Embedded processors are making it possible for common appliances, such as cable boxes, microwaves and fax machines, to provide even more functionality. Unfortunately, as these appliances become more complex, their interfaces are also becoming harder to use. At the same time, more people are carrying hand-held computerized devices that can communicate. We envision a future in which people will use their handhelds to communicate with and control common appliances in their environment. In this work we designed a specification language and built an automatic interface generator using lessons learned from analyzing a set of hand-created interfaces. Keywords Handheld computers, remote control, appliances, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), Pebbles