Remote Features New Wireless RF Control, Full-Color Touch Screen; Replaces Up to 15 Remotes

FREMONT, Calif. — Aug. 11, 2009 — Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) today introduced the Logitech Harmony® 900 remote. With its redesigned RF technology, full-color touch screen and intuitive button layout, the rechargeable Logitech Harmony 900 remote makes it easy to enjoy and control your TV, movies, games and music – even when your components are neatly hidden behind cabinet doors.

“Like all Harmony remotes, the Harmony 900 simplifies home entertainment, which is particularly relevant with more and more people staying home to watch movies on their big-screen TVs and enjoying surround sound and hi-def video from the comfort of the couch,” said Ashish Arora, vice president and general manager of Logitech’s Harmony business unit. “Unfortunately, more remotes and more wires tend to be byproducts of increasingly sophisticated home-entertainment systems. With the Harmony 900 remote’s RF technology and ability to control up to 15 devices, you can say good-bye to the clutter while gaining better control of your devices.”

Simple-to-Install RF System
The Harmony 900 remote’s completely redesigned RF system makes it easy to control (up to 100 feet away) a cabinet full of devices without the hassles often associated with RF setups. Just place the included IR blaster and one or two of the mini blasters on the cabinet shelves near the devices you want to control. (Unlike other RF remotes, there’s no need to tape emitters to each of your devices.) Then use the Harmony 900 remote’s color touch screen to choose the devices you want to control with RF. Once setup is complete, you’re free to close the doors on entertainment-system clutter and point your remote anywhere you want.

Easy to Hold, Easy to Use
Based on the award-winning design of the Logitech Harmony® One remote, the Logitech Harmony 900 remote’s intuitive button layout is divided into four distinct zones (numbers; traditional DVD controls; D-pad with volume and channel up/down; and on-screen menu buttons), making it easy to find the right one quickly. Only the 44 most-essential buttons appear on the Harmony 900 remote, and each of those buttons is individually sculpted, providing useful tactile cues so you can operate the remote by touch, rather than having to rely on sight.

One Touch to Your Entertainment
As with all Logitech Harmony remotes, the newest addition to the lineup can have you watching your favorite movie or show with one press of a button. With the Harmony 900 remote, there’s no need for complicated lists and long explanations about how to use your home-entertainment system; it simplifies your entertainment with one-touch activity-based control. The whole family, your friends, and even the babysitter can simply select what they want to do by choosing the appropriate on-screen icon – such as “Watch TV” – and the Harmony 900 remote does the rest. The remote will turn on the TV, the cable box, the A/V receiver and any other necessary devices.

Guided Online Setup
Logitech’s online setup makes getting the Harmony 900 remote up and running as easy as possible. The intuitive setup wizard guides you, prompting you to enter the make and model numbers of your components. The Harmony software then programs the remote with the appropriate IR codes from Logitech’s database of more than 225,000 devices from more than 5,000 manufacturers. And with more device codes added every day, you can be confident that devices you buy tomorrow will be covered, too.

Pricing and Availability
The Logitech Harmony 900 remote is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe in September for a suggested retail price of $399.99 (U.S.). The remote ships with a recharging cradle, rechargeable battery, power supply, IR blaster and two mini blasters. Logitech plans to make additional blasters and mini blasters available online in some regions.

About Logitech
Logitech is a world leader in personal peripherals, driving innovation in PC navigation, Internet communications, digital music, home-entertainment control, gaming and wireless devices. Founded in 1981, Logitech International is a Swiss public company traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI).

Features

• Compact
• Integrated, dual-purpose ClickPad
• Backlighting
• Rechargeable Li-ion batteries
• Bluetooth 2.0

The compact design of the diNovo Mini is one of its key features. Because of its small size it can be taken anywhere and used with any computer that has a USB port.

The dual-purpose ClickPad can be used to navigate Windows Media Center like a remote, or it can be switched over to function like a TouchPad.

The backlighting makes it easy to use even in the dark. There are two colors, and they represent the two modes that the ClickPad and keyboard can take. The backlighting makes use of a light sensor that is built-in to the device. If there is sufficient light to see the keys, the backlight will not turn on to conserve power.

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The battery that comes with and powers the diNovo Mini is a rechargeable Li-Ion battery. This battery provides a lot of juice so that you don’t have to constantly keep charging it. This is important because charging it is not the easiest thing to do.

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The Bluetooth wireless connectivity allows the keyboard to be used from almost any location, even if you don’t have a direct line of site to the computer.

Design

First and foremost this is a small keyboard, the entire layout is built around that fact.

The front of the diNovo is dominated by the keyboard and cover. For the most part the layout of the keys stay true to a QUERTY design. However, there are some keys that have been moved or removed. For example, there are no function keys, square or curly braces, or many of the other extra keys. However, to make up for how compact it is, some of the keys have more than one function. There are also a few multimedia controls which help when using it as a remote. The multimedia controls consist of volume, play, fast forward, rewind, stop, record, play, and pause. There are also buttons for launching a web browser, media player, and turning off your computer.

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The back has a large cover and under it is where the battery and USB dongle go. There is also a red button that is used for activating the Bluetooth discovery mode. Under the USB dongle is a small switch. This switch allows you to use the diNovo Mini with a Playstation 3 (PS3). I do not have a PS3 so I was unable to test it, but Logitech claims that the keyboard will work directly with the PS3 without the need of the dongle.

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The rear of the diNovo Mini has only one port and it is for plugging it in, to charge the battery. I was disappointed when I saw that it did not come with a charging cradle like the Harmony remotes do. It would make it so much nicer not to have to hunt for the cable every time it needs to charge. In addition, because this is being used for media center PCs it will most likely be placed in an entertainment center. In this kind of setup you could easily lose the power cable by having it fall behind where you can’t reach it or get tangled up with all the other cords. Having a cradle means it is always in the same place and you don’t have to hunt for it.

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Performance

I recently put together a Home Theater PC (HTPC) and while I can perform most functions with a remote like the Harmony One or Harmony 800, there are other functions, like installing software, that I need to use a keyboard or mouse. In the past I have always kept a keyboard and mouse handy so that I could plug them in and complete the tasks. This was a hassle because they take up space to store and they are not convenient to use with an HTPC that is in an entertainment center. I could use a wireless keyboard and mouse, but they still take up storage space. That is why the diNovo Mini is so perfect.

