Posts tagged with "Logitech"

Logitech Releases the Developer-Focused MX Keypad for AI Automation

Source: Logitech.

Source: Logitech.

Today, Logitech introduced the MX Keypad. If it looks familiar, that’s because it’s one-half of Logitech’s existing MX Creative Console. However, instead of bundling a 3 x 3 keypad with a dialpad, the MX Keypad is just the keypad for $99.

I reviewed the MX Creative Console in 2024, and I still use it and write about ways to automate tasks with it. It’s an excellent pair of devices, so it’s not surprising that Logitech has adapted the keypad to a new use case.

Keypad, cable, and kickstand. Source: Logitech.

Keypad, cable, and kickstand. Source: Logitech.

The MX Keypad’s hardware is identical to the keypad from the Creative Console. In addition to the keypad itself, it comes with a kickstand you can use to prop it up at an angle and connects via USB-C to your Mac. My MX Creative Console review has more detail about the hardware, along with images and a short video.

I like the MX Creative Console a lot, and according to Logitech, so did software developers looking for ways to automate their AI workflows. While Logitech didn’t expressly say why it dropped the dialpad for the MX Keypad, it makes sense to me having used the MX Creative Console for months. Dialpads are great for timeline-based creative work, but less so for development work. Yes, developers might want to use the dialpad to control screen brightness or volume, but by limiting the MX Keypad to just the keypad, Logitech was able to hit a lower price point, making the device more appealing to a bigger audience.

I’ve been impressed by the number of ways Logitech has opened its devices up to automators who like to tinker, too. Similar to devices like the Stream Deck, Logi Options+ lets you build Smart Actions based on keyboard shortcuts and macros. But there’s more than that. If you’d prefer to let someone else do the automation, Logitech runs a Smart Actions marketplace with plugins tailored to certain apps. For developers there’s also a Logi Actions API for building plugins with access to each Logitech device’s full capabilities.

Source: Logitech.

Source: Logitech.

From a developer standpoint, the combination of automation options means the MX Keypad opens up a variety of possibilities like:

  • launching agents,
  • monitoring agent activity via the device’s dynamically updated keys,
  • triggering saved prompts,
  • activating voice input, and
  • automating many other repetitive tasks.

Logitech is also teaming up with GitHub Copilot as part of the MX Keypad launch, similar to the partnership that was announced with Adobe as part of the MX Creative Console. There’s a Copilot plugin available that adds Copilot controls to the keypad’s keys. Logitech customers can also take advantage of GitHub’s offer for three months of GitHub Copilot Pro+ for free.

Logitech’s MX Keypad is primarily a repackaging of an existing device with a GitHub Copilot deal thrown in to make it a better value. But it’s good to see the company addressing the developer market more directly. Having used the MX Creative Console primarily for automation and development-type work myself, dropping the dialpad from the package to lower the price is a good tradeoff. I use the dial and its other buttons occasionally, but for automation, the keypad is where it’s at, and between Smart Actions and a full plugin SDK you can point your agent at, the MX Keypad is a great choice for automators.

The Logitech MX Keypad is available directly from Logitech and from Amazon.

A Month with Logitech’s Innovative Mobi Fold Travel Mouse

I can’t recall the last time I was truly excited about a mouse. I primarily use a trackpad whether I’m at my desk or using a laptop. The trouble with a trackpad-only setup, though, is that I sometimes wind up with wrist and elbow pain. That’s why I keep a Logitech MX Master 4 mouse on my desk to balance out the stress on my arms.

But that only works if I’m at my desk. More and more, I’ve been turning to a MacBook Pro for working away from my desk at home or elsewhere. Those locations are always less ergonomic than sitting at my desk, causing wrist and elbow pain more quickly. Still, I’ve never made it a habit to bring a mouse with me, especially when I’m away from home, because it’s more than I want to carry – that is, until Logitech’s latest mouse, the Mobi Fold, came along.

The Logitech Mobi Fold is an impossibly small mouse that folds completely in half, reducing its footprint to about ⅓ the size of my iPhone 17 Pro Max and about twice its thickness. Unfolded, it’s close to the length of the MX Master 4 but narrower. The Mobi Fold is impressively full-featured, too, making it an excellent all-around travel mouse worth taking a closer look at.

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First Look: Logitech’s MX Master 4 Adds Haptics, Actions Ring, and a USB-C Bolt Receiver

Source: Logitech.

