The Hub is shaping up to being one of the greatest untold gadget dramas of the past decade. Okay, maybe that's an overstatement -- but seriously, what exactly is this thing? Part of the story is that it's a virtual corkboard and picture frame for families in the same vein as the
Verizon One and AT&T's
HomeManager, but we've also heard that it'll play nice with picture messaging and other services
from Verizon Wireless phones -- in other words, it's the secret sauce that'll let Verizon control your entire communications ecosystem. Word on the street is that Hubs have arrived in Verizon stores with strict orders from corporate not to bust open the boxes until told to do so, so in the meantime, enjoy a shot of the surprisingly attractive box design. We're being told that the official launch will come before mid-February, so we'll get this all sorted before too long.
posted Jan 17th 2009 1:19PM
So, you want to know what the Hub is? It's quite simple. For those of you that have Cable Internet or FIOS and Verizon Wireless service, you can drop your home phone line through the cable company or your phone company. You can use DSL but unless you get a good deal on DSL without the phone line it won't make as much sense. With The HUB you get a cordless VOIP phone and the "corkboard" as you referred to it. It will allow you to use VZWs Chaperone, it is a digital photo frame, it will allow you to make unlimited domestic calls, anyone with VZW service will be able to call your new "home phone" and its included in mobile to mobile minutes. You can plan trips and send them to your phone with VZ Navigator, News, Sports, and other VCast Content. There is a crap load and can do and quite frankly as a tech in a Verizon store I'm excited about this. As long as it works like its supposed to(and I don't see why it won't) it's going to be a great way for Verizon Wireless to be a nearly complete service provider. Coupled with Verizon Communications FIOS Internet and TV and you have one bill for everything and it blows away AT&T U-Verse or any other option by any cable/phone company.
Oh and one more thing... the instructions for setup of the HUB was supposed to come out next week. I believe from the 22nd to the 25th based on the most recent e-mail communication we had.
and you get free vzw to vzw texting through the hub as well.
Shame, shame lads. Were you just clicking through that confidentiallity statement at the beginning of the online hub training? Hub will be cool. It's been on the company back burner for at least a year now. Like first dude said it will be fantastic for some but with "bundled" service offering with tv, internet and phone being as competetive as they are this product may not make financial sense for everyone. Please forgive my typos.