Smart Home Blog

Logitech just announced its new device – Harmony Link, which together with free Android/iOS Harmony Link app turns your smartphone/tablet into smart universal remote control. It uses WiFi to receive commands and transmits them via IR to AV equipment. The Harmony Link can control up to 8 devices and work with several smartphones/tablets simultaneously. The application offers all features ordinary universal controls and even more – custom buttons layout and personalize TV shows guide via Rovi (for iPad only).

The Logitech Harmony Link will be available in October at $99.99.

Logitech not just produces not expensive but power universal remote controls Harmony. It also offers a simple and convenient way to customize they layout with software MyHarmony. Using it you can assign remote control buttons with different commands as well as update database of IR commands (not sure but it should be like that).

Initially the MyHarmony supported Harmony 300. But recently Logitech added he Harmony 600, Harmony 650 and Harmony 700 remotes. So, don’t miss the chance adjust your remote control according to your preferences.

[via Blog.Logitech]

Mavromatic made good video review of Logitech’s Harmony One Remote Control. The remote looks nice. It includes a 2.5” color touchscreen LCD and can be easily connected to PC for update its database of IR codes. The database is very huge and includes all known brands. The preferences of remote can be stored online using Logitech web service. So, you won’t loose them or will able to access them from any PC.

Now fly in the ointment. The combination of hard keys and touchscreen doesn’t look handy. It’s impossible to perform all operations using only one hand. Because the price is not cheap the Harmony One Remote Control seems an appropriate solution only if consumer has a few A/V or other IR controlled devices which are not connected to any home automation system. Otherwise it might be more efficient to use something like Nokia Internet Tablet with integrated smarthome interface.

If you’re tired of a bunch of audio-video remote controls and you’d like to consolidate their functionality in one of those cheapie manually programmable “universal” remotes, Logitech’s Harmony 890 just might be what you’re looking for. The 890 comes with a combination USB-based battery charger and dock to connect it to your computer. The 890 Windows-based software provides a nice interface for defining your devices (audio-video components) and putting them together in a variety of useful on-off, initialization combinations.
Harmony 890 allows to control up to 15 devices, including any home-entertainment equipment, plus lighting and household appliances.
The price of Harmony 890 is about $399.00. It isn’t cheap but I hope that this price is defensible.

[via Gear Digest]