I was able to connect the keyboard to any of the computers I have using the Bluetooth dongle. Using the Bluetooth dongle, the diNovo Mini worked perfectly every time. However, when attempting to use a device with Bluetooth built-in, it did not work quite as well. I was able to get my Treo 650 and my Axim X50v to recognize the diNovo Mini. However, neither device would accept input from the keyboard.

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The two modes that are available are cursor and media remote mode. Switching between the two is as easy and sliding a switch. When you change between modes some of the keys are remapped to perform different functions. For example, on the left of the keyboard are two large buttons, the top one is labeled “PAGE + CH” and the bottom one is labeled “PAGE – CH”. When in cursor mode these buttons function like the page up and down buttons that are normally found on a keyboard. When in media remote mode these buttons function like channel up and down buttons that are found on a remote. Other keys do not change between the modes. For example, the letter and blue function keys stay the same.

I also have to mention that the diNovo Mini only has limited use as a remote for regular TV viewing. Because you cannot control things like the power and volume on your TV or Stereo, you are still going to need another remote for those things. If Logitech would combine a Harmony remote and a diNovo Mini they would have a truly universal remote that would work for entertainment centers and computers.

As far as battery life is concerned I have not charged mine in several weeks, and it still works great. Granted I only use it once or twice a week, it is still nice to not have to worry about it running out of juice quickly. Logitech claims that with a full 4 hour charge the diNovo mini will last for 30 days. Obviously, this will vary based on your usage.

The software that comes with the diNovo Mini is fairly basic. It allows you to do things like set the speed and sensitivity of the mouse and change the hot keys. The problem with the software is that the settings are computer dependent. This means that you must install it and make the changes on each computer. The software is not required, and for the most part I have not found a lot of use for it.

Warranty and Support

The warranty on the diNovo Mini is for three years. This is fairly good considering most companies only offer a one year warranty. In case you need it, you can get support for the diNovo Mini either by visiting the Logitech website or calling them on the phone.

Conclusion

I really enjoyed using the diNovo Mini while I had it. Everything worked great and it made using an HTPC really easy. I was even able to type with a fairly good speed when using a word processor or email program. If Logitech can address some of the concerns I mentioned above they will have a really useful device that almost anyone can use. With a list price of $149.99 it is not too far out of reach of most people that are putting together an HTPC. As always compare prices before purchasing.

Remotes have come a long way since I was a kid. I remember when you had to have a separate remote for each device. Luckily, back then there was only a TV and VCR. Now we have a TV, VCR, DVD player, stereo, lighting system, home theater PCs and more. You could easily have 6 remotes all controlling something different.

Features

• Full-color touch screen
• Recharging station
• Ergonomic design:
• Lithium-ion battery provides up to a one-week charge
• Operate up to 15 devices and 255 commands

I recently reviewed the Logitech Harmony 880 and I thought it was the best remote I had ever used. Now, with the recent release of the Harmony One, I just had to see if it was better.

The most obvious difference between the 880 and the One is probably the screen. You will notice the distinct lack of buttons around the screen. The Harmony 880 has four buttons on either side of the screen. These buttons are used to select the different options. Instead of buttons, the Harmony One has a touch screen and you can select things directly one the screen. The screen is used to display a variety of information, including activities, devices, custom buttons, and helpful instructions in case the macros get messed up.

Remote

The remote can easily setup multiple activities that will allow you to control any device in your home that has an IR remote.

Logitech maintains a huge online database of products which makes setting up your devices really easy. This database includes more than 5,000 manufacturers and more than 225,000 devices, everything from HDTVs to DVRs, VCRs to lighting controls. Instead of punching in codes or copying IR signals to program the remote you just need to select your brand and model from a list in the remote control software then download it to the Harmony One.

The remote control software will make setting up the Harmony One really easy. The software gives you full access to all the remotes options and controls. All of this is done with really easy to follow instructions and guides. The software can even guide you through the setup process by asking you specific questions about how you will use each device. If you do use the wizards to help you set up the remote you can always go back and tweak the settings later if everything is not working exactly like you want.

If you happen to change to a different Harmony remote you can even transfer all of your settings to the new remote without any trouble. The Harmony One comes with a Lithium-ion rechargeable battery. On a full charge the battery can last up to one week, but luckily you may never need it to last that long. The remote also comes with a docking station; the dock plugs into the wall and will charge the battery every time you put the remote on it. This is especially nice because you don’t have to remove the battery or plug in the remote which leaves it available at a moments notice. All you need to do is pick it up and start using it, and place it back on the dock when you are done to insure a charged battery. The dock is very low profile so it can easily be placed out of sight. The dock has a small white light that lights up when it is plugged in. This can be helpful if you are in the dark and you need to find the dock.

Base

Bottom Base

Design

The remote is well designed for use by anyone, no matter which hand you prefer and no matter how big or small your hands are. The front of the remote is dominated by buttons, in fact there are 39 buttons. The buttons are well placed so that they can be reached easily. The buttons are all made out of hard plastic which means they are going to last a long time and the labels on them are not going to wear off. There is also a nice solid feel to them and they have a good feel each time you press them. There are buttons for a variety of actions which is nice if you have a DVR or even a media center extender. If you do find an action that is not on the remote you can easily program extra buttons on the touch screen to do whatever you want.

The new screen is a great addition. Measuring in at 2.2″ the screen is slightly bigger than the 880 screen. The touch screen displays three buttons if you are looking at the activities or devices screens and six buttons if you are looking at custom buttons. Obviously, three activities and devices, and six custom buttons are not nearly enough, so you can have many pages of buttons. The pages give you the ability to have an unlimited number of custom buttons.

Activities

Devices

Touch buttons

The back only has a charging interface and a battery compartment. There are also several grooves that are for your fingers. If you place your hand on the remote so your fingers rest in these grooves then your fingers should be able to reach most of the buttons without moving your hand. The bottom of the back is the battery compartment. It opens up to reveal a small rechargeable Lithium battery. Attached to the battery lid is an IR receiver. The IR receiver is used to capture signals from remotes of devices that are not in theHarmony One’s database.

