Hillcrest Labs

[4] Founder Dan Simpkins, who had previously founded SALIX technologies, believed that television content was becoming increasingly difficult to navigate, and he wanted to make it easier.

[6] In 2006, Hillcrest introduced its first products: the Loop pointer and the Home television navigation system, with a graphical, zoomable interface.

[16][17][18] PC World Magazine named The Loop pointer one of the “top 100 products of the year”[19] and one of the “greatest tech designs ever.”[20] In 2010, Hillcrest released the Kylo browser, a free web browser for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X, optimized for viewing on a TV screen.

[22] Also in 2010, LG came out with the Magic Motion remote, which used Hillcrest's technology to allow users to change channels with gestures.

It is currently used in several products, such as the Magic Motion motion-sensing remote controls that come with some of LG Electronics’ televisions.

[1][32][23][3] Other licensees of Freespace include Logitech, Sony's videogame division,[32][3] Roku,[33][31] Universal Electronics,[32][14] and Zillion TV.

[3][21][22] On August 19, 2008, Hillcrest Laboratories filed a complaint against Nintendo with the U.S International Trade Commission, alleging that the Wii Remote infringed on three of its patents.

A fourth Hillcrest patent (for graphical interfaces displayed on television screens) was also allegedly violated.