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Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere 2

Jon Phillips — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:55:33 -0500

At what price convenience? The Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere 2 is awash with nifty features that we’d like to see in all iPod/iPhone speaker docks, but at the end of the day, this just isn’t a sound system that inspires any pride-of-ownership passion or jaw-dropping awe.

But let’s start with our kudos, which aren’t insignificant. At 1 pound, 10 ounces, the Pure-Fi is imminently portable. With its smart cushioned carrying pouch, it’s a cinch to take it wherever you go, whether that’s room to room or to a picnic. And because the Pure-Fi boasts a whopping 10 hours of play time from its rechargeable battery, it can serve your audio needs from morning to night. Battery-level indicators will alert you when it’s time to plug the unit back into AC power, and when you’re running on AC, the Pure-Fi will charge your iPod or iPhone (begging the question, why would you ever buy a one-trick-pony charging dock, when you can own one that doubles as a speaker system?). A clean, simple remote that mirrors all the controls of Apple’s hardware interface and an aux-in for compatibility with iPhones and other players rounds out the amenities list. All in all, the Pure-Fi Anywhere 2 is a package of ample convenience.

It's got portability in spades, but the sound is kind of "meh."

Sadly, however, audio quality just isn’t wowing—and that’s a problem for any speaker system, no matter how small and accommodating it may be. Each stereo channel is serviced by two drivers, one 2-inch, one 3-inch. Volume is impressive in small, closed environments, but washes away outside. Hitting the StereoXL button—which, according to Logitech, “widens the stereo image dramatically, creating an immersive audio experience”—doesn’t seem to do much of anything (though this isn’t surprising, as few similar imaging enhancement tricks have ever impressed us).

We give the Pure-Fi 2 props for maintaining distortion-free audio even at its highest volume levels, but there’s no escaping the fact that the overall tonal range lacks oomph and punch. Yeah, yeah—we know: You can’t expect much bass from 3-inch drivers. Still, all its portability and amenities notwithstanding, we’d rather spend more money on a truly breathtaking speaker dock, something that not only serves as a functional stand-in for a home stereo system, but also looks a lot cooler than the Pure-Fi’s pedestrian chassis design.

Logitech Harmony 1100

Ray Aguilera — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:03:00 -0500

It’s pretty… but it can also be pretty frustrating.

The Harmony 1100 remote is a sight to behold. The 3.5-inch touchscreen is bright and clear, and its tablet-style design made us feel like we were piloting a spaceship, not just watching Spaceballs again. With its extensive database of components, and (ostensibly) simple programming interface, the Harmony is a workable solution for users who are drowning in remotes. And while the touchscreen definitely offers style points, in real-world usage, it’s a less than ideal way to control your home media empire.

The appeal of universal remotes is obvious. Currently, our modest media setup requires three separate remotes just to watch a DVD. Pulling the Harmony 1100 from the box, we were giddy at the prospect of finally being able to control everything with one clicker. And since the Harmony features a rechargeable battery and charging cradle, we were looking forward to no longer having to scramble to find AAA batteries when one of the remotes dies.

Programming the Harmony to work with your AV gear is supposed to be a simple matter. The interface is based on Activities, which power up the appropriate components and switch inputs, making going from live TV to watching a DVD a one-button affair. Firing up the Harmony software on our Mac, we entered information about our existing components and defined several Activities for the remote. Once we set up our Activities, we connected the remote to our Mac with the included USB cable--and nothing happened. Turns out, syncing information to your remote requires you to turn your firewall off completely, exposing your Mac to the Internet at large--a sketchy situation at best. Once we jumped that hurdle, the Harmony software downloaded appropriate commands for our equipment from Logitech’s database.

After our first try, the remote successfully recognized our television, TiVo, and DVD player. We had to make minor corrections, using the Harmony’s onboard Remote Assistant, but the basic functionality was there. In addition to the touchscreen, the right side of the Harmony features hard buttons for channel and volume; an up, down, left, right directional control; and other basic functions. Getting the remote to correctly control an older Denon audio mini-system was basically trial and error that resulted in less than full control of the stereo. Logitech’s database identified some new video-streaming hardware, but we could never get those controls to work properly, even after multiple attempts at manually programming the Harmony via its “learning” capability.

