The company has introduced its first RF/IR capable product which will control lighting, audio and vision as well as several other automated systems. Logitech already owns more than 50 percent of the market in universal remotes with many CEDIA organisations around the world now set to  recommend the Logitech solution over the likes of the Nevo SL or One For All controllers which have been described as "Stylish but lacking in functionality". An RF-capable remote does not need line-of-sight of to control a device, like a TV or a home theatre receiver. This means that you can put equipment, like a DVD player in one room and control it in another . . .which is very, very handy if you don't like having a lot of hardware in a living room. Or, you can be in your kitchen, turn off the TV in the living room, dim the lights, and turn on the stereo in your bedroom.

The new RF-capable Logitech product, the Harmony 890 Pro (above), can do all this, as well as everything else a universal remote does. For the time being, it'll only be available through custom installers and dealers and not sold at retail.

The company intends to sell the product exclusively through CEDIA members or professional installers. In Australia this could prove a problem as Logitech distributors Ingram Micro have little if any experience in selling into the CEDIA market let alone supporting it.

This new device is clearly aimed at directly competing with the likes of Amber Technologies range of Universal Remotes. Given that the market for "advanced" remotes grew 30% this year, with predictions of far greater growth over the next five years, you can bet that famously aggressive Logitech won't take long to grab market share away from other brands.