Source: Logitech.

Today, Logitech introduced an updated version of its MX Master series mouse dubbed the MX Master 4. It’s a good upgrade, but the changes are largely incremental; while I like it a lot, the MX Master 4 won’t be for everyone. Logitech sent me the MX Master 4 to try, and I’ve been using it for the past couple of weeks, so I thought I would share what the experience has been like so far.

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POP Icon Keys: Logitech Brings Automation to a Budget-Friendly Keyboard

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about and showed off Logitech’s MX Creative Console, a two-piece device made up of a keypad and dialpad, that takes the Elgato Stream Deck head-on. Well, today, Logitech is back with a slightly different approach in the form of its POP Icon Keys keyboard, which borrows some tricks from the Creative Console.

The $49.99 keyboard, shipping later this month, is solidly built and low-profile. It weighs 530g and has four big rubber pads on the bottom corners, giving it a sturdy, stable feel on my desk. The keys use scissor switches and feature aggressively rounded corners, and they’re quiet and have more throw and resistance than an Apple Magic Keyboard, but are easy to adapt to if you’re used to Apple’s keyboards. I particularly like the texture of the keys – which could be partially due to the fact that I’ve been using a worn-down Magic Keyboard – but the keys have a nice feel and don’t show fingerprints.

The POP Icon Keys comes in four color options.

The POP Icon Keys comes in four color options.

The body of the keyboard is made of a similar plastic, and the keys are surrounded by a strip of glossy, transparent plastic that adds a little flair to the entire package. The color options available for the POP Icon Keys are fun, too. I’ve been testing a black keyboard with neon yellow accents for about a week, and I like it a lot, but there are other color combinations available, including pink, orange and white, and a purpleish-blue color scheme. Also, the POP Icon Keys runs on two AAA batteries, which Logitech says can provide 36 months of operation thanks to the keyboard’s onboard power management.

If that’s where the story ended for the POP Icon Keys, I’d recommend it because it’s a very good keyboard for the price. What sets the POP Icon Keys apart, though, is that it goes a step further, adding automation features similar to those found on the more expensive MX Creative Console.

Logitech has designated the Home, End, Page Up, Page Down, F4-F12, and brightness keys as programmable via its Logi Options+ app. Among other things, you can use these keys to control system settings, execute keyboard shortcuts, and run multiple actions combined into macros. The keys’ original functionality remains available, too, if you hold down the function button. The POP Icon Keys also shares the MX Creative Console’s ability to set up app-specific profiles, meaning you can program keys to perform different tasks depending on which app is active.

For example, you could use the Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down buttons to open different sets of apps for work, a special project, or relaxing with a game. Or you could use the function keys to trigger keyboard shortcuts in your favorite apps or Shortcuts automations.

There are a couple of things I love about this functionality. First, the flexibility is fantastic, especially since you can access the programmable keys without taking your hands off the keyboard, which is an advantage over the MX Creative Console. Second, for just $50, the POP Icon Keys is a great entry point into the world of push-button automation. If it turns out that keyboard-driven automation isn’t your thing, you still have an excellent keyboard, but if it is, you can go a long way with the POP Icon Keys’ options before you graduate to the MX Creative Console or another similar device.

All in all, I like the POP Icon Keys a lot. It’s nicely built and a great way to get started with keyboard automation or supplement other automation workflows you already use. The device is available directly from Logitech and Amazon.

First Look: Logitech’s MX Creative Console Is Poised to Compete with Elgato’s Stream Deck Lineup

Source: Logitech.

Source: Logitech.

Today, Logitech revealed the MX Creative Console, the company’s first product that takes advantage technology from Loupedeck, a company it acquired in July 2023.

I’ve been a user of Loupedeck products since 2019. When I heard about the acquisition last summer, I was intrigued. Loupedeck positioned itself as a premium accessory for creatives. The company’s early products were dedicated keyboard-like accessories for apps like Adobe Lightroom Classic. With the Loupedeck Live and later, the Live S, Loupedeck’s focus expanded to encompass the needs of streamers and automation more generally.

Suddenly, Loupedeck was competing head-to-head with Elgato and its line of Stream Deck peripherals. I’ve always preferred Loupedeck’s more premium hardware to the Stream Deck, but that came at a higher cost, which I expect made it hard to compete.

