Articles about Harmony

It is the end of an era: Logitech has announced that it will no longer produce its Harmony range of universal remotes. The company says, however, that the decision to discontinue production of the devices will not affect current owners, as support will continue.

No reason has been given for the decision, and the remaining stock of devices will remain on sale until the entire inventory is gone. Just don't expect any refunds or compensation.

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A little over a year ago, we told you about Logitech's Harmony Express -- a really cool remote control that utilized the power of Alexa. At the time, it looked like a revolutionary product, but apparently, it has not been popular with consumers. You see, Logitech has decided to kill the remote. No, I don't mean it is just being discontinued -- it will stop functioning entirely later this year! Yep, on September 30, it will become essentially worthless. Logitech says this is because "our expectations were not met for this kind of Harmony remote."

Yikes! That sounds like catastrophic news for the people that spent $250 on the Harmony Express -- they will soon be stuck with a pricey paperweight, right? Actually, no. Logitech -- being a classy company -- is making it right. Believe it or not, owners of the remote will be offered a full refund regardless of when they bought it (as long as they have proof of the purchase). Crazy, right? Even better, rather than opt for money, consumers can instead choose to swap their Harmony Express for a Harmony Elite, which typically sells for more than $300!

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Back in the day, people would have several remote controls in their living room, for things like TVs, DVD players, and stereos to name a few. It was messy and confusing, and quite frankly, caused arguments in households. Remotes were constantly misplaced, and some non-savvy family members would often get frustrated by never knowing which remote to use.

The universal remote solved that dilemma, but it caused yet another -- even though there was just one remote, there were too many buttons. Sitting down and watching TV or a DVD should be a mindless affair, where you don't need to look at the remote -- muscle memory should be able to get you through. Today, Logitech aims to revolutionize the world of media consumption with the Harmony Express -- a remote that is compact, has minimal buttons, and best of all, has Alexa built in! Logitech claims it is compatible with over 250,000 devices too.

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When people think of Amazon Alexa, they probably just associate it with asking questions or playing music. For me and many others, however, the assistant is much more than that. She (Alexa is female) controls my lights, thermostat, and even my television by integrating with my Harmony Hub. While relaxing on my couch, I no longer need to reach for a remote -- I just tell her what to do. Is it laziness? I suppose, but it is very cool too.

While Alexa and Harmony work very well together, there is one big issue. When I call upon Alexa, I can't just tell her what to do -- I must first say "Tell Harmony to" followed by the command. For example, when I want to watch TV, I must say "Alexa, tell Harmony to turn on the TV" rather than just "Alexa, turn on the TV. Today, this changes, as Logitech Harmony gets simplified Amazon Alexa voice controls. In other words, the pesky "tell Harmony to" is no longer needed. Finally!

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When I first set up a Logitech Harmony hub in my home, it was life-changing. No longer did I need to have multiple remote controls littering my living room table. The one Harmony remote (or mobile app) controls my television, cable box, sound bar, and Xbox One. Once I linked it with my Amazon Echo, things got even better -- I could control my entertainment devices by voice. If I am dozing off on the couch while watching TV, for instance, and the remote is out of reach, I can simply say "Alexa, tell Harmony to turn off the TV." Like magic, the television shuts off.

Amazon Echo is not the only voice assistant device available -- Google offers its own called "Home." It is very similar to Amazon's offering, but it is not compatible with all of the same devices and services. For instance, Home did not work with Harmony. Today, this changes, as both Logitech and Google's hardware can now work together. It is not compatible with all Harmony devices, however -- only Hub-based models, such as Elite and Companion.

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2016 is drawing to a close and we're already looking forward to everything a new year will bring. It gets started quick when the Consumer Electronics Show kicks off 2017, but before we start ogling at all those products that may or may not ever see a store shelf, it's time to take a glance back at the year that was.

Many products showed up on the BetaNews doorstep this year and we all worked hard to bring you an overview of them so you'd know what to buy and what to avoid. Now it's time for me to take a look at a few of my favorite items from the past 12 months.

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We are currently in the golden age of television. Not only are shows like The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones excellent, but there are so many ways to consume it all. Of course, you can watch TV live on cable or satellite, but thanks to DVR and streaming, you can watch on your schedule too. It is all quite glorious.

For those serious about their television watching, an investment in a quality remote control can be very wise. Logitech's Harmony line is arguably the best, and today, it gets even better. Owners of hub-compatible models can now link their Amazon Echo to the Harmony app, enabling voice controls for their AV equipment. Yes, fellow couch potatoes, we can now be even lazier when watching TV!

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Home automation and control is all the rage nowadays. Doing things such as turning on lights or adjusting a thermostat with a smartphone -- or other connected device -- is not only convenient, but empowering for those with disabilities too. Think about it -- if someone is unable to get out of a bed, for instance, they can utilize this technology to be more independent.

Today, Logitech announces a really cool new way to interface with its Harmony Hub -- Sony Android TVs. By installing a special beta version of the Logitech Harmony app, you can control your home using an on-screen television interface.

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There's no shortage of connected devices on the market these days and more seem to come along almost daily. The problem, to an extent, is interoperability. That's improving somewhat as devices are starting to play nice with other systems.

Now SmartThings, one of the more popular offerings on the market, is introducing new products to its UK line. Both are from Belkin, which makes the WeMo line.

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Earlier today we told you about Amazon's latest roll out of updates, bringing new software to both the first generation Fire TV and the Kindle reader. While Kindle adds a new home screen, Fire TV introduces both Amazon Echo control, though it isn't quite what you think, and a new video section to guide you along the way.

While the new software improves things quite a bit, there can be a dark side to these updates. Sometimes they just simply break things, mostly in unexpected ways.

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Home automation is a catch phrase these days, though some of it is not quite ready for prime time. But things are improving all the time with new products being released at a rapid rate. Logitech's Harmony brand of remote controls has been at the forefront of controlling these devices.

Now, after adding things like the Nest thermostat, the company is announcing compatability with even more devices. This time around it's adding ZigBee and Z-Wave.

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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!

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If you haven't used a Harmony remote then you're missing out. The device can control almost any object in your home theater. Lately it's been adding more home automation features as well, and the latest update enhances that aspect of the universal remote.

"We’re proud to celebrate the continued expansion of our smart home compatibilities with the integration of four great new partners into the Harmony ecosystem, and we hope you’re excited about the new possibilities coming your way. Now, homes with Harmony can control even more devices and create brand new Activities combining smart home devices in unique ways", Logitech announces.

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Besides being a video game console, the PlayStation 4 is also a media machine. Quite frankly, along with the Xbox One, it is one of the best such media players, since it can play Blu-ray and all of the popular streaming services. You can even buy and download films to the internal 500GB hard drive.

Unfortunately, Sony's console does not come with a remote control; the user is expected to control their media with the game controller. True, if a users wants a proper remote, they can buy a third-party Bluetooth variant, but what if they want one remote to handle all of their devices? Today is their lucky day. You see, Logitech Harmony remotes with Hub can now control the console. Unfortunately, there is a big catch.

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Harmony remotes, purchased by Logitech, have long been a standard for universal control of your home theater. However, the world is moving on and headed towards fully connected homes -- dwellings where we can control everything with the touch of a button, automate it and let it serve us. The Internet of Things can be scary, as my colleague Derrick Wlodarz pointed out, but it can also be fascinating in that shiny new gadget sort of way.

Slowly but surely you can do all of this, not only from your phone or tablet, but from that remote control sitting on the coffee table in front of you. Harmony has just picked up support for Nest Protect, a smoke detector, and Rheem EcoNet, a water heater system.

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