Back

Bottom Open

Battery

The front has an IR transmitter and a mini USB port. The USB port is covered up by a small rubber lid. Even though it is attached well, I imagine that opening and closing it will cause it to wear out. Hopefully, you will only need to use it once or twice and then you are done.

Top

USB port

Performance

The first time you setup the Harmony One, it is going to take you several hours. If you have a laptop or a computer near the TV and other devices that you are setting up, I recommend that you use it, this will prevent you from having to run around the house testing the remote each time you make a change. Using the Harmony software is not hard, the most difficult and time consuming activity is finding each of your devices in the huge database and if you happen to have a device that is not listed you have to manually program the remote with the original remote. Once the remote has been programmed the information is stored online so that you never have to worry about losing it. If you do happen to let the battery drain and you lose the settings, you can simply plug it in and download all the settings again. Fortunately for me I did not have to go through all the setups to use the Harmony One. This is because I had set up my Harmony 880 and all my settings were already stored. All I needed to do was replace my old 880 with the new remote. This process was quick, and only took about five minutes.

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One change I did need to make was to rearrange the order of the activities. I had to do this because they all don’t fit on the same screen any more. Since I can only fit three I moved the most important three to the front.

Arrange activities

To setup the remote you can go directly to the website or install the software to setup the remote. The website is http://members.harmonyremote.com. I recommend the software because it is much more user friendly.

When you first connect to the software you will need to have your remote plugged in and once the connection has been confirmed the software will present you with a huge list of devices with manufacturers that you need to choose from. Once you have selected all the manufactures and devices you will be asked for the model numbers for each device. If the software cannot identify your device it will ask you for the original remote so you can send it the IR signals. After it has collected a few, it will try and match your devices IR signals to another device in the database. If it finds a match it will attempt to set the rest of the codes to match what was found. Once all the devices have been identified you will be asked to setup some activities. Based on which devices you set up, the software will suggest a few activities to start with. For example, if you setup a TV and DVD player one of the activities will be Watch a DVD. If you setup an AV receiver, then another activity would be Listen to Radio.

Add device 1

Add device 2

Add device 3

Add device 4

IR capture

Learn buttons

When you setup an activity you will be asked about the function of each device. For example, if you setup the Watch a DVD activity you will be asked which device you use to play a DVD, and which device you use to display video, and which device you use to control the volume. If you only have one device that is capable of doing something then the question will be skipped. For example, if you only have one TV, then you will not be asked which device displays the video. If necessary, if the device has more than one input, you will also be asked what input each device needs to be set to. At the end you will be asked to review all the settings and you will be given the option to add control over additional devices like light controls or something. This would allow you to start a movie and dim the lights at the same time.

Add activities manual 1

Add activities manual 2

Add activities manual 3

Add activities manual 4

Add activities manual 5

Besides setting up activities and devices you can also change the theme and colors of the screen, setup a slide show, and also change some of the functionality of the remote itself. Things like glow time, clock, help remote assistance and touch screen.

Remote settings

Global options

Slideshow

Themes 1

Themes 2

Update firmware

Once all your activities and devices are set up, then you will need to upload them to your remote. Uploading the settings to the remote does not require any use interaction. All you need to do is click the Update Remote button and let the software take over. While it is updating, all you will normally see is a status bar. If you click the Show Status button you will get to see a little more details about what is going on.

Update remote 1

Update remote 2

Update remote 3

Update remote 4

Update remote 5

Once everything is setup the remote is really easy to use. When you first pick it up it will be on the activity screen. All you need to do is press which activity you want to do, like watch TV, and the remote will send all the signals to each device that is needed. For example, if I want to watch TV I need to turn on my VCR and TV, and switch my TV to the AV1 input. If at anytime one of the devices does not turn on or the wrong input is selected you simply need to press the help button and the remote will ask you some simple questions that you can answer to get everything back on track. This is the only part of owning the remote that bothered me. I frequently have to press the help button to sort things out. I realize there is no other way to do it currently, but it would be nice if the TV, VCR and other devices could send a signal back to the remote to indicate its current status. This way the remote could get everything correct without having to ask me questions.

After playing around with things for a while the only problem I still have is getting my TV to switch to the correct inputs. I am sure that playing around with it some more will help to reduce the problem, but I can always use the help button — it works every time.

One complaint that I have is the lack of RF support. You would have to buy the Harmony 890 or 1000 to get this, and even then you have to buy additional parts. Without RF support, you must make sure you have line of sight with each of your components.

This fact prevents you from being able to store your devices in a cupboard or anywhere else out of sight. Hopefully in the future more devices and future Harmony remotes will have RF support by default.

Another problem I had was with the touchscreen. It is very sensitive and sometimes you hit the wrong button. Hitting the wrong can mess things up by turning on and off the wrong devices. It would be nice if it actually required a hard press rather than a slight touch.

Warranty and Support

Logitech provides a 1 year limited warranty on the Harmony One. This is not a very good warranty and I would encourage Logitech to increase it. I like to see companies that build good products and prove it with good warranties. If treated well, the Harmony One should last much longer than a year. If you have trouble setting up your remote, Logitech offers support by phone, email, or online as a discussion forum and FAQ.

Conclusion

I am really happy with the Harmony One. I would like to say that this is the last remote I will ever own, because it could be, but Logitech will probably come out with something new that will be better. I can easily recommend it to anyone that has a lot of remotes and wants to consolidate them. After getting past the setup even someone with no experience can easily use it. As always compare prices before purchasing.

Remote controls are really great because you don’t have to get up when you want to change the channel or volume. The only problem is when you have lots of devices you also have lots of remotes. A universal remote gets rid of the clutter, but they add a lot of extra steps. Having to switch back and forth between TV, DVD and a Stereo just to watch a movie is a big pain. In addition setting them up is not easy because you have to type in codes or copy IR signals from one remote to the other. Logitech’s Harmony line of universal remotes goes a long way to relieve some of those extra steps and headaches.

Features

• Color display
• Recharging station
• Space for up to eight custom activities
• Lithium-ion battery provides up to a one-week charge
• Operate up to 15 devices and 255 commands

When you look at the remote the most prominent feature is the color LCD screen. The screen is used to display a variety of information, including the names of the buttons on the side of the screen and helpful instructions incase the macros get messed up. There are four buttons on each side of the screen, each of these buttons are used to setup activities (macros) and to add custom buttons for individual devices.

