Hasta La Gadget!

Logitech announced it would be laying off 140 of its employees, or nearly 5 percent of its non-direct workforce, in an attempt to shift its focus to its more popular mobile accessories. Since then, the company has launched a new line of PC gaming peripherals as well as a new Keyboard Folio for the iPad and iPad Mini. Logitech is now launching some additional accessories for fans of their universal remote controls.

Logitech is announcing the launch of two new Harmony devices: the Harmony Ultimate and Harmony Smart Control. The Harmony Ultimate is a $350 universal remote which resembles its previously released Harmony Touch as it includes a 2.4-inch touchscreen display, although it improves on the Touch as it comes with motion sensors which activates the display when you pick up the remote, as well as vibration when you touch the screen. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Panasonic Will Continue To Produce Plasma TVs, Netflix Reaches 4 Billion Hours Of Streaming Video Milestone In Q1 2013,

The TV remote control will not die. And that’s a good thing. Try as they might, startups have yet to provide a true remote control replacement. A dedicated remote is like a trusty pickup truck: It might not be the best looking vehicle but it gets the job done with little fuss. But even though dedicated remotes probably won’t be replaced, that doesn’t mean smartphone apps can’t supplement their existence.

Harmony Ultimate, packs the standard Logitech’s Harmony brand has long turned out some of the very best universal remote controls. Their latest is the standard affair of hardware including a multitude of buttons, touchscreens, and easy setup through Harmony’s web-based interface. Logitech also made this $349 system compatible with its Logitech Harmony Smartphone apps, allowing smartphones to fill in when the remote control inevitably goes AWOL.

Or, if you just prefer to use a smartphone altogether, the company also just announced the $129 Logitech Harmony Smart Control, a system that puts the smartphone as the primary controller (like the old Harmony Link) but also includes a small physical remote for backup (below left).

Both systems are compatible with nearly every home entertainment device ever made including game systems and the Philips Hue lighting system. Using IR blasters and your home’s WiFi network, devices can be controlled from the remote or smartphone even when they’re packed away out of sight.

With the rise of the smartphone, many technology pundits put the venerable remote on death watch. But it’s still here. Many smart TVs can now be controlled through a smartphone, but most cable boxes and entertainment systems require extra hardware like the Harmony Smart Control or Griffin’s Beacon.

I’ve owned and tested about a dozen high-end universal remote controls starting with an original Harmony before the company was purchased by Logitech. I’ve also tried most of the iOS remotes but find using my smartphone (or tablet) clunky and not nearly as intuitive as a physical remote. A remote control, while often a mind-boggling mess of buttons, is still the best way to control a complex home entertainment system and mindlessly channel surf on lonely Saturday nights.

The Harmony Ultimate will hit stores in the U.S. and Europe this month for $349. The Harmony Smart Control will drop in May for $129.

Got no touchscreen on your living room remote? That’s a shame, because Logitech and others have been flogging such universal controllers since way back when. After a long new product hiatus, the late 2012 release of the Harmony Touch remote hasn’t stopped Logitech from mulling a sale of the brand, but it’s not done with it just yet. Coming soon are two fresh bundles bearing the Harmony name: the Ultimate and Smart Control. At the heart of both is the Smart Hub, a palm-sized box somewhat similar to the Harmony Link. It receives commands from remotes via RF, or from smartphone apps via WiFi, and in turn, broadcasts its own orders to your A/V setup using IR and Bluetooth. It’s especially useful for those wanting to hide their kit away in cabinets, as it translates inputs into IR signals that’ll bounce around those secluded spaces. Optional extender nodes will also pipe IR into other nearby recesses.

To do that though, the Hub needs instructions, which is where remotes and apps come in. The new Ultimate remote (aka the Touch Plus) is last year’s Touch remote with a few refinements, including the addition of a trigger-like nub on the underside to improve grip. It uses IR, Bluetooth or RF (to the Hub) to control up to 15 devices, and is programmed using Logitech’s software for PCs that pulls settings from a database of 225,000 home entertainment products. The Ultimate’s 2.4-inch touchscreen serves as a number pad, a favorite channel list for easy hopping, and is the home of one-touch “activities,” which are basically macros for issuing multiple commands. Set up an activity for “Play Xbox,” for example, and in one touch it’ll turn on your console, switch your TV to the correct source, select the right channel on your amp, and so on. It’ll even tell Philips’ connected Hue lightbulbs to set a mood. Jump on past the break for more.

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio/Video, Tablets, Software, HD

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When it comes to computer peripherals, a company with the pedigree of Logitech certainly cannot be overlooked. After all, they have come up with their fair share of computer keyboards, mice, and speakers in the past that would surely have garnered quite a sizeable following until now. Well, the last half year was spent by the folks over at Logitech, as they mulled over just what were the missing ingredients in the world of PC gaming accessories, and in order to deliver what gamers want, they laid down a challenge to themselves, hoping to make a difference where it really counts. All of that thinking and passion has resulted in the spanking new Logitech G lineup, where you can see a sample that is depicted above.

The new Logitech G range of gaming accessories exemplifies the company’s passion for science, where it will comprise of half a dozen redesigned mice and keyboard favorites, which will also be accompanied by a couple of new headsets, where each one of them features advanced technology that were specifically designed to improve gamers’ performance.

Using Delta Zero sensor technology to deliver high accuracy cursor control, you will also be able to enjoy the touch of advanced surface materials for a more comfortable precision grip, and anti-ghosting keys make sure that during those frenzied moments in a game, you will not lock up the entire keyboard even when pressing multiple keys simultaneously when the pressure is piling. Logitech also knows that sometimes, gamers do get too passionate, and slam their keyboards and mice on the table out of frustration when they miss a particular shot or execute a wrong strategy. Logitech has taken steps to ensure that the peripherals which roll off their production lines for the new G range are extremely robust, which is why each of the new Logitech PC gaming products will be accompanied by a worldwide 3-year warranty, now how about that?

Press Release
[ Logitech G Series enhances your gaming experience copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

The iPad was never designed to be a laptop, but some people can’t resist the urge to change a gadget’s nature. For that purpose, Logitech is outing keyboard folios for the iPad and iPad Mini that double as a hands-free viewing stand for those long-haul flights. Your fingers will be hovering over a Bluetooth keyboard with membrane scissor keys, covered in your choice of colored fabric shell. The hardware is marked down to be available in the US and Europe in April, setting you back $100 for the iPad edition and $89.99 for the 7.87-inch version — and if you’d like to learn more, you can check out the videos we’ve stashed after the break.

Filed under: Peripherals, Tablets, Apple

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Source: Logitech