The Wand Company, the firm that designed and released the universal remote control shaped into a wizard's magic wand, has signed a deal with the BBC to create a new infrared device that's shaped like the latest Doctor Who's Sonic Screwdriver.

Named in a "does what it says on the tin" fashion as the Doctor Who Sonic Screwdriver Universal Remote Control, it has been shown for the first time at Comic Con in San Diego, and is available for pre-order now from Firebox.com for £59.99 (it'll also be available on ThinkGeek for US customers).

It is made from die-cast metal with polished copper plating and a soft grip, and responds to flicks of the wrist in order to change TV channels and volume or control a host of other AV equipment.

The remote is fully programmable and comes with 13 pre-installed special FX sounds from the series itself. And the whole shebang comes in a presentation case for those who simply want to add it to their collection rather than put it to use.

Firebox is currently listing its arrival date as from four to eight weeks - so that's August/September time. That's just in time for series 7 of Doctor Who, which starts on BBC One in "the autumn".

What do you think of the Sonic Screwdriver Universal Remote Control? Would you buy one? Do you already own the wand remote? If so, what do you think? Let us know in the comments below...