A universal remote control apparatus that is programmable with software supplied by manufacturers of controllable devices so that a single remote control apparatus has a broad spectrum application capable of operating many different controllable devices. The remote control apparatus is based in a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) having sufficient memory to store the requisite software from a multitude of controllable devices and is operable to send or receive signals to the controllable devices by radio signal or by infra red beam. The remote control apparatus can be coupled to a personal computer to download the requisite software into the memory of the PDA, which can come via software supplied with the controllable device or by accessing the manufacturer's web site and downloading the necessary software therefrom. The display screen of the PDA can then be customized to replicate any control functions with a touch screen actuation control buttons.