Medusa Hub provides ports galore, doubles as conversation piece

Far too many peripheral hubs are cranked out without a single thought given to design, but thankfully, the creators of the Medusa Hub realized that aesthetics do matter. This interesting piece, which is sure to claim a section of prime real estate on your desk, boasts a trendy white finish, four USB 2.0 sockets, a pair of FireWire 400 connectors, a fan and even a light. All of the strands are connected to your PC / Mac via an upstream USB 2.0 and FireWire 400 jack, and the unit is available now for a lofty (but respectable) $79.99. Click on through for a few more snapshots.

[Via Engadget Japanese]

Update: Yeah, look familiar? Seems a lot like these guys swiped LaCie's Huby images or concept to us. You be the judge.

[Nathaniel Novak @ Oct 3rd 2007 1:20AM]

LaCie came out with this exact hub about a year ago (or more). Hardly worthy of Engadget. Link with photo of LaCie version http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/search/LaCIE

[mark @ Oct 3rd 2007 1:23AM]

fwiw, ThinkGeek's been selling it...

http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/accessories/99ec/?cpg=wnrss

[matthew @ Oct 3rd 2007 1:26AM]

> without a single thought given to design

show us a picture with everything connected!

[Tom @ Oct 3rd 2007 1:35AM]

Exactly. Looks great like that, as soon as you connect things to it, BAM it's hideous. The only things you could plug in without looking like ass would be USB Flash Drives, and similarly shaped devices.

[Nex @ Oct 3rd 2007 1:32AM]

hmm apple didnt do any new tricks today so iGadget had to pull something out of the cold case files

[Orpheus @ Oct 3rd 2007 1:56AM]

Medusa was the chick in Greek mythology that had snakes for hair. Cool/pretentious reference.

[roger_huston @ Oct 3rd 2007 2:11AM]

How stupid is this thing. Yea, like I am going to plug in little fans. I have way to many devices to plug in and they all have a cord.

It is bad enough that I have all those cords under my desk, like I really want that mess on my desk. We are not audiophiles, do you really want all the wires hanging out?

- Roger

[Cycomachead @ Oct 3rd 2007 2:58AM]

What????!!!!!!!?!?!?!? Look at comment #1!!!!!! This was LaCie's design has been for months the call it the Huby and it sells for the same $80

[AlterEgo123 @ Oct 3rd 2007 3:21AM]

These photos are exact same as the ones on the officila LaCie site for LaCie Hub.

[darren @ Oct 3rd 2007 5:58AM]

and someone should know better:
http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/01/lacie-huby-brings-the-joy-of-usb-and-firewire-ports-in-a-wacky-s/

[NHAnimator @ Oct 3rd 2007 8:02AM]

Looks like something out of Spy vs. Spy.

[Andy Holcomb @ Oct 3rd 2007 8:17AM]

** A Word of caution: My wife used this with her G4 iBook and it fried her USB ports and motherboard! Not sure how or why, but after powering up the hub and trying to attach an external disc, the USB ports were toasted. We took the laptop in for service and we got the news that its all connected and it meant we had to buy a new motherboard. No fun in that...

So, I guess I would suggest you avoid this one.

[gregger @ Oct 3rd 2007 10:04AM]

This will pair nicely with your Power Squid!
http://www.powersquid.com/surge3000-surge-protector-p-186.html

TTFN

[Dan S. @ Oct 3rd 2007 10:08AM]

Well, if the "editors" at Engadget had even bothered to read their own "read" link, they'd have seen:

>> Box Content :
>> ***LaCie Hub***; USB fan; USB light; 2 x USB 2.0 cables (type B male-type A male);
>> 1 x USB 2.0 cable (type A male-type mini B male); 2 x USB 2.0 cables (type A
>> male-type A female); 2 x FireWire 6-to-6 pin (male–male); 1 x FireWire
>> 4-to-6 pin (male–male); USB extension cable; FireWire extension cable;
>> external power supply; Quick Install Guide

[ratnikh @ Oct 3rd 2007 3:05PM]

Dumbest thing I've ever seen. This is clever design? While it may look interesting when not plugged in, I can only imagine what a nightmare of cable management this would create when fully utilized. Anyone with a typical amount of USB peripherals and standard computer equipment would find this thing virtually unusable. Not to mention that if you had USB harddrives, video converters, etc. plugged in to this hub and it wobbled the wrong way you would be treated to a minor (or major) disaster.

File this under "impractical design" please. It is only useful for people who don't need it. Those who require a hub need it to:
A) provide multiple, easily accessible ports
B) remain stable! The problem with many hubs is that their light weight causes them to move around too much. Sometimes their own uplink cable pulls them off the desk.
C) use little desk space (major fail, here)
D) simplify cable management (Epic Fail here)

Next...

[Paul Evans @ Oct 3rd 2007 5:39PM]

Not that I want to contradict the nay-sayers above... okay, so maybe I do; but I have a LaCie Huby, and it rocks. More flexible than I care to mention, easily accessible ports, the LED lamp and the fan blow (pun intended), but other than that, I love it.