Inside box

The remote is able to control up to 15 devices at the same time and it can store up to 255 commands. With this ability you can easily setup multiple activities that will allow to control any device in your home that has a remote.

Logitech maintains a huge online database of products which makes setting up your devices really easy. This database includes more than 5,000+ manufacturers and 175,000+ devices, everything from HDTVs to DVRs, VCRs to lighting controls. Instead of punching in codes or copying IR signals to program the remote you just need to select your brand and model from a list in the remote control software then download it to the Harmony 880.

The remote control software will make setting up the Harmony 880 really easy. With this software you can do everything you need to program the remote to work with your devices the way you want it to. All of this is done with really easy to follow instructions and guides. The software can even guide you through the setup process by asking you specific questions about how you will use each device. If you do use the wizards to help you setup the remote you can always go back and tweak the settings to further match your needs. If you happen to change to a different Harmony remote you can even transfer all you setting to the new remote without any trouble.

The Harmony 880 comes with a Lithium-ion rechargeable battery. One charge the battery can last up to one week, but luckily you may never need it to last that long. The remote also comes with a docking station; the dock plugs into a wall and will charge the battery every time you put the remote on it. This is especially nice because you don’t have to remove the battery or plug in the remote which leaves it available at a moments notice. All you need to do it pick it up and start using it and place it back on the dock when you are done to insure a charged battery. The dock is very low profile so it can easily be placed out of sight. The dock has a small blue circle that lights up when it is plugged it. This can be helpful if you are in the dark and you need to find the base.

Contents

The remote also features a short walk through that will show you some of the more prominent features and help you get started.

Tutorial 1

Tutorial 2

Tutorial 3

Tutorial 4

Tutorial 5

Tutorial 6

Tutorial 7

Tutorial 8

Tutorial 9

Tutorial 10

Tutorial 11

Tutorial 12

Tutorial 13

Tutorial 14

Tutorial 15

Design

The remote is well designed for use by anyone, no matter which hand you prefer and no matter how big or small your hands are. The front of the remote is dominated by buttons, in fact there are 53 buttons and 45 of them are programmable. The buttons are well placed so that they can be reached easily. The buttons are all made out of hard plastic which means they are going to last a long time and the labels on them are not going to wear off. There is also a nice solid feel to them and they have a good feel each time you press them. There are buttons for a variety of actions which is nice if you have a DVR or even a media center extender. If you do find an action that is not on the remote you can easily program one of the 8 keys on the side of the screen to do whatever you want. Even though there are only 8 keys on the side of the screen you are not limited to only 8 custom actions. You can actually have unlimited pages of buttons which translates to unlimited custom buttons. The screen is a 128×160-pixel color display and is not the highest resolution, but it is clear enough to make out text and simple images.

Additional Buttons

Buttons

Harmony 880

The bottom only has a charging interface and a battery compartment. There are also several grooves that are for your fingers. If you place you hand on the remote so your fingers rest in these grooves then your fingers should be able to reach most of the buttons without moving.

Back

Battery out

Battery in

The front has an IR transmitter and a mini USB port, and the back as an IR receiver. the IR receiver is used to capture signals from remotes of devices that are not in the Harmony 880′s database.

Performance

The first time you setup the Harmony 880 it is going to take you several hours. If you have a laptop or a computer near the TV and other devices that you are setting up I recommend that you use it, this will prevent you have having to run around the house testing the remote each time you make a change. Using the Harmony software is not hard, the most difficult and time consuming activity is finding each of your devices in the huge database and if you happen to have a device that is not listed you have to manually program the remote with the original remote. Once the remote has been programmed the information is stored online so that you never have to worry about loosing it. If you do happen to let the battery drain and you loose the settings you can simply plug it in and download all the settings again. When I setup my Harmony 880 I had to manually program my TV because it was not in the list. I did this by selecting a function that you want to store in the software and pointing the original remote at the back of the Harmony 880 and then pushing the original remotes buttons one at a time so the Harmony can store the signals.

You can go directly to the website or install the software to setup the remote. The website is http://members.harmonyremote.com. I had to use the website the first time because the software would not connect to the servers. I recommend the software because it is much more user friendly.

When you first connect to the software you will need to have your remote plugged in and once the connection has been confirmed the software will present you with a huge list of devices with manufacturers that you need to choose from. Once you have selected all the manufactures and devices you will be asked for the model numbers for each device. If you happen to choose a not listed you will be asked to enter in the manufacturer and model number. If the software cannot identify your device it will ask you for the original remote so you can send it the IR signals. After it has collected a few it will try and match your devices IR signals to another device in the database. If it finds a match it will attempt to set the rest of the codes to match the set it found. Once all the devices have been identified you will be asked to setup some activities. Based on which devices you setup the software will suggest a few activities to start with. For example if you setup a TV and DVD player one of the activities will be Watch a DVD, If you setup an AV receiver then another activity would be Listen to Radio.

Connect Remote

Connect Success

Device List

Device Model Numbers

IR Capture

When you setup an activity you will be asked about the function of each device. For example, if you setup the Watch a DVD activity you will be asked which device you use to play a DVD, and which device you use to display video, and which device you use to control the volume. If you only have one device that is capable of doing something then the question will be skipped. For example, if you only have one TV then you will not be asked which device displays the video. If necessary, if the device has more than one input, you will also be asked what input each device needs to be set to. At the end you will be asked to review all the settings and you will be given the option to add control over additional devices like light controls or something.

Play DVD

Display Video

Volume

Input amp

Review Activity

Besides setting up activities and devices you can also change the theme and colors of the screen, setup a slide show, and also change some of the functionality of the remote itself. Things like glow time, clock, help remote assistance and tilt sensor.

Remote Settings

Global Options

Once all your activities and devices are setup then you will need to upload them to your remote. Uploading the settings to the remote does not require any use interaction. All you need to do is click the Update Remote button and let the software take over. While it is updating all you will normally see is a status bar. If you click the Show Status button you will get to see a little more details about what is going on.

