Logitech Harmony Link turns your smartphone or tablet into a universal remote

Yes!

This might be a good thing as long as it isn't just another device to track your viewing habits for direct marketing. I had their harmony one and it worked great until it died suddenly after about a year of use.

So how will this connect to the "up to 8 devices?"

Originally posted by Xplorer4:

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So how will this connect to the "up to 8 devices?"

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Quote:

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Seems pretty obvious. You'll have to install an app that will communicate with their receiver. Once you install the app on your device you'll have some kind of a virtual keyboard that will communicate with their hardware, which in turn will communicate with your a/v equipment. I could be wrong though, just guessing.

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Originally posted by Mysttic:

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Quote:

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Seems pretty obvious. You'll have to install an app that will communicate with their receiver. Once you install the app on your device you'll have some kind of a virtual keyboard that will communicate with their hardware, which in turn will communicate with your a/v equipment. I could be wrong though, just guessing.

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You pretty nailed it on the dot; but whether or not it works as well as Logitech hopes it will is another thing altogether.

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Originally posted by llongtheD:

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which in turn will communicate with your a/v equipment.

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Originally posted by Xplorer4:

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Originally posted by llongtheD:

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which in turn will communicate with your a/v equipment.

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This was the only relevant part of your response, but it does not answer my question. Let me be more clear. For example, if I want to use this for my TV and PS3 for Blu-Ray playback, how does it communicate with the PS3 and TV? Will the Link connect via USB? Wi-Fi? Ethernet(not sure if TVs ship with Ethernet ports or not)? HDMI(not sure commands could be issued via HDMI but just stating connection various connection methods)?

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Good point about Infrared. I guess I overlooked the most obvious solution lol.

As for big brother, depends of the data is sent anonymous or not. If it helps provide statistics for things like Nielsen ratings and helps networks gauge what kind of new shows to produce, or what shows to keep on the air, then I do not see the harm. I do think they should make this more known upfront and disclose more details about it(may have done so but can't be asked to read the EULA), but I really do not see the harm. What is there to hide? Don't want Logitech knowing your watching that porno? :p

Probably have to program the app by pointing the remote of each device into the logitech receiver to assign buttons. Then switching devices would be as simple as hitting a virtual input switch. That's how my universal programmable remote worked, minus the virtual button.

Originally posted by Xplorer4:

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Good point about Infrared. I guess I overlooked the most obvious solution lol.

As for big brother, depends of the data is sent anonymous or not. If it helps provide statistics for things like Nielsen ratings and helps networks gauge what kind of new shows to produce, or what shows to keep on the air, then I do not see the harm. I do think they should make this more known upfront and disclose more details about it(may have done so but can't be asked to read the EULA), but I really do not see the harm. What is there to hide? Don't want Logitech knowing your watching that porno? :p

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Dumb, my phone doesn't need to be abused as a remote. Also Harmony's suck! I'd never buy another one and sold the first one a month after buying it. Yuk!

This is a great idea, I organise my life using my iPhone 4, so to control tv with it is cool, and as for programming the devices, my guess is it will be done via USB through a computer, the line between consumer electronics and computer becomes ever more blurry!

That is exactly what makes Harmony so crappy is that you always have to be connected to Logitech to change you remote funtions. They snoop on what your doing and can sell it to advertisers. And why in the world would you need to always be connected to logitech? Much better remotes sure don't need to be? Of course people don't wake up unitl it is too late and this is a prime example. Why would I want to use a tablet or smart phone for a remote in the first place?? For that matter my notebook too??? I'm perfectly fine just using a remote that I can replace cheap, if it's not a Logitech, when it gets broke. Why do I want to abuse a fragile $500 tablet or smart phone???? Wake up people or not... LOL Of course I don't use a phone to organise my life either so what can one say. :D