Logitech extends Harmony line to control more of your home

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 (which turns your smartphone or tablet into a home automation controller). 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 (seen above). Available in either black or white, Harmony Home can control both your home theater and other devices from partners via IR, Bluetooth or WiFi. There's a lengthy list of support, too: August, Honeywell, Kwikset, Lutron, Nest, PEQ, Philips, Schlage, SmartThings, Sylvania, Yale and Zuli.

Alongside the new devices, Logitech is also introducing the Harmony Developer Program, and promises to keep an up-to-date list of compatible devices on its site. If your current home automation solution includes ZigBee or Z-Wave devices, then the Harmony Hub Extender for $129 loops in those prevalent protocols to your Harmony Home Hub. We have full faith that the Harmony Home will be easy to program, but are less sure how well Harmony's success in the home theater remote space will translate to controlling the entire home -- compromises are sure to have been made -- but we are certainly excited to see how it might.