Harmony SST-768: Click to enlarge.

Remember that innovative, remarkably compact Harmony remote control that we reviewed a short time ago? Well, the folks at Intrigue Technologies Inc. – formerly Easy Zapper Inc. – have been putting their noses to the grindstone and have just revealed to me an extremely interesting update to their first (and seemingly unnumbered) Harmony model.

Dubbed the Harmony SST-768, the new remote takes the major critique about the first model to heart – too few hard buttons – and wraps up the solution in a stylish and ergonomic package. Now sporting 35 hard buttons – that’s over twice as many as before – the Harmony includes a full numerical keypad and transport controls along with a specific “TV guide” access button.

Details about the new model are still sketchy, but it will be available in three colors (red, blue and silver), has 2 megabytes of memory (twice as much as the original), a mini USB port, better power management, enhanced DVR integration, and full activity based control implementing Intrigue’s special “Smart State Technology”. For more information on exactly what makes the Harmony a unique remote, be sure to check out our full review of the first model. I’ll post further details on the SST-768 as they become available.

Update: I have learned that the new model will cost $299 USD, with availability in November, 2002.

[ Talk about the Harmony ]