Spelling check! :-)

Silly question.. we're wondering about the textual validity of a slogan we have in mind for a new product. We think the product is "remotely configurable".. but is that the right way of saying it? Google doesn't give a whole lot of results for "remotely" and one colleague thinks it might be "remote configurable".. Any native British speakers care to make a final verdict? :-))

I see your problem - in English you can say the same thing a dozen different ways and yet some can be very funny to a native speaker.
I think remotely configurable is correct but just not something that you would say.

Saying - ' the product has remote configurability' or 'the product can be configured remotely' is more "correct".

I am sure this will open up a wasps nest of opinion.

"Remotely configurable" is the strongest usage, particularly for a slogan or marketing materials. You don't want to employ more passive tenses such as "can be configured remotely" unless you are writing technical specs or manuals.

If "remotely configurable" is not wrong, I have to agree with Tony.. it is compact and strong, perfect for this application. I think we will go with that. Thanks a lot for replying Jake and Tony!

That's ok Rene.

You did ask for British English which is different from American English, so it depends on who your target audience is.  Having said that most computer speak and advertising is American babble anyway so it doesn't really matter what you say or how you say it!  We are getting used to the language changing - as it should do :)

It is just that in (British) English (speech) the word remotely is never used on its own it is always 'not remotely' - which is why I thought it was funny - you would give the exact opposite meaning.

But it is all semantics :) - whatever you think is best.

Followup - if you mean "remotely configurable" in the context of "the product can be configured from a remote location" then it is the proper usage.

If, however, you are saying it in the context of "I don't know whether this product is even remotely configurable," then you might want to change your phrasing as it does become awkward. Like Jake says, the usage in that case is colloquial and most often used to discern a level of possibility rather than locale.

Hard to speak further without knowing your whole slogan... ;)

Thanks Tony - that is very clear.
I bet Rene wishes he never started this!

I like the following example of how rules are 'broken'-

A single negative is always negative - no
A double negative is always negative - no, never
A single affirmative is always affirmative - yes
A double affirmative is always affirmative - yeh, right :D

Haha this is getting interesting indeed :-)
The whole "slogan" is "Remotely configurable". Guess it's a subtitle, rather than a slogan fwiw..
The product is a data reader for vehicles, which sends vehicle data via 3G to a server. From a website you can select (24/7) which signals you want the unit to monitor and send, whereafter the unit is reprogrammed over the air. This is a key difference with competitive products that you have to physically reprogram, rather then remotely, from your lazy chair.
So I still think "remotely configurable" is correct in this case.
I might post the banner/poster design later, soon as it is a definite design :-)
Thanks again!