Basic Trope: An electronic gadget is upgraded with software, hardware or peripherals of different manufacture, and the new components work fine together with no integration issues.
- Straight: Alice buys a Universal Remote™ which links up to her home computer, giving her full control over the computer using the remote right out of the box.
- Exaggerated:
- Alice's Universal Remote gives her full control of all the appliances in her home, right out of the box.
- Alice can control non-electronic devices with her Remote, like the deadbolt on her front door.
- Downplayed: Alice is able to use the universal remote after a bit of setup. She never needs to do anything other than confirm the kind of device she wants to control with said gadget.
- Justified:
- The Universal Remote, as its name suggests, is specifically programmed to interact with a wide variety of electronic devices.
- There actually is a required integration procedure (such as entering a specific set of command codes), but the audience is not shown this for the sake of expediency.
- The Universal Remote includes a specialized AI and a "skeleton key" that imitates connectors - this handles all of the integration issues.
- The third-party upgrade is made specifically to enhance the device it's being used on, all issues were resolved before it was shipped out to stores.
- Inverted:
- It is an incredibly complicated sequence just to get the universal remote working with a TV specifically listed as compatible.
- Alice's old remote doesn't work with future TV models, even though it logically should.
- Subverted: Alice's Universal Remote turns on Alice's computer, but will do no more.
- Double Subverted: Until it does.
- Parodied:
- Alice can control her garden rake using the Universal Remote.
- Alice uses the Universal Remote's built-in camera to take a snapshot of Bob, whereupon Alice can control Bob like a puppet.
- Zig Zagged: Alice's Remote will control some basic functions of the computer (power on/off; mouse click; start menu) but not others (typing or web navigation).
- Averted: Alice has no device with which to control her computer that it didn't come with originally.
- Enforced:
- There used to be several remote sub-systems. It was found to contribute nothing but unnecessary frustration and was replaced with the Universal Remote for Rule of Fun.
- UniMote Ltd. included the (understandable) stipulation that the show promotes their remote controls in their sponsor contract.
- Lampshaded: "Wow, that little remote can do anything, can't it?"
- Invoked: A device intended for time travelers is specifically designed to deal with these comparability issues.
- Exploited: Alice uses her Universal Remote to control other peoples' Universal Remotes.
- Defied: "Control all my appliances with one device? As if!" And she refuses to purchase it.
- Discussed: "Too bad we don't have one of those Universal Remotes that could take control of Emperor Evulz's computer... er, do we, Alice?"
- Conversed: "It's like one of those sci-fi movies where they find an alien computer that is auto-magically compatible with all our Earth technology."
- Deconstructed: Electronics manufacturers are releasing system codes and software drivers to allow the Universal Remote to interact with their products, in deference to the Remote's rising popularity.
- Played For Laughs: Alice pours gasoline into the battery compartment of her flashlight. It works to Bob's utter confusion.
- Played For Drama: Power corrupts, and Alice finds herself Slowly Slipping Into Evil as she takes control of the world's technology.
- Implied: Alice is a Playful Hacker who accesses more systems than should be possible, but it is not revealed how.
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