The Logitech MX Creative Console slots nicely into my existing setup.

The Logitech MX Creative Console slots nicely into my existing setup.

Fast forward to today, and the first Logitech product featuring Loupedeck’s know-how has been announced: the MX Creative Console. It’s a new direction for the hardware, coupled with familiar software. I’ve had Logitech’s new device for a couple of weeks, and I like it a lot.

The MX Creative Console is first and foremost built for Adobe users. That’s clear from the three-month free trial to Creative Cloud that comes with the $199.99 device. Logitech has not only partnered with Adobe for the free trial, but it has worked with Adobe to create a series of plugins specifically for Adobe’s most popular apps, although plugins for other apps are available, too.

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Logitech Circle View Doorbell Offers Superior Camera Hardware with the Benefits of HomeKit Secure Video

For nearly a year, I had a Logitech Circle View camera perched above the front door of my house, which allowed me to keep an eye out for visitors and deliveries. The wide-angle lens was able to capture my front stoop as well as my yard, providing an excellent perspective on what was happening outside.

That setup worked extremely well. In fact, my two Circle View cameras are so reliable that I had begun thinking about replacing a second outdoor camera from Canary that I was using in the back yard. That’s why when Logitech got in touch to see if I wanted to try its new Circle View Doorbell, I jumped at the chance. I figured that if it worked out, I could migrate the Circle View to the back yard. I was also intrigued by some unique features of Logitech’s doorbell and eager to see how well they worked in practice. I haven’t been disappointed.

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Logitech Purchases Blue Microphones to Better Serve Gamers, Podcasters, and More→

Logitech is expanding its lineup of tools for content creators by acquiring the popular microphone company Blue. From Blue’s announcement post:

Logitech has announced plans to acquire Blue Microphones—and we are super excited about it! Blue’s mission is to help our users find and amplify their voice by making the coolest microphones on the planet, and we’re going to keep doing exactly that. With Logitech’s vast resources behind us, we can be supercharged. We can be better, stronger, faster…

The union of the companies makes a lot of sense, as each creates gear in overlapping domains like gaming, YouTube, and podcasting.

We both have strong brands in the gaming market. We make the most popular streaming mic, they make the most popular streaming cam. And we both want to put excellent, high-performance gear on every desktop.

Blue also makes professional-level microphones for musicians, but to most consumers the company may be best known for its Yeti and Snowball mics, which are favorite choices among podcasters. It will be interesting to see how Blue’s additional resources enable it to better serve the needs of its existing customer base.

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Logitech Launches Amazon Echo-Harmony Integration→

Earlier this week, Logitech announced support for a new Alexa skill that lets Echo owners control their Harmony hubs and associated devices and services.

Today Logitech announced a new Amazon Alexa skill that enables voice control of your entire living room entertainment experience using a Logitech Harmony Hub with Alexa-enabled devices such as the Amazon Echo or Echo Dot.

When the skill is enabled on Amazon Echo or Amazon Echo Dot, you can start and stop Harmony Activities, control your entertainment devices, or even turn directly to your favorite channels, hands free, using only your voice. Harmony users can simply say “Alexa, turn on the TV,” or “Alexa, turn on Netflix” to control the TV as well as other entertainment and smart home devices, and Harmony makes it happen.

As those who listen to Connected may know, I’ve spent the past few months building a home automation setup based on the Amazon Echo and Alexa (more on this in the future). Connecting my TV to voice commands was the missing piece.

Here’s Dan Moren, writing for Six Colors:

I set up a similar system a while back, using a combination of other services like IFTTT and Yonomi, but Logitech’s first-party integration definitely puts it in the reach of anybody with an Echo and a Harmony Hub who doesn’t want to muck around with nitty-gritty technical details.

Logitech’s integration mostly delivers what I could already do with those other services, but there are a couple of nice additions. For one thing, it gets rid of the “trigger” nomenclature imposed by IFTTT. Additionally, it lets you declare “friendly names” for your devices, so even if your Harmony Activity is “Watch Apple TV” you can just say “turn on Apple TV”, or you can use “turn on game console” or “turn on Xbox.” Other smart home devices that work with the Harmony Hub, like Hue lights, can also be triggered, though of course the Echo already has built-in control for those devices as well.

This sounds great. I ordered a Harmony hub + remote yesterday, and it’s coming next week.

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