The universal remote is becoming the thing of the past. OK, maybe not. Some people love the idea of having a dedicated controller. Some love the idea of multiple controllers. For others, however, the advent of the smartphone and/or tablet computer has put an end to all other remotes.

Pretty much every AV manufacturer has some type of add-on app to control its own products. For those in search of something slightly more comprehensive, there’s the Harmony Link. The Harmony Link puts some of the features we’ve come to know and love from Logitech’s Harmony remote line, and puts them into your favorite smartphone and/or tablet product.

The Harmony Link consists of piece of hardware that looks like a little hockey puck. This connects to your setup, acting as a middleman between your mobile device and up to eight different AV devices. To link those two things together, you’re also going to need the Harmony Link app, which is available as a free download through iTunes and the Android Market.

Will this little add-on want you to shelve (or “drawer”) all of the other remotes in the house? Let’s take a closer peek at Logitech’s latest Harmony product.

What the Manufacturer Says

Logitech Harmony Link is a small device that connects to your home Wi-Fi network. It turns signals from the Harmony Link app into infrared commands that can control your TV, set-top boxes, music systems and many other home entertainment devices. It even has an IR mini blaster that allows it to send signals through closed cabinet doors
Visit Logitech to Learn More About the Harmony Link

Reviews and Ratings from Around the Web

Harmony Link

Adds remote functions to smartphone/tablet

Controls up to 8 devices

Allows activity-based control

Includes IR mini blaster

Can’t customize layout

Limited functionality

CNET
“While the Harmony Link gets a lot right (like including Harmony’s activity-based buttons like ‘Watch TV’), its limitations hold you back from what you really want to do: browse and set recordings from your iPad rather than your DVR’s interface.”
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Engadget
“Like most Harmony products from Logitech, the hardware is fantastic and the software leaves a lot to be desired. Sure, it’s easy to program and get up and running, but going outside the box even a little isn’t something we’d recommend trying.”
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Laptop Magazine
” Logitech’s app provides a nice layout with just the right amount of information, but it could be made even simpler. When you want to change the time slot, you first have to press the time, then select the hour from the box that appears. Why not just have a slider?”
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What Electronic House Says

We expect a lot out of our Harmony-branded products and had extremely high hopes for the Harmony Link. In fact, we still do. Logitech’s initial outing with the product sort of misses the mark. That said, it certainly has good intentions and offers up another way to control your system (and justify your smartphone and/or tablet). It just seems like it could have done so much more, though. The fact that it’s app-based makes us hopeful that the company may upgrade some of the product’s shortcomings in the near future. If you’re willing to chance it, or just need a little more Harmony in your life, the $99 MSRP is a respectable price for this type controller.