Update Remote

Update Remote Show Status

Once everything is setup the remote is really easy to use. When you first pick it up it will be on the activity screen. All you need to do is press which activity you want to do, like watch TV, and the remote will send all the signals to each device that is needed. For example if I want to watch TV I need to turn on my VCR and TV, and switch my TV to the AV1 input. If at anytime one of the devices does not turn on or the wrong input is selected you simply need to press the help button and the remote will ask you some simple questions that you can answer to get everything back on track. This is the only part of owning the remote that bothered me. I frequently have to press the help button to sort things out. I realize there is no other way to do it currently, but it would be nice if the TV, VCR and other devices could send a signal back to the remote to indicate its current status. This way the remote could get everything correct without having to ask me questions.

After playing around with things for a while the only problem I still have is getting my TV to switch to the correct inputs. I am sure that playing around with it some more will help to reduce the problem, but I can always use the help button, it works every time.

The only complaint that I have is the lack of RF support. You could have to buy the Harmony 890 or 1000 to get this and even then you have to buy additional parts. With out RF support you must make sure you have line of sight with each of your components. This fact prevents you from being able to store your devices in a cupboard or anywhere else out of sight. Hopefully in the future more devices and future Harmony remotes will have RF support by default.

Warranty and Support

Logitech provides a 1 year limited warranty on the Harmony 880. This is not a very good warranty and I would encourage Logitech to increase it. I like to see companies that build good products and prove it with good warranties. If treated well the Harmony 880 should last much longer then a year. If you have trouble setting up your remote Logitech offers support by phone or email or online as a discussion forum and FAQ.

Conclusion

I am really happy with the Harmony 880. This is probably the last remote I will every own, unless I get the new Harmony 1000. I can easily recommend it to anyone that has a lot of remotes and wants to consolidate them. With a little effort you can learn how to use it and get it to do some fairly amazing things. As with all electronic devices there is a learning curve. It may be difficult for people who are not up to date with electronics to get used to it. I do not recommend that you buy this for one of them. They will probably get frustrated and go back to the old way of doing things. If they are not afraid of new things and they don’t mind pressing the help button a lot then they should be just fine and everything will work out. Although you may want to do the initial setup for them. As always compare prices before purchasing.

Features

• Touch-sensitive multimedia controls
• Digital-music track information
• Internet radio presets
• A 30W RMS two-way speaker design
• Studio-quality audio

The touch sensitive controls are probably the most interesting part of the speakers. Normally speakers have knobs and buttons for controlling the volume and power. There may be other speakers out there with touch controls like this, but this is the first pair I have seen. The controls consist of display, skip back, pause/play, skip forward, power, mute, level, volume down, and volume up.

The graphic LCD is a simple 160×43 LCD display that shows a ton of information. The software that comes with the speakers will allow you to show track information, such as artist and song title, total and elapsed time, CPU and memory usage, current time, and other information. You can also find plug-ins that will allow you to add more functionality. There are four numbers right under the display that are used for saving and recalling up to four of your favorite Internet radio stations and playlists.

Performance Monitor

Performance Monitor Graph

Countdown Timer

Countdown / Stopwatch

Clock

Clock / Calendar

Design

When you first pull out these speakers you are going to notice that there are no buttons. These speakers instead use touch sensitive controls. The controls consist of display, skip back, pause/play, skip forward, power, mute, level, volume down, and volume up. Above the controls is an LCD screen that displays a variety of information. Each time you press a control the screen will change to represent the control that was pressed. For example, when you press the volume up control the screen will show a volume bar with the volume level as it changes.

Speakers

Controls

Most of the controls are self-explanatory, but I wanted to mention a couple. Pressing the display button turns on and off the display, pressing the level button cycles through the volume, treble, and bass controls.

Volume

Treble

Bass

There are also several plug-ins that you can use to increase the functionality of the speakers. The ones that are included are a clock, performance monitor, countdown timer, media display, and a POP3 monitor. The speakers use the same setup as Logitech’s G15 gaming keyboard. Because of this you can use any of the same plug-ins. Some of the most popular websites include G15mods.com or G15forums.com. I won’t go into all the different plug-ins, but there are a lot.

Plug-Ins

The speakers are about 10 inches tall. Both speakers feature a 1″ tweeter and a 3″ mini woofer. This combination does provide for some good sounds. The left speaker is quite a bit heavier than the right one, this is because the power supply is built right into the left speaker. The power cord is also permanently attached to the left speaker.

Display on

On the right side of the right speaker there is a headphone jack. On the back of the same speaker there is an analog jack for plugging in an MP3 player or anything else. Also, on the back of that speaker is the USB plug that provided connectivity to your computer. The USB cable carries both audio and track information from your PC, this makes installation really easy. Also on the back is a six foot cable that connects the other speaker, the cable is not detachable and so it cannot be extended to make it longer.

Headphone plug

Back

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Performance

The speakers are really easy to setup and use because there is only one connector to hook up to your computer. The speakers do not hook up to a sound card, so one is not needed to power it. In fact, if you have a sound card you will be required to bypass it before the speakers will work. When you install the software it will take care of that part automatically.

Once the speakers are plugged in and the software is setup, using them is really easy. When you press the power button the speakers instantly turn on. The name of the speakers is displayed on the screen and they are ready for use. If you use either Windows Media Player, iTunes, or MusicMatch then the name of the music file as well as its progress will be displayed on the screen of the speakers as it is played. The controls on the speakers will also control the music player.

Track Info

I did find that the controls were a little finicky. Sometimes when I pressed the volume up button it would not increase the volume. In those cases I had to press it several times or hold it down before it would activate. Other times the control would activate before I actually made contact with the surface. It seemed like if I got really close to the surface with my finger that it was able to sense it and activate the control. I cannot explain why, but I assume the speakers use the electricity in our bodies to tell when a control is touched. I can guess this because only the touch of skin will activate the controls. I tried using several things including a gloved finger and nothing else worked.

The display is not the most high quality LCD I have ever seen. The fact that it only shows one color, amber, is only part of it. It is also very slow to refresh. This means as the screen changes you will see the old screen and the new screen together during the switch. This can make it tough to read if you have fast scrolling text. Otherwise it does not cause any other bad effects.

