Logitech’s new Harmony remote controls your connected-home devices

Logitech’s got a new Harmony remote and it’s an even bigger push into home automation over the current Harmony Smart Control home theater remote lineup. Shipping this month, the new Harmony Home Control devices start at $99 for the Home Hub. Then there’s the Home Control for $149, which adds a simple, button-only remote. At the top of the line is the $349 Harmony Ultimate Home, which swaps out the simple remote for a 2.4 inch touch screen model.

From a hardware standpoint, it’s hard to call Logitech’s new Harmony Living Home remotes completely new. More of a whitewash. The new touchscreen-equipped Harmony Ultimate Home ($350) is identical to its predecessor — theHarmony Ultimate — aside from the fact that it’s now available in black and white. And the new button-only Harmony Home Control, an updated version of CNET’s favorite universal remote the Harmony Smart Control, is also largely the same as before. It sports a small but important improvement, placing the bank of play/pause and fast-forward/rewind keys in closer thumb reach, along with a price bump from $130 to $150. Both are available this month in the U.S. and Canada. Availability in the UK or Australia hasn’t been announced yet, but at the current exchange rate, the Ultimate Home’s $350 would work out to £219 or AU$385. The Home Control’s US price equates to £92 and AU$165.