Logitech Harmony Ultimate adds RF, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth control

The Harmony Ultimate ($349.99) and Harmony Smart Control ($129.99) are due to ship in the next few weeks

{TechWolfs}
Logitech may have its Harmony universal remote division up for sale, but thankfully, that hasn't prevented it from bringing out new Harmony products, two of which -- the Harmony Ultimate ($349.99) and Harmony Smart Control ($129.99) -- will hit stores soon.

We got an early look at both products, and for those with components hidden away in cabinets and closets, the Harmony Ultimate is in many ways a dream remote, adding RF and Bluetooth capabilities to last year's IR-based Harmony Touch remote. The Ultimate looks identical to the Touch, except for a small but important design change to the bottom of the remote that improves its ergonomics: a hump that pushes your hand forward, making it easier to access the transport controls at the top of the remote.

One key difference between the two products is the addition of the Harmony Hub, an accessory that lives near your TV and serves as an IR blaster and Bluetooth link between the PS3 and Nintendo Wii and Wii U game consoles. Also, the the touch-screen display on the Ultimate adds vibration feedback so you know it received your touch-screen commands. And finally, the Ultimate has tilt sensors so it wakes up upon being picked up, and you can program buttons for both short and long presses, doubling the available functions.

In addition to Bluetooth, the Hub also features integrated Wi-Fi, so you can now update your Harmony's settings on a computer and sync them wirelessly with your remote. It also allows you to use any iOS or Android device to control your system via the Logitech Smartphone App. While the app can be used with tablets, it's really a smartphone app; you use the "2X" button to blow it up to the iPad's larger screen size, but there's not a tablet-optimized app.
Even with the new features, the Harmony Ultimate may still face resistance from those who disliked the fundamental changes introduced by the similar Harmony Touch. The aforementioned transport controls still don't fall right under the thumb and CNET's David Katzmaier found the touch screen to be significantly less responsive than you'd expect on a modern smartphone or tablet.
While the Ultimate, which can control up to 15 components, is geared to those with higher-end home theater setups, the Harmony Smart Control is arguably the better deal at $129.99. That package also includes the Harmony Hub, but instead of a touch-screen remote, it includes a new, very basic Harmony remote with no display. It's sleek and lightweight and operates on a single battery for months or even years, depending on how much you watch TV.
The Smart Control offers all the features of the Ultimate -- RF control, Bluetooth communications, and the capacity to turn your iOS and Android device into a remote using the Harmony Smartphone App -- but it only controls up to eight components, though that should be plenty for most users.

I was pretty impressed with both products during the 40-minute demo, and Logitech also showed how you could control Philips' Wi-Fi-controlled Hue lights via the Hub, adjusting brightness based on your activity. Eventually, you'll be able to change the color of the lights, but for now, you can only adjust the color temperature.

                                       On top of the new products, Logitech also had some good news for purchasers of the Harmony Touch. It actually has dormant RF capabilities built into it (yes, Logitech neglected to mention that), and you'll eventually be able to buy the Hub separately and turn your Touch into an RF remote and get most of the features of the Ultimate. No word on exactly when the Harmony Hub will ship and how much it will cost on its own, but I suspect it will be around $100.
The Harmony Ultimate is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe later this month while the Logitech Harmony Smart Control is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe in May. Following this launch, the Harmony line now consists of four products: the entry-level Harmony 650, the Harmony Touch, the Harmony Ultimate, and the Harmony Smart Control.{TechWolfs}.