The speakers include a headphone jack. Most people may not see the need for a headphone jack because they would normally use the one that is on their laptop or computer, but you need to remember that in order to use the speakers you have to bypass your computers sound card. This in essence disables your computers headphone jack. You can also plug in an MP3 or CD player by using the analog connector on the back. When you do this you will only have the volume and mute controls available, and the speakers will not show any information about the songs. It would be much better to transfer the songs to your computer and play them from there.

The sound that the speakers produce is really good. I was amazed at how good they were able to perform with all different types of music and movies. I played through several of my favorites and was never disappointed. They do not compare the Z-5500‘s that I reviewed a while ago, but keep in mind there are only two speakers, and no 10 inch subwoofer. I kept the volume down for the most part because when watching movies on my computer I am only about 3 feet away. The speakers are capable of getting really loud, but they will distort the sound slightly as you approach there maximum volume. You also risk damaging the speakers if you leave the volume at maximum for too long. When positioned correctly I was even able to find a “sweet spot” where I could not actually tell where the sound was coming from. If I closed my eyes it sounded very close to a full surround sound system. The effect is amazing especially from a pair of speakers this small.

Warranty and Support

Logitech offers a 2-year limited warranty for these speakers. You can get support for these speakers either from the forum or by emailing the company itself.

Conclusion

These are a great pair of speakers. They really sound good for how small they are. They are not the most portable speakers because of the size and weight. They are a great addition to a laptop or desktop that does not have a sound card. They are a little expensive for a 2.0 speaker system, the retail price is $149.99, but because it sounds so good I think it is worth the price. As always compare prices before purchasing.

Gaming on computers is as popular as ever, but if you are coming from a console or you are playing a game that does not work well with a keyboard and mouse, you may find it difficult to get used to the new controls. Fortunately there are a plethora of gamepads for PCs. Logitech has been know for making great gaming devices and they have taken the gamepad to the next level, they added a cooling fan.

Features

• ChillStream technology – Helps keep your hands cool during intense gaming sessions.
• Soft rubber grips – Enjoy superior comfort and better gaming control.
• High-performance analog sticks and triggers – For enhanced speed and precision.

The feature list for this device is not very long. The biggest feature is the cooling fan . Logitech calls this ChillStream. ChillStream uses a fan and specially paced vents to direct air at your hands so that they don’t get sweaty and hot, which we all know can cause you to slip off the trigger or stick and miss your target.

The soft rubber grips also help prevent slipping. Even with slightly wet hands you can still hold on tight because the rubber does not give
way.

Design

If you have ever seen an Xbox consol gaming machine then you will immediately notice that this controller looks very similar to the Xbox controller, I am sure this in not a coincidence. The controller is very comfortable and since it looks like the Xbox controller many people automatically identify it as a gaming device.

On top is where most of the buttons and controls are. There are two analog sticks, a directional pad and 8 buttons. Each game will use these buttons and sticks differently, but analog sticks are normally used to handle in-game movement, and the buttons in the top right of the pad are the main game buttons for firing guns, jumping, selecting menus and other things. There are also two additional buttons in front of the controller for your index fingers.

Top

Front

On each handle is a vent so that the air, which is pulled in with a fan from underneath the controller, can blow on the palms of your hands. This air is suppose to keep your hands cool and dry during intense game play. The fan has two settings and they are controlled by a small button on the left of the controller. The low setting is for quiet operation and low intensity games. The high setting is just the opposite. This setting really gets the fan going and that not only causes more air to flow, but also a lot more noise to come from the controller.

Side Vents

Bottom Fan

Performance

So how does it perform when put to the test? I tried it out with two different games, Lego StarWars II and Halo for the PC. Both games worked great. I was able to map all the controls I needed to the different buttons and play the game comfortably. I am more used to a keyboard and mouse so this took a little getting used to. Also, this controller is Vista ready so you will be able to plug it into a Vista machine and not have to worry about incompatibility.

Warranty and Support

The controller comes with a one year limited warranty. In my quest to see better warranties I will say that this one is weak. I want to see companies that take pride in their products and back them up with a good warranty which shows that pride.

Conclusion

If you are into gaming and you just cannot get used to the keyboard and mouse then this is for you. If you want to play a multiplayer game like LEGO StarWars then you will need room for two people. Sharing a keyboard with someone else is not good. The solution is to get one or two controllers, and then one person uses the keyboard and the other uses the controller, or you both use controllers. As always compare prices before purchasing.

Features

• Only 1.24” thick! Perfect for taking with you wherever you go!
• Protective cover No carrying case required.
• Integrated cable management For clutter-free, easy storage.
• Flexible device options Use with most laptops and portable MP3/CD players.

The Logitech MM28 speakers are small. The are only 1.24″ thick, 11.4″ long and 4.5″ wide. Inside this small enclosure is a pair on stereo speakers. Using NXT’s flat-panel speaker technology, Logitech has been able to squeeze all this in and create great sound.

The MM28 has a clear plastic flip cover that acts as both a proctevie cover and base. When it is closed it protects the speakers from being damaged. Whe it is flipped down the cover is a base that the speakers sits on so that it stands up straight.

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All the cables that you will need are also included in the speaker instelf. The cable management system keeps the 3.5mm cable in the back and tucked away nicely so that it does not get in the way. Except for the power cable this is the only cable that you will need. If you are using batteries then you do not need the power cable.

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Because the MM28 uses a standard 3.5mm cable you can plug it into just about any device. Most devices capable of playing music or other sounds has a 3.5mm plug.

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Design

There really isn’t much to the speakers. On the back is the power plug, the 3.5mm cord and the battery holder. The speakers take 4 AA batteries which Logitech claims will last up to 45 hours.

The top has a power button and the front is the speaker. This is really a simple design and which makes the speaker so nice. It would be nice if there were some volume controls on the speakers themselves but that might require more hardware which might make the speakers heavier or bigger. One benifit to having volume controls on the speaker could be the extending of battery life by allowing you to turn the speakers volume down and the sources volume up.

Performance

Obviously testing the speaker is about plugging it in and listening to the sound it produces. Because these speakers take batteries I will also test the battery life on these speakers.

These speakers have really good sound. The high and mid range sounds are really clear and clean. The Bass has something to be desired, but you are not going to get very good bass from any small set of speakers.

