietly handle the rest.

Summary

The SofaBaton X2 is more than just a “working” universal remote – it’s a system built for people who care about hardware feel and control detail.

On the hardware side, it offers:
• a unibody zinc-alloy chassis with real metal weight and texture
• damped,  clicking physical buttons
• a 2.4-inch touch HD display with a sharp 332-ppi pixel density

On the inside, it implements a full, layered IR control architecture:
• Hub-first IR as the primary, whole-room signal source
• optional on-remote IR for tricky angles and edge cases
• wired IR blasters for precise control of cabinet-hidden devices
• and the R1 repeater for extended, multi-zone coverage

Combined with the SofaBaton app – where you can fine-tune power behavior, input switching, Activities and button mapping – a single tap can power on the right devices, switch to the correct HDMI input, and route volume to the proper amplifier, without you having to “chase” each box with its own remote.

Whether you’re switching inputs or controlling equipment tucked away behind doors and in corners, the X2’s performance and materials underline its core philosophy: this is not about gimmicks, but about serious hardware, turning complex system control into something that feels simple and natural in everyday use.

CONTACT: Jan Yang
marketing@sofabaton.com

Shenzhen, Nov. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On November 14, the 27th China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF) officially opened in Shenzhen, under the theme “Empowering Industries with Technology, Creating the Future Together.”

As China’s largest and most influential technology exhibition, this year’s CHTF brings together over 5,000 leading enterprises and international organizations from more than 100 countries and regions, presenting over 5,000 cutting-edge products, technologies, and innovations that represent the frontier of global science and technology.

For nearly three decades, the CHTF has served as a key bridge for global innovation exchange and technology commercialization, and an important window of China’s high-level opening-up in the field of high and new technology.

A Global Engine for Innovation

With 22 specialized exhibition zones spanning artificial intelligence and robotics, semiconductors and integrated circuits, consumer electronics, low-altitude economy, commercial aerospace, and more, this year’s CHTF paints a vivid blueprint of the new landscape of China’s high-tech industries.

The event covers 400,000 square meters of exhibition area and is jointly organized by the Shenzhen Municipal Government. It aims to accelerate the integration of technological and industrial innovation, and to contribute to China’s goal of achieving high-level self-reliance in science and technology as outlined in the 20th CPC Central Committee’s Fourth Plenary Session.

Shenzhen, as China’s innovation powerhouse, continues to lead the nation in R&D intensity and global patent applications. For nine consecutive years, the city’s total R&D expenditure has maintained double-digit growth. It has topped the country in domestic patent authorizations for seven years and PCT international patent filings for 21 years, with the Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Guangzhou innovation cluster recently ranked first in the world.

A highlight of this year’s exhibition is the Ascend AI Ecosystem Pavilion, jointly presented by Huawei and Guangming Laboratory. Featuring the 384 Super Node, making its first public appearance in Shenzhen, the pavilion showcases the “hard power” of domestic AI computing and the “soft core” of China’s open-source CANN architecture—demonstrating a thriving AI ecosystem powered by collaboration.

 

Driving Regional Synergy and a Unified National Market

In alignment with China’s strategy to build a unified national market, the CHTF plays a vital role in promoting the efficient flow of innovation resources—technology, capital, and talent—across regions.

More than 30 regional delegations from Shanghai, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Macao, and across the Greater Bay Area—including Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Dongguan, and Zhongshan—are participating, fully demonstrating the Fair’s ability to promote regional cooperation and resource integration.

A brand-new “Regional Economic and Technological Innovation Zone” has been established this year, highlighting the latest achievements in technological and industrial innovation across China.
For example, Zhangjiagang and Hangzhou’s Yuhang District debut as independent exhibitors, showcasing advanced industries from new energy and semiconductors to digital economy, low-altitude aviation, and biomedicine.
Among the highlights, Zhejiang Strong Brain Technology, China’s first unicorn in brain–computer interface (BCI) technology, presents its non-invasive BCI and Revo 2 robotic hand; while Hangzhou Gaoxi Technology, the world’s only company capable of mass-producing single-layer graphene oxide, unveils its “one material, two fibers, two membranes” innovation system.

Gathering the Forces of Innovation

The 27th CHTF brings together over 5,000 enterprises along the global high-tech value chain, integrating innovation, capital, and industry to cultivate new quality productive forces.

Over 40 state-owned enterprises, including China Southern Power Grid, China Rare Earth Group, and China Electric Equipment Group, showcase breakthroughs in large-scale national projects, while industry leaders such as HONOR, iFLYTEK, Insta360, XDS Bicycles, and Bourne Optical unveil their latest technological advancements.

More than 30 top universities and research institutes—including Tsinghua University, Peking University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Guangming Laboratory—are exhibiting, offering a glimpse into the cutting edge of global science.

Expanding International Collaboration

Situated in the heart of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, the CHTF continues to serve as a window of international openness and cooperation.
This year’s Fair features a “Belt and Road International Cooperation Zone” and an “International Friendship City Technology Zone”, attracting innovators from Germany, Canada, Russia, Brazil, Argentina, and other regions across Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Over 30,000 professional buyers and 1,000 procurement delegations are expected to participate in the Global Sourcing Fair, alongside 3,000 domestic and international investment institutions, including Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Sequoia Capital, Bain Capital, IDG Capital, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, and the Saudi Sovereign Fund.
Dedicated International Procurement Sessions, such as the New Energy and Energy Storage Special, will facilitate direct cooperation between global buyers and Chinese suppliers, accelerating cross-border innovation and industrial collaboration.

A Three-Day Showcase of Innovation

Across its three-day agenda, the Fair will host more than 200 events, including product launches, project roadshows, technical seminars, investment forums, and award ceremonies.
Over 5,000 new products and technologies—90% of which are physical exhibits—will make their debut, with over 20% being global or China-first releases.

Highlights include the world’s first underwater operation exoskeleton robot developed by the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (Chinese Academy of Sciences), and HONOR’s Magic 8 Series, the world’s first self-evolving AI-native smartphone.

A Legacy of Innovation

Over the past 27 years, the China Hi-Tech Fair has not only become known as “China’s No.1 Technology Exhibition” but has also witnessed the rise of countless tech legends.
It was here that Tencent secured its first funding, iFLYTEK formed a strategic partnership with Huawei, and the genetically modified cotton project took root before spreading across the nation.

From these stories of success, CHTF continues to embody the journey of Chinese technology—from follower, to runner-up, to global leader.

As new partnerships are signed and innovations unveiled at this year’s Fair, the CHTF once again proves itself as a never-ending stage for innovation, driving technologies from exhibition halls to industries, and from Shenzhen to the world—injecting new momentum into global scientific progress and China’s technological self-reliance.

CONTACT: Vanessa Zhuo
zsx@zhenweiexpo.com