Matt’s Desk: Editor’s Blog

You’d have to pry, as the saying goes, my Harmony remote out of my cold, dead hand.  I’ve been a Harmony user for about two years now, and tell anyone who’ll listen that it’s one of my favorite everyday gadgets.

So I sat up and took notice today when Logitech announced two new members of the Harmony family: the Harmony 600 and the Harmony 650.  These new remotes feature an updated design and a more affordable price range for budget-conscious couch potatoes everywhere.

The two remotes feature have the same look and overall button layout, but the 650 (shown above) has a color display where the 600 has a more basic black-and-white (or grayscale) screen.  From today’s announcement, there doesn’t seem to be any new technology here, but what is noteworthy is the MSRP of these units.  The Harmony 600 will sell for $79, while it color sibling, the Harmony 650, will go for $99.  Most of today’s Harmony models cost $200 or more.

Just in case you don’t know, Harmony is a family of universal remotes from Logitech which replace other remotes, removing clutter and home theater confusion.  Rather than endlessly punching in codes, however, Harmony remotes are programmed via a software application (PC or Mac).  You install the app, tell it what you have (TV, DVD, DVR, etc.) in your setup, and the application programs the remote via USB.  In addition, since the remote knows each of the components you have, you can press the Watch a Movie button, for example, and the remote will power on your DVD, tune your TV to the correct channel, turn on your audio system and adjust button functionality to control the correct component for the command (volume up, in my setup, controls my Sony audio system when in Movie mode).

The new Harmony models are expected to begin shipping later this month.

The most frustrating thing about web video is that you have to jump through so many hoops to watch it on a TV.  I use the PS3 for streaming Netflix, but I can’t watch Hulu or other web videos on the console; for that, you really need a PC or Mac connected to your boob tube.

But TV manufacturers are beginning to tune into the fact that Internet video is here to stay and that it’s most naturally viewed on a TV. To cash in on this reality,  a new generation of TVs is emerging with built-in Internet connectivity, video playback and web software.  And it’s about time.

One of the first pioneers into this brave new world is VIZIO, a brand of TVs sold largely by Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club.  Three new VIZIO TVs will be available for purchase next week (the 42-inch SV422XVT, the 47-inch SV472XVT and the 55-inch VF552XVT) that include VIZIO Internet Apps, or VIA, which allow you to connect to the Internet (via 802.11n Wi-Fi or Ethernet cable) for watching Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand, Yahoo! Video and VuDu.  Hopefully Hulu will join the party at some point, but I won’t hold my breath. 

And the VIZIO Internet Apps aren’t just about web video.  There’s also social networking capabilities with Twitter and Facebook connectivity, Internet radio via Pandora, and photo viewing with flickr. 

That’s all well and good, but it’s the built-in web video technology that caught my attention.  It’ll be interesting to see how this trend develops.

A few days ago, I wrote about how Google could take on Apple in the Tablet Wars.  In that editorial, I focused on Android because there are already tablet-style devices available running the smartphone OS.  I ignored Google’s other operating system, Chrome OS, and its utility for tablets for two reasons: 

First,  I have no experience with the Chrome OS, I’ve only seen stories about its development.  Second, it has yet to be used in any meaningful way on any consumer device; i.e., it still isn’t yet ready for primetime. 

But Chrome OS is just as much a part of Google’s tablet toolkit as Android, mainly because Chrome was always intended to run on midrange devices like netbooks and tablets. 

I mention this because I wanted to point you to a recent post on the Chromium Projects web site. The post contains several mockups of a tablet running the Chrome OS. 

According to TechCrunch:

“… it appears that these mockups were put together by Glen Murphy, Google Chrome’s designer. In other words, there’s a good chance that the final version of Chrome OS will resemble this.”

Pretty cool.

-M

After months and months of waiting for the announcement, I was thrilled this morning to learn that Netflix video streaming is coming to the PS3 in November. But the service, at first, won’t be a download-and-go solution.

Rather than an update to the PS3 OS itself (which the Netflix press release hints is coming), watching available streaming content will require PS3 users to use a special Blu-ray disc, provided by Netflix. And the disc won’t install software on the PS3 for future viewing; you’ll need to use the disc each time you access the “Watch Instantly” service, at least until an OS upgrade supporting the feature is made available. 

Bummer.

If you’re a Netflix subscriber and wish to order the disc, which is free, click here.