Warranty

2-year limited warranty

Conclusion

you are not going to power your home entertainment system with these speakers, but you can watch a movie on your laptop or listen to music in a more personal setting. With prices starting at $79.99 it makes a perfect addition to your portable music collection or laptop.

Features

• Powerful, distortion-free bass
• Innovative driver technology
• Digital equalization
• DTS 96/24 support
• Amazingly powerful controls
• Innovative satellite design
• Connect to multiple sources

Computer system speakers have been around for a long time and just like everything else they continue to be improved upon. Logitechs Z-5500 digital speaker system is an improvement on their previous model, the Z-680. In fact, the exact speaker system that I received has improvements that were not available when this model was first released.

The Z-5500 speaker system is THX certified, which is targeted at computer users and home audio enthusiasts who don’t want to spend a fortune, but still want all the quality of a higher end system. This is currently Logitechs high end speaker system and it has all the features of a more expensive system. In addition to being THX certified, the speakers can play back several formats including Dolby Digital, PCM (uncompressed stereo), DTS and DTS 96/24.

The Logitech Z-5500 Digital is one of the few speaker systems that supports DTS 96/24. DTS 96/24 is a format that you don’t normally use and is not widely available to the general public. It is mainly used in recording studios where they need the absolute best quality. Even now 96/24 is currently used on a limited number of enhanced DVD and audio discs as well as some high-end PC sound cards. Normal DVDs audio is formatted at 48/20 and CDs are at 44/16 (higher numbers are better). So even with the ability to play audio at 96/24 you won’t find many opportunities to use it until more media is released using that format.

The Z-5500 has connections for just about anything that outputs audio. On the back of the Digital SoundTouch control center you will find the connectors that you need to get your computer, DVD player or stereo hooked up. There is one digital optical and one digital coaxial input for DVD or CD players, PS2, Xbox or PC sound card with digital outputs. There is also a 6 channel direct (3 stereo-mini connectors) input for uses with 2, 4 or 6 channel sound cards or for 3 stereo analog mini audio sources. Lastly there is an analog stereo mini jack at the side of the box for portable CD or MP3 players. Also, on the side just above the mini jack is a headphone jack.

Control center back

All your bass with come out of a 10″ subwoofer. You don’t see 10″ subwoofers in many computer speaker systems, but you sure do notice the difference. The subwoofer is also graced with a large 4″ tuned port. Including a port on a subwoofer serves to increase the amount of bass that you hear, but also complicates the design. This is because the port has to be tuned. Which is often reserved for a much more expensive system. The back of the subwoofer is where the system all comes together. Here you will find all the speaker connectors, which are the same spring clips that you find on most stereos, a 15 pin serial plug for connecting the Digital SoundTouch control center and a master power switch. Once it is all connected you control everything from the control center.

Subwoofer port

Subwoofer front

The Z-5500 also includes its own decoder. This is a big feature because it means you don’t have to have a separate receiver to do the decoding for you. All you need to have is the control center and that will take care of everything for you.

Design

The Z-5500 is a 5.1 speaker system so that means there are 4 satellite speakers, 1 center speaker and 1 subwoofer. Each of the five, including the center speaker, are 3-inch digitally equalized aluminum phase plug satellites which combine two drivers into one, providing the clarity of a tweeter with the richness and fullness of a mid-range driver. The satellite speakers have a very stylish look to them. They are mostly black with a silver front that is covered by a black grill. If you like the look better you can remove the grill and display the bare speaker. If you have kids around I recommend you leave the grill on for added protection.

Speaker front open

Speaker front

Each of the 4 satellite speakers has a stand that can be rotated. When fully rotated the stand can be used as a wall mount. Unfortunately, once the speaker is mounted there is no ability to swivel the speaker so that is faces you, so you need to pick a mounting spot that faces your general direction. On the back of the speaker is the port and spring clip wire connectors — now this is where the speaker design differs from the first release of the Z-5500. The first release had the cables integrated into the back of the speaker so you could not remove them. On the other end of the 25 foot cable was a single RCA plug. This made connecting them easier but complicated the process of installing the speakers. Since the wire was only 25 feet long you had to find a place in your room that was only 25 feet away. If your house is already wired for speakers then you could not plug these in because they did not use standard plugs. The new and improved speakers do not have the wires attached to the speaker and they use a spring clip so you can easily attached them to a pre-wired house. This also allows you to easily purchase and attach longer and better quality wires. The system comes with 15′ of wire for the front two satellites and the center channel speakers. The two rear satellite speakers each have 25′ of wire.

Speaker wall

Speaker side

The center channel speaker has the same design as the satellite except the speaker is laying on its side and it does not have a rotating base. Instead, the base is set up to allow you to tilt the speaker up and down. This design is made so you can place it above or below your monitor. If you have a CRT you should place it above and if you have an LCD you should place it below.

The subwoofer is the hub of connectivity for the system. It is a big beast — it houses a 10″ subwoofer on the front and a 4″ port on the side. The subwoofer also holds the 500 watt amplifier, as evident by the huge heatsink on the back. Also on the back are 5 sets of spring clip speaker connectors. One for each of the satellites and the center speaker. Below the clips is a 15 pin serial plug for connecting the Digital SoundTouch control center and below that is the main power switch. There is also a fuse located below the power switch.

Subwoofer back

Connectors

Even though the subwoofer is where everything connects, you will not interact with it very much. Your main center of attention will be with the Digital SoundTouch control center. The control center contains all the controls and settings that you could want. The control center is made up of a power button, large volume dial, 5 setting buttons and an LCD display. The 5 buttons that it has are input, effect, settings, level and mute. The input button controls which input will be using the speakers. Pressing the input button will cycle through the available audio sources. The effect button moves through the different effects that are available. Each type of input has different effects that it can use. The effects include DTS, Dolby Digital, Pro Logic II Movie, Pro Logic II Music, 6 channel Direct, Stereo x2 and stereo. Adjusting the settings is much like adjusting the Effects. Only certain settings are available for each input type. The settings include Panorama, Dimension, Center Width, Surround Delay and Night Mode.

Control center front

Control center buttons

There is also a remote control that you can use with the control center. At the top of the control center is the IR port so make sure that is not blocked by anything. The remote can perform all the same functions as the Control center itself. The only problem is that the LCD display is so small that you may not know exactly what you are doing unless you get really close to read the LCD display, and if you are going to be that close you might as well not use the remote.

