The days of the "dumb" home are over. Nowadays, most new electronics have some kind of smart home implementation on them: Refrigerators that connect to the internet to inform you need more milk, thermostats that can be adjusted on your way home, lightbulbs that flicker to the sound of your beat. These are just some of the more common ways these smart devices interact with homeowners.
Nearly all of the newest televisions released in the past two years have some smart home connectivity. However, not everyone can afford to replace their perfectly usable televisions with ones that have smart home connectivity in them. That's where Logitech's Harmony Hub comes in.
Smart Hub for a Not-So-Smart Home
Logitech's Harmony Hub is similar to already well-established smart home hubs. If your home is equipped with Google Home or Amazon Alexa hubs, then you probably know how to operate one of these. What makes the Harmony Hub stand out from the other two is its customizability and ability to interact with almost any kind of device, whether it's a new generation smart TV or a somewhat old flatscreen. And to make setup easy, the Harmony Hub app, available for both iOS and Android, automatically scans for all devices the first time you use it. No need to go scan and pair every single device and remote in your home. Your Harmony Hub will do all that tedious work for you.
The first feature it has is its ability to control multiple devices. By installing the Logitech Harmony Hub on your smartphone, you can control your TV, set-top box, game consoles, smart lights, thermostats, and so on. It truly makes your smartphone into a universal remote. With the Harmony Hub, you need your smartphone with you all the time. No need to look for your other remotes. As an added bonus, you can even control devices in closed cabinets as its equipped with IR, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, meaning that no device is really truly out of reach.
Support for Alexa and Assistant
It also has support for Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. If you're the type of person who likes to use voice commands to control their smart home, then the Harmony Hub also has you covered. After all, nothing beats telling your Harmony Hub to play the most recent episode of your favorite TV series after a long day at work. All without getting your phone out of your pocket.
Its coolest feature, however, is being able to create custom actions on your smartphone app. The Haromony Hub automatically suggests ready-made triggers for you via its Harmony Activities. Once it recognizes a pattern from you, it'll suggest a generated macro to make your life easier. You can also create your own macros on your phone. If you want a one-touch button to automatically dim the lights, lock the doors, and start up your Playstation 4 for a non-stop night of gaming, then all you have to do is set it up on the app.
The Logitech Harmony Hub is readily available at Amazon.
SEE ALSO: Holiday Gift Guide 2019: Top 5 Amazon Holiday Best Deals Below $50
