Logitech unveils Harmony Ultimate and Smart Control universal remote sets for home entertainment heroes

Got no touchscreen on your living room remote? That's a shame, because Logitech and others have been flogging such universal controllers since way back when. After a long new product hiatus, the late 2012 release of the Harmony Touch remote hasn't stopped Logitech from mulling a sale of the brand, but it's not done with it just yet. Coming soon are two fresh bundles bearing the Harmony name: the Ultimate and Smart Control. At the heart of both is the Smart Hub, a palm-sized box somewhat similar to the Harmony Link. It receives commands from remotes via RF, or from smartphone apps via WiFi, and in turn, broadcasts its own orders to your A/V setup using IR and Bluetooth. It's especially useful for those wanting to hide their kit away in cabinets, as it translates inputs into IR signals that'll bounce around those secluded spaces. Optional extender nodes will also pipe IR into other nearby recesses.

To do that though, the Hub needs instructions, which is where remotes and apps come in. The new Ultimate remote (aka the Touch Plus) is last year's Touch remote with a few refinements, including the addition of a trigger-like nub on the underside to improve grip. It uses IR, Bluetooth or RF (to the Hub) to control up to 15 devices, and is programmed using Logitech's software for PCs that pulls settings from a database of 225,000 home entertainment products. The Ultimate's 2.4-inch touchscreen serves as a number pad, a favorite channel list for easy hopping, and is the home of one-touch "activities," which are basically macros for issuing multiple commands. Set up an activity for "Play Xbox," for example, and in one touch it'll turn on your console, switch your TV to the correct source, select the right channel on your amp, and so on. It'll even tell Philips' connected Hue lightbulbs to set a mood. Jump on past the break for more.

Free smartphone apps for iOS and Android (dedicated tablets apps are coming soon) essentially replicate the functions of the Ultimate remote, but use WiFi to speak to the hub. In certain countries with compatible metadata, like France and Germany, they also integrate programming guide information. If you opt for the Smart Control package, the apps will be the only way to access advanced features. Bundled with the Hub is a much simpler remote capable of controlling 8 devices; physical number buttons are back in, but the touchscreen's out. It's really supposed to be a back-up device -- your smartphone is the primary remote, but if you're running out of battery or need to take a call, the basic remote will act as a slightly dumber stand-in. The Ultimate package is due to hit shelves in Europe and the US in late April / early May for $349.99 / £229, with the Smart Control package following later in May for $129.99 / £109. You'll also be able to pick up a Smart Hub on its own sometime in summer for $99.99 / £79. This option is intended for those who already have the previous generation Touch remote, but theoretically, you could bust out of Logitech's box and be the rogue that controls living room setups with nothing but portable devices.Harmony Ultimate / Smart Remote hands-on picsSee all photoswhen.eng("eng.galleries.init")

Harmony Ultimate / Smart Remote press shots

Logitech Reimagines Home Control with Two New Advanced Harmony Universal Remotes

Logitech Harmony Hub Adds Closed-Cabinet, Game Console and Lighting Control to Your Universal Remote and Smartphone

NEWARK, Calif. - April 16, 2013 - Today Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) announced the expansion of its award-winning universal remote control lineup with the Logitech Harmony® Ultimate and the Logitech Harmony® Smart Control. Both products feature Logitech's Harmony Hub and Harmony Smartphone App to enable closed-cabinet control and one-touch entertainment access to game consoles from your universal remote or smartphone. The Harmony Hub takes personalizing your activities a step farther into home control with the ability to program your Philips Hue lights to the desired brightness and color with a tap of the Logitech Harmony Ultimate.

"We've elevated the universal remote to the next level, taking a personalized approach to home entertainment," said Joerg Tewes vice president of Logitech's digital home business group at Logitech. "Furthermore, our Harmony product line is no longer just about entertainment access – we've designed the Logitech Harmony Ultimate so you can also control your home's lighting. Now you can tune the TV, start a movie and adjust your lights to set the mood, with the touch of your finger."

The Logitech Harmony Ultimate and Logitech Harmony Smart Control are compatible with more than 225,000 home-entertainment devices and more than 5,000 brands. Both include the Harmony Hub, which uses Bluetooth® wireless technology to power on game consoles such as the Sony PS3®, Nintendo Wii® and Wii U. The Harmony Hub also, controls infrared devices inside closed entertainment cabinets and without the need to point at them. Each also comes with the Harmony Smartphone App, which anyone in the house can download to turn his or her smartphone into a personal universal remote.

Able to control up to 15 devices, the Logitech Harmony Ultimate is a fully featured remote with a 2.4-inch color touch-screen that enables no-look control over television programs, movies and music by using simple swipes and taps. It also introduces the ability to program Philips Hue lighting systems with entertainment activities allowing you to adjust the room's lighting as easily as changing the volume of your television. Other exclusive features include vibration feedback so you know it received your touch-screen commands, tilt sensors and buttons programmable for both short and long presses, doubling the available functions.

