Logitech's new $ 250 Harmony Express Remote puts Alexa under control

Logitech has just announced a new remote that will upset what consumers expect from the company's Harmony lineup. The $ 249.99 Harmony Express, which begins commercialization today, features a revamped tiny design that removes the touch screen and many programmable buttons from other Harmony remotes. Instead, Logitech is betting on Amazon's voice assistant Alexa.

Alexa is built directly into the remote itself; yes, there is a microphone and a speaker so you can hear Alexa's answers. If Logitech's other Harmony remotes are for home theater enthusiasts, the Express is for casual consumers who want to enter their living room, turn on the TV and access Netflix or Prime Video with voice commands. This sounds good in theory, but my experience with the Express shows that Alexa may not be ready yet to assume all these responsibilities.

Also, why in the world does this thing cost $ 250? Alexa is full of TVs and streaming platforms like Roku and Fire TV. Does Logitech's ability to control a large number of home appliances deserve such a premium? Voice search is a welcome benefit on remote controls, but making the voice the central user's experience also makes a leap forward.

For the launch of the Harmony Express, Logitech starts new. The company has created a brand new companion application that offers an extremely simple configuration process and simplified interactions afterwards. For now, this app only works with the Express. This remote is not compatible with Logitech's older Harmony app, nor is it compatible with older remotes. It recharges via Micro USB, but you will rarely have to worry about a dead battery.

For starters, you turn on all your devices and then search the app. He has successfully recognized my TCL Roku TV and my Xbox One; I had to add my PS4 and Vizio soundbar manually. Then you drag and drop each device on its respective HDMI port so that the Express knows where to find everything. It supports the most popular devices, including Apple TV, Fire TV and Roku. You can even choose the device you prefer to use for each of the most popular streaming applications. After that comes the Alexa setup, where you will have to connect Harmony Express to your Amazon account.

Once everything is done, you can say something like "Go to Netflix", your TV will power, switch to the correct HDMI input and load the application. You can open an unlimited number of streaming apps, but you can not tell Alexa to play a specific show. So, you will often use the four-way circular navigation pad to start looking at something. The Express can also tune specific channels (by number or by name) on many cable boxes or, in my case, via the antenna plugged into my Roku TV. You can run virtually all the commands supported by your device, but this requires talking to the remote instead of pressing a touch screen or a shortcut button, as you would with another Harmony.

The remote itself is nice. I found that my thumb naturally rested on the OK / voice button. It weighs virtually nothing and its back is matte and soft to the touch for better grip. The voice of Alexa clearly passes through the speaker, although it is sometimes a bit loud.

And of course, you can always just ask questions to the Express General Alexa on topics such as weather or sports scores. Logitech has designed its Alexa integration to be pressed and maintained, so it's not as if the remote is constantly listening to "Alexa" like an Echo speaker. You can adjust Alexa response volume, but the voice can not be completely disabled.

Logitech includes a hub / infrared blaster in the box, which allows Logitech to connect to the server and record all commands from each of your devices. Once you've set up Express, these smart systems apply to your Echo speakers. You can ask these devices to turn on your TV, for example. Alexa can already support Alexa individually – my TCL TV and Xbox One players do not (no IR blaster is needed) – but it's certainly handy to chain everything together.

However, there is also a possibility of cross flows and conflicts between Alexa skills. If both your TV and Harmony Express include "go to Netflix" as a command, who wins and executes the request? How does Alexa know how to use Logitech Express instead of just controlling your Xbox One with Microsoft's skills? Logitech admits that this is an area in which consumers can sometimes get inconsistent results, and that's something that Amazon also needs to help solve. If you prefer to use the remote as a remote control, the physical buttons of the Express control the application or the device you are using at that time and they are all backlit. You can also customize each button to execute a different device command by pressing briefly or long, which is useful because they are few in number.

I did not spend enough time with Harmony Express to offer a test, but I really do not know who will buy this product. I understand the concept and who it serves: people who want a universal remote that is not too complex. But … $ 250? At this price, would not the experienced home theater users prefer the more advanced personalization and automation capabilities of the Harmony Elite remote? Alexa is not yet reliable enough for this crowd, and it can be very annoying to have to constantly talk to a remote.

Likewise, I do not see many casual consumers giving as much for convenience in Alexa's life. For $ 100? Of course, you could make a much better argument for giving a boost to the Express. This is what I have asked so far without a lot of problems or problems. But I do not think Alexa has evolved enough in the living room for Logitech to charge $ 250. As it stands, Harmony Express does not replace any member of the Harmony range. The Harmony Elite remains the flagship product, and there are cheaper options if you prefer a more traditional universal remote. But if you want to try Logitech's latest approach, you can order Express now.