Remote

There is one bit of warning that I want to give you. The Control center is really fragile. There are lots of warnings in the documentation and on the back of the subwoofer that tell you not to plug in or unplug the control center unless the main power has been turned off or the system has been unplugged. These warnings should be followed. If you do not follow these warnings you could end up with a dead control center. I have to say that I am severely disappointed that the control center would be this fragile. I would think that for a setup this expensive Logitech would have put in a circuit breaker or fuse that would prevent the circuits from getting fried. None the less, you really need to be careful so you do not also end up killing your system.

Another complaint I have is the length of the cable on the control center, it is only about 7′. This means that you cannot put the subwoofer in the corner, where it produces the best sound, unless the rest of your entertainment system is within 7′ of the corner. If you are more then 7′ away from a corner you must decide if you want the best bass or if you want the control center on your desk or with the rest of your entertainment center. You are not allowed to extend the cable for the control center, doing so may damage your system.

Performance

It is really hard to quantify the performance of a speaker system without going into a lot of numbers that for the most part do not matter to most of us. Most of us just want to know how it sounds. Let me tell you, it sounds awesome.

When you turn on this speaker system with your favorite game or DVD just make sure you don’t have anyone sleeping anywhere in the house. This system easily raises the hair on the back of your neck and the subwoofer can really shake things up.

Logitech says that the system outputs a very impressive 505 watts (RMS), with 62 watts going to each of satellites, 69 watts dedicated to the center, and 188 watts allocated to the huge subwoofer’s 10″ driver. This is really a lot of power for a speaker system that is for computers. These kind of numbers are normally only seen in much larger systems.

Warranty & Service

This speaker system comes with a rather good 2 year limited warranty. I have not had a reason to contact Logitech for any support so I don’t know how that is, but I have not heard very many bad things either.

Conclusion

Overall, the quality of the sound that this speaker system produces is out of this world. You won’t find a better speaker system for the same price. There are several things that I consider flaws, but if you are willing to put up with them then I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Features

• Application Switch
• Internet Forward/Back
• MX Optical Engine
• Right-Handed Comfort Grip
• Scroll wheel
• USB
• 1,600-dpi resolution

The MX 518 Gaming Mouse packs enough features to satisfy even the most picky gamer. With a 1600 DPI sensor and a 16-bit data path this mouse will really be able to keep up with your movements. Paired with a 5.8-megapixel image processor MX 518 is able to send out 8000 bits per second of movement information. This is enough to keep up with even the quickest movements. Because of the massive amount of information this mouse can handle, you are just about guaranteed that the MX 518 won’t suffer from the effect of negative acceleration.

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What is negative acceleration? Regular mice use an 8-bit data path and a 125Hz communication rate. This combination allows the mouse to send 127 pixels of movement information to the computer each time is checks its location. If the mouse moves more then 127 pixels, unpredictable movement or negative acceleration can result. With a 16-bit datapath and 125Hz transmission rate the MX 518 is able to send 32,000 pixels each time is checks its location. If you can move a mouse that far, that fast, I would be extremely surprised.

This mouse also packs 8 buttons with 6 of them being programmable. Each programmable button has up to 20 different things that it can be assigned to do. The only two buttons that are not programmable are the standard left and right buttons. The 2 buttons by the right thumb default to forward and reverse buttons. These can be used in a browser to go back and forth in history. The buttons directly in front and back of the scroll button are by default set to increase and decrease the sensitivity of the mouse. The scroll button when clicked is set to a double click and the button in back of the sensitivity buttons is the application switch button. This button acts like an alt-tab key press. It brings up a small window that lists all the currently running programs and you can move the mouse or the scroll button to move through the programs. Pressing the left mouse button or the application switch button again will select the currently highlighted program.

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The mouse also comes with some fairly good software. In addition to providing the basic mouse settings like button mapping, sensitivity scrolling speed, acceleration and pointer trails, you can also set game settings. These settings include whether or not to allow the game to remap the buttons and keep the speed and acceleration settings of the OS or use the one set in SetPoint. Setpoint is another area of the software that allows you to make settings to the mouse for each game you own, so that those settings will be loaded when you load the game.

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Design

The mouse design as far as ergonomics is fantastic. It fits easily in your hand and has curves in all the right spots. The button placement is also well thought out. I don’t think I could offer any suggestions in this area. The only thing I could offer a suggestion is the design of the top of the mouse. The colors are such that it looks like the top of the mouse has depressions. Even though it is a unique design it is kind of ugly. It would be nice if the cover was removable and you could then replace it with something else that matched your style.

Performance

The keyboard and mouse combination is probably the best for playing games. If you are not used to using a mouse with games then your wrist will certainly get a workout. I personally prefer to use a trackball because you don’t have to move your wrist so much. But for those that use a mouse this has all the things you need. With the ability to adjust the sensitivity on the fly, you can easily adjust the mouse to your game or even the level you are on.

To help boost performance Logitech also disabled the sleep mode on this mouse. The sleep mode is what the mouse goes into when you don’t move the mouse for a while. In this mode the movement-tracking LED is turned off. For a normal user this is not a concern because as soon as you start moving the mouse again it turns on and it only takes about split second to respond. For power gamers that split second could be the difference between you getting the first shot or the enemy.

Just like speed and responsiveness is important to gaming, so is the ability to easily move the mouse and your character. To help with the moving of the mouse, Logitech gave this mouse five slick feet. I don’t know why they chose five instead of six, but with the amount of detail they paid to the other parts of the mouse, there must be a reason. The feet really help move the mouse, and without them the mouse drags quite a bit. The feet are a point of dust collection so you need to keep them clean for optimal performance.

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The software that comes with the mouse can add games and set the mouse controls so that each time you load that game it automatically changes the mouse controls to match.

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The mouse performed really well with all the games I played. Half Life 2 is one of my favorites and with this mouse I was able to get a quick bead on the enemy and make some great shots.

Conclusion

The MX 518 Gaming Mouse is an exceptional mouse. For $49.99 this mouse easily fits into any gamers budget. Because of the button layout and the amount of features that it comes with I would easily declare this as the best mouse I have ever used. For this reason, if you are a heavy gamer then I highly recommend that you go out and get one today.