Prior to the division’s potential sale, Logitech’s last Harmony remote control models have started arriving at Best Buy. The Harmony Ultimate and (soon) the Harmony Smart Control join the Touch and 650 on a revamped retail display. Both new models ship with a the “Harmony Hub” – which appears to represent the evolution of the Harmony Link, bringing smartphone integration and RF capabilities. At $350, the Ultimate is too rich for my blood. And having spent time with the Touch, it’s hard to justify at even $250. However, the Smart Control at $130 appears quite interesting. It ships with a screenless Harmony remote and that aforementioned Hub. Knowing my smartphone blows away the Ultimate/Touch’s display in presentation and responsiveness, this seems like a fairly clever hybrid solution. One I intend on checking out…
As soon as the Smart Control version is out, it shall be bought! Need to replace our remotes for the living room TV. Of course I must do this in stealth fashion and reveal the change upon a surprised Wife. Muhahaha!
Just picked up the new Ultimate at BB over the weekend after our 1100 died. I downloaded the Android app too. Can’t say I prefer one or the other UI yet.
What the heck are these new remotes? They seem like a few steps backwards from the Harmony One that was released over five years ago.
Why would you have the transport controls on the top section of the remote?
And using your touchscreen phone as a remote takes me back to the early 2000’s when I had Phillips Pronto touch screen remotes. Since it was all touchscreen you had to always look at the screen to use it. Which is why the Harmony One had the best of both worlds. Hard buttons and a touchscreen. So you could still use it without having to always look at it, but there was still a touch screen there to use when you wanted it. And the button placement made more sense.