We love the idea of the 1100, but the touchscreen was more eye-candy than anything else. It was fine for watching DVDs, or other situations that require minimal interaction with the remote. Controlling a TiVo from the Harmony was an exercise in frustration. Skipping commercials requires watching the TV screen, but even after heavy use, we couldn’t reliably resume playback after fast-forwarding without looking down at the remote. And we really missed the button on the TiVo remote that skips back a few seconds, which is missing in Harmony’s TiVo interface. In short, the touchscreen is no substitute for hard buttons and some muscle memory. And overall, despite some tweakable settings, we found the Harmony to be a slowpoke when it came to sending commands to our components.

If you have RF- or Bluetooth-controlled components in your entertainment center, be prepared to shell out additional coin for adapters. While Bluetooth components aren’t that common, we felt that the Harmony should have included the RF adapter--$99 separately--which would allow you to stash electronics behind closed doors, and still be able to control them without a direct line of sight.

Logitech Pure-Fi Express Plus

Leslie Ayers — Tue, 26 May 2009 11:56:57 -0500

Despite a small physical footprint, the Pure-Fi Express Plus iPod speaker dock pumps out impressive sound that, in a small room, seems to almost surround you.

More and more, better hotels are outfitting guest rooms with iPod speaker docks so you can enjoy your favorite tunes during your stay. But if you are being forced to book with more budget-friendly hotels that may not offer such amenities, you might consider packing a portable iPod speaker dock the next time you hit the road. There are a lot of compact iPod docks on the market, but in most cases their portability requires a major trade-off in sound quality. Not so in the case of Logitech’s Pure-Fi Express Plus, a small, blocky alarm clock/speaker dock that weighs slightly less than 3.5 pounds, takes up minimal space on a nightstand or desk, and pumps out surprisingly big, rich sound for its petite size. Logitech touts the unit’s ability to produce omnidirectional sound, which creates the sense that you’re listening to your music on a surround-sound system.

Since the Pure-Fi Express Plus can run on either AC power (via the included adapter) or six AA alkalines, you can get your groove on wherever you hang your hat--and you won’t have to rely on a wake-up call from the hotel staff to make sure you get out of bed on time. The dock supports all 30-pin iPod models and the iPhone, charging your device while it rests in the top-mounted cradle. An included IR remote lets you adjust the volume and advance to the next track from across the room. However, we worry that the tiny remote could easily get lost if we were to pack the dock on long trips, and we wish Logitech had thought of an elegant way to avoid this. The unit’s amber-colored digital clock display was quite pleasing compared to the red digital display on our old-school clock radio. And its footprint--roughly 14 inches wide by 4.25 inches deep by 5 inches tall--was smaller too. We did miss the option of listening to the radio while in bed--or, for that matter, waking up to a sound other than an electronic beep. When the alarm goes off on the Pure-Fi Express Plus, a digital chime sounds, but your iPod does not play music from the currently selected playlist. The alarm function is just that: the ability to set the clock so an alarm sounds at the desired time. Music playback is a separate function--and really the central reason to consider this speaker dock, especially as the primary sound system for a small bedroom or office.

Logitech diNovo Edge

Ray Aguilera — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 07:01:00 -0600

Use the Force. If that doesn’t work, there’s always Bluetooth.

As laptops eclipse desktops as “daily drivers,” and computers make their way into the living room as media centers, a wireless keyboard starts to make a lot of sense. Logitech’s diNovo Edge is a wireless Bluetooth keyboard, now available with Mac goodness baked in. And it comes with a full complement of function keys and Mac-centric media controls—which can be customized via a preference pane.

The right side of the keyboard (sorry lefties!) is dedicated to a small touchpad and a cool touch-sensitive volume slider. As Mac users, we’re well accustomed to having to make do with third-party keyboards built for Windows, but the diNovo Edge, Mac Edition, features all the Mac-specific keys you deserve. And they’re in the right places too—no more ass-backward Command and Option keys.

Even better, the diNovo is rechargeable and comes with a convenient vertical charging cradle—although we’d have loved an option to charge via USB, to free up both work-surface real estate and an AC outlet. About 5 to 10 minutes of charging time gives you enough juice to last through the workday, and a full two-hour charge keeps the keyboard going for up to a month.

