Logitech has teamed up with Amazon to bring voice control support to the Logitech Harmony Hub using the Alexa digital assistant.
Anyone who owns a Logitech Harmony Hub will now be able to control their smart home gadgets using Alexa-enabled devices, like the Amazon Echo or Amazon Echo Dot. The Logitech Harmony Hub, for the unaware, is a box that connects to all of your smart home gadgets – anything from your TV to a smart light bulb – and lets you control them using a smartphone app.
But with the addition of the new Alexa skill, Harmony and Echo owners will be able to control their gadgets using voice commands instead. You can say things like ‘Alexa, tell Harmony to turn on the TV’, or ‘Alexa, tell Harmony to turn on Netflix’, and it should work. You’ll also be able to control media playback by telling Alexa to play, pause, stop, eject, or record.
Speaking at the announcement, Renee Niemi, VP of Logitech’s smart home business, said: “We are thrilled to extend voice control capabilities to more Harmony users worldwide. After receiving a lot of positive feedback on the Amazon Alexa integration in the US, this move is our next step in the process of bringing more control of the living room entertainment experience to the world.”
What’s most exciting is that Harmony and Alexa allow for skills to be combined. So you could, for instance, turn on the lights, raise the blinds, and switch your TV onto a news channel in the morning, all with a single voice command. Logitech also promises to add “new features and functionality” to the Harmony system, so its capabilities should only grow over time.
“Controlling your home entertainment system with your voice takes convenience to a whole new level,” explains Rob Pulciani, Director of Amazon Alexa. “Alexa integration with Harmony makes home entertainment easier than ever, enabling customers to change channel, switch content services, control playback, adjust their volume, and more, across different inputs – all without lifting a finger.”
When we reviewed the Logitech Harmony Elite remote (which comes with a Harmony Hub in the box), we were seriously impressed, giving it a respectable 4.5/5 score.
You can currently buy a Harmony Hub on Amazon for £93:
Buy Now: Logitech Harmony Ultimate Hub at Amazon for £93.25
Related: CES 2017
Watch: Amazon Echo UK Review
What do you think of the Amazon Echo? Let us know in the comments.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.