Having one remote to control everything is a certainly a must for many homeowners these days. That said, a lot of people are looking for more from today’s home control systems. Since they sometimes have their hands full (with portable devices and/or snacks), voice control is becoming a sought-after feature.
Logitech wants to remain a popular option for home control systems, so they are adding that little perk into the popular Harmony lineup. The company just announced plans to integrate voice control in the Harmony, via the Ubi and Ivee.
The Ubi and the Ivee are third-party products that deliver voice control to a variety of devices. The Ubi is a voice-activated computer that plugs into any wall outlet. The Ivee is more of a smart alarm clock—one that can deliver control and answer questions about the news, weather, and more, all via the sound of your voice.
Putting the Ubi and/or Ivee together with Logitech allows Harmony owners to use voice to tackle simple commands. For instance, just say, “Okay, Ubi. Turn on the TV,” and the system will turn on the TV instantly. However, the Logitech Harmony Living Home lineup doesn’t just do simple. Say something like, “Hello Ivee. Let’s watch a movie,” and the system can turn on the TV and sound system, dim the lights, and lower blinds.
The new functionality is all due to the Harmony API, which allows developers such as Ubi and Ivee to get in on the Logitech Harmony Living Home lineup. That means that once the compatibility kicks in, Ubi and Ivee will work with more than 270,000 AV devices and home control systems.
To incorporate the Ubi and Ivee into a Logitech Harmony Living Home, one of those devices will need to be hooked up to the Logitech Hub via Wi-Fi. Although there’s no word on exactly when this functionality will be rolled out, the Ubi and Ivee are available now, priced at $399 and $199, respectively. The Logitech Hub is also selling now, priced at $99.99.
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