The Logitech Harmony Smart Control and Harmony Smartphone App turn your iOS or Android phone into a universal remote, giving you personalized control of up to eight devices from anywhere in the house using the smartphone you already own. Plus, it includes a simple remote control for when your smartphone isn't handy.

Pricing and Availability

These new products join the Logitech Harmony Touch to complete the Logitech Harmony remote lineup. The Logitech Harmony Ultimate is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe in April 2013, for a suggested retail price of $349.99. The Logitech Harmony Smart Control is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe in May 2013, for a suggested retail price of $129.99. The Logitech Harmony Smartphone App will be available for download from the Apple App Store and Google Play. For more information, please visit www.logitech.com or our blog.

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By: Unknown On 9:38 PM

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Alt-week 3.23.13: Universal snapshots, cosmic world records and print your ride

Alt-week peels back the covers on some of the more curious sci-tech stories from the last seven days.

If you are a fan of absolutes, then you are in the right place. We have a first, a fastest and a biggest in this week's round-up of all things sci-tech. We'll try to add one more to that -- a quickest. The quickest intro for this feature ever. Did we manage it? This is alt-week.

Ever play that game where you try to see how quickly you can start / stop a stopwatch? No? Just us? Either way, spare a thought for Planck -- the European Space Agency satellite. Its data has been used to create a map showing the universe just one trillionth of a trillionth of a second after the big bang. Planck has been observing cosmic background radiation originating 370,000 years after the universe came to be. Some of the findings have changed our understanding of the great "out there," including re-ageing the universe to 13.8-billion years old (100 million years older than previously thought), and revealing slightly more matter than previously thought. The image below shows that super-early snapshot of the universe, but with the contrast jacked right up to show regions that contained slightly more matter than others, which would ultimately start to attract more and more, before coalescing over vast periods of time into galaxies, and other celestial bodies. The data also adds weight to the theory of inflation, while not supporting others (such as cosmic strings, that string theory would predict).

While this next one might not be the first trillionth of something, it's possibly the first whole 3D printed snowboard. We've marvelled at the creative output from Every Third Thursday before, and the Signal team are at it again. This time, they've taken another tech angle, printing one out in parts. The process is obviously somewhat different to that of a regular board, and the results reflect that. But, if you thought 3D printing was all figurines and bracelets, then this video might just change your mind. We'll stick to our regular steel edges for now, but in a couple of years, who knows?

We started with speed, before moving onto a first, now we're looking at the biggest. The biggest astronomy lesson in the world, that is. NASA, along with 526 space lovers set a Guiness World Record with the outdoor class. The students came together at the Long Center for the Performing Arts in Texas as part of SXSW, and learned about the use of color and light as tools for understanding cosmic objects. It possibly wasn't just the skies causing the students to be starstruck, either, with a full-scale model of the James Webb Space Telescope no doubt stealing some attention, y'know, as it would. The previous record was held by 458 participants in Mexico back in 2011. To be fair, it sounds like a record we could have a pop at. Maybe at the next Expand? Who's in?

Seen any other far-out articles that you'd like considered for Alt-week? Working on a project or research that's too cool to keep to yourself? Drop us a line at alt [at] engadget [dot] com.

[Image credits: ESA and the Planck Collaboration, NASA / Chris Gunn ]

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By: Unknown On 10:24 PM

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ThinkFlood closes shop, brings RedEye universal remote down with it

Fans of ThinkFlood might want to shed a few tears today, as the company has just announced it's closing its doors. As a reminder, ThinkFlood was responsible for the RedEye universal remote control system that allowed any smartphone or web-connected device to control everything from a home theatre to a HVAC unit. It was an ambitious project to be sure, which might be the reason behind its demise. If you're a current RedEye customer, rest assured that your hardware and apps will continue to work. However, certain licensed tech like ThinkFlood's device code database and television program guide will become unavailable as licenses expire, so be sure to get those configured ASAP. As the curtains close, there might be a sliver of hope; ThinkFlood's intellectual property is currently up for sale from a creditor, which could point toward a RedEye resurrection if the right buyer is found. Until then however, we might suggest looking for an alternative solution.

Source: ThinkFlood

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By: Unknown On 1:19 PM

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Ask Engadget: best universal remote?

By Daniel Cooper posted Nov 17th 2012 10:57PM

We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Marc and Jack, who are going ocean-mad with all of their remote controls. If you're looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

Marc wrote

"My home theater currently has seven remote controls, which I'd like to narrow down. I know there are solutions available which are massively arcane, but is there something simple that the crowd can recommend?"

Jack wrote

"Can you recommend a universal remote control that works with a PS3 and Apple TV that doesn't suck?"

Well friends,

Gear 4's Unity remote has earned rave reviews thanks to its ease of use and near universal application (except for the PS3)While Griffin's Beacon offers the same capability, but also works with Android devicesIf you're serious about including the PS3 in your setup, you could splash out on Logitech's Harmony IR-to-Bluetooth adapter.

But perhaps, out there, is something even better. That's where you, the Engadget Faithful come in. Why not share your experience (or your product) in the comments below?

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By: Dilusha On 3:06 PM

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