Key action feels closer to that of the old MacBook Pro keyboards and features similar concave keys. If you’re not a fan of Apple’s recent chiclet-style keyboards, the diNovo might offer a good alternative. The keyboard held up to rigorous daily use—we type for a living, after all—although given the keyboard’s footprint, we were occasionally frustrated by the size of the actual keys. While the standard keys aren’t miniature, they’re noticeably smaller than the keys on other desktop keyboards—with very little space between them. At first, the diNovo felt a bit cramped, but we were able to get used to the proportions quickly. Unfortunately, the bottom row of keys is shrunken even more—key-command junkies will be frustrated by the tiny modifier keys (Control, Option, and Command). Even after extended use, we still found ourselves frequently missing the Command key.

The diNovo is probably best relied on as a secondary keyboard for a laptop or to control a Mac serving as a media center. The touchpad features scrolling gestures, but the touchpad and its buttons are just too cramped for most general computing tasks.

Logitech Z-5

Ray Aguilera — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:16:32 -0500

Good things come in small packages.

If we had a nickel for every pair of speakers that come over the transom, we’d all have better tans, and Mac|Life would be coming to you from an exotic isle in the South Pacific. We gave a prerelease version of Logitech’s Z-5 desktop speakers a spin several months ago and have been eagerly awaiting the production unit’s arrival in our labs. Our patience has been rewarded, and we weren’t disappointed.

The problems with most computer speakers are many. Bulky form-factors eat up desktop real estate. AC adapters add to the cable jumble behind the desk—and they require a power outlet, which is always a rare commodity. And then there’s the elephant in the room: The sound quality of computer speakers usually sucks.

Logitech’s Z-5 speakers solve these problems. The two speakers are vertically oriented, and they each only take up a 3.5-by-3.5-inch footprint on your work surface. And since they’re powered—and fed audio—via USB, you’re spared the usual cable nightmares. The Z-5s also feature a stereo mini-jack input, making them a great no-computer-necessary solution when paired with an iPod and a small USB AC adapter—but you’ll have to bring your own audio cable.

The speakers pump out impressive audio for their size. Sound is projected omnidirectionally, making them good for medium-size rooms, regardless of where they are positioned. Audio quality was clear across the spectrum, and movies, podcasts, and everything from Brian Eno to four-on-the-floor club bangers sounded good.

Logitech sweetens the deal with other small niceties. The included remote features play/pause and track controls, along with volume. It worked with our Mac out of the box—although if you want to use the dedicated button for launching iTunes, you’ll need to install software. The speaker cables also had attached Velcro straps for bundling excess cable, and there’s a 4-foot extension cable that will let you place the speakers up to 8 feet apart.

Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro

Roberto Baldwin — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 05:01:00 -0500

Logitech saves the day for Mac users looking for a capable plug-and-play USB webcam.

Until recently, Mac Pro and Mac mini owners were stuck with either searching eBay for used iSight cameras or using a crappy third-party USB webcam with software that tricked iChat into thinking they were using a FireWire device. Even with the updated iChat support for USB cameras, however, it’s been difficult to find a suitable replacement for the iSight. The Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro hopes to fill the void left by the demise of the iSight, and in our tests the USB 2.0 camera does a stellar job.

The QuickCam can deliver 2-megapixel images and has the capability to shoot video at up to 720p at 30 frames per second using UVC-based applications. The webcam utilizes a built-in microphone that we found extremely sensitive, picking up noise from external hard drives sitting on our desk. A quick trip to the Sound System Preference to lower the input volume fixed that.

The image quality was superior to that of the internal iSight on our MacBook Pro. Logitech’s RightLight 2 technology gave us warmer tones, bringing down the zombie factor of our iChat video chats. Low-light situations created just a little bit of visual noise, so basement-dwellers can finally turn off that spotlight that’s been blinding them for years. The auto-focus feature was quick to register our movements, although the camera suffers from the usual wavy image and blurring that plague all webcams.

