Logitech announces Harmony Elite remote control
We are in the golden age of television and entertainment. True, some of the best comedies are in our past, such as Seinfeld, All In The Family, and Family Ties to name a few, but shows such as The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones are some of the most riveting entertainment ever. Of course, YouTube is also home to some wonderful videos from people like PewDiePie.
If you want to easily control all of this entertainment in your living room, investing in a solid remote control is a good idea. A coffee table littered with remotes is not only unsightly, but inconvenient too. Logitech's Harmony line of remotes have been wildly popular, and for good reason -- they are well-made and work brilliantly. Not to mention, some models can handle home automation and connected-home appliances. Today, the company announces the latest such remote, Harmony Elite. This is perfectly timed for football season!
"As with other hub-based Harmony remotes, you can manage your entire smart home with the Logitech Harmony Elite. Features such as one-touch Activities, gesture controls, motion-activated backlighting and custom Favorites coupled with an improved button layout and dedicated home control buttons mean navigating your entertainment and connected home is easier than ever. Plus, the included Logitech Harmony Hub relays signals from the remote or the Harmony mobile app for iOS or Android to all of your devices, so you can easily control devices inside closed cabinets, through walls or even when you're away from home", says Logitech.
The company further explains that "the Logitech Harmony Elite works with an ever-growing range of more than 270,000 popular home theater and connected home devices and brands, from HDTVs and streaming media players, to lights, thermostats, window shades and more. With the Logitech Harmony Elite remote, you can program and enjoy Activities, such as 'Watch a Movie', and all of the right devices -- from your AV system to your smart lights and window shades -- will instantly switch to your programmed settings".
Are you an Elite couch potato in desperate need for this color-screen remote? Well, you will be able to buy it this month. The $349 price, however, may shock you. While that would be expensive for a basic universal remote, Logitech's offering is so much more. The Elite features vibration feedback and is your magic wand for the connected home -- you will be like Harry Potter turning things on and off. Hell, it supports 270 thousand devices -- insanity. It can control the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 too.
The Logitech Harmony Elite features a removable battery, which lasts 20 percent longer than previous models. If the battery ever goes bad, or stops holding a charge, you can replace it and continue enjoying your $350 investment. Nice.
My favorite feature, however, is the mobile app -- available for iOS and Android. This means you can control your devices from a different room, or even a different zip code. If you have an internet connection, you can turn off a TV, or turn on a light. The hub's integration with popular connected home devices will make your life easier.
Will you buy the Logitech Harmony Elite? Tell me in the comments.