The QuickCam has a white ring that lights up when the camera is in use so you don’t accidently record yourself doing your worst Jedi impression. The stand is a feat in simplistic genius. The camera can be mounted to almost any monitor, from the thin screen of the MacBook to a much thicker monitor, while still retaining its ability to tilt up and down. On a flat surface, the QuickCam has an impressive range thanks to the device’s rubber feet. While the stand keeps the camera stable, the ability to attach the camera to a tripod would be a welcome addition.

The camera is completely plug and play. No software is needed—or even included. Most of our video apps, including iChat, QuickTime, and ScreenFlow, recognized the QuickCam Vision Pro automatically. Unfortunately, iMovie and Final Cut Express failed to see the camera, although you can easily record video using QuickTime and import those files into your editor of choice.

Logitech Squeezebox Duet

Zack Stern — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 02:59:00 -0500

The Squeezebox Duet’s Wi-Fi remote is the melted butter to the receiver’s popcorn.

The Squeezebox Duet helps lazy music lovers live the dream of easy access to their digital album collections. Like an AirPort Express, the compact receiver connects to your stereo and plays songs from a wirelessly networked Mac, so you can enjoy your tunes without having to get up off the couch. But the receiver is just half of Logitech’s duo: Taking a feature from high-end systems, the Duet lets you control everything using its Wi-Fi LCD remote. That means that you’re free to wander away from the stereo and your Mac, changing tracks from anywhere on your Wi-Fi network. While the Duet hits a couple of sour notes, the sound quality and convenience are hard to beat.

It only took about ten minutes to get the Duet running. The Squeezebox wires audio through S/PDIF, digital coaxial, or a stereo pair of RCA jacks—we mostly stuck with those for our connection. And after connecting 100Base-T Ethernet and plugging it into the wall outlet, we configured the device through the remote. In the final step, we downloaded and installed the included SlimServer software on our Mac. This app allows you to access all of the playlists and songs in your Mac’s iTunes library—except DRM-protected tracks purchased from the iTunes Store.

Our music sounded great: We blasted rock and classical pieces that all sounded nuanced and complete. We also had our choice of talk radio and additional music via free online radio stations and Rhapsody’s optional subscription service.

The LCD remote’s iPod-style clickwheel let us spin our way through long lists, and we found the interface to be pretty straightforward. But the wheel’s slow acceleration gave us finger fatigue when scrolling through the 1,000-plus artists in our library. And we found certain inconsistencies annoying—the way you line up single tracks and full albums differs, for example.

There were additional problems: The Duet can’t connect to more than one Mac at a time to pool songs from multiple libraries. Nor can it play songs off an Ethernet hard disk; you’re required to leave your main Mac running the SlimServer software. You can use the included online storage space to host more of your collection as a workaround, but we’d rather be able to access songs from any networked Mac or external drive.

Logitech Harmony One--One Remote To Rule Them All

Zack Stern — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:07:08 -0500

The screen and buttons glow subtly, approving of your entertainment choices. You can almost hear it say, “Pass the popcorn.”

How many remotes does it take to watch TV? It sounds like the setup for a cruel joke about our entertainment system. Just to watch a television show, we have separate remotes for the TV, TiVo, audio receiver, and HDMI switch. The universal Harmony One is nearly perfect to replace these and other controllers, combining all your devices into one sleek, adaptable remote.

We actually had fun configuring the Harmony One—forget matching your device to an arcane numeric code, like the cheap universal remotes of the ’90s. After installing the software and connecting the Harmony One via USB, we entered information about our components into the Mac. The software referenced its database of 225,000 IR devices (IR is used by the vast majority of remotes), from which it can add the functionality of up to 15 individual remotes to the Harmony One. Best of all, the software guided us through a few simple questions in order to create the macros required for our particular setup. For example, since we set it to control an Xbox 360 and a PS2, it asked which device we use to play DVDs. Then, when we’re ready for movie night, we will just tap the “Watch a DVD” option on the touch-sensitive LCD, and the Harmony One will send out all the needed commands to turn the on TV, audio receiver, and Xbox.

The Harmony screen changes contextually, displaying custom keys that don’t fit on the physical buttons, like the TiVo thumbs up and down. But after launching an activity, we used the physical buttons more often—they feel great under the fingers. Subtle shape and positional differences identify the important keys so you don’t have to look down at the remote. The Harmony even lights up when it’s moved—a huge help in the dark.