AT&T launches HomeManager smart landline phone system

Juicing up landline phones with internet connectivity and large touchscreen displays isn't exactly a new idea, but AT&T's new three-piece HomeManager system might finally bring it into the mainstream. The Samsung-built HomeManager Frame is the highlight, with a seven-inch touchscreen that enables features like visual voice mail, address book synchronization with certain AT&T cell phones, Yellow Pages, and other internet-enabled content like weather and news, while the HomeManager Handset carries a similar interface over to a more traditional form factor with a smaller color screen, and the HomeManager Base serves as the heart of the system. It certainly looks nifty -- the Frame's interface seems nice and quick -- but just as with OpenFrame, we're not really sure who's in that crossover zone between people who want this kind of gear and people who still have landlines. We'll find out soon -- HomeManager is available now for AT&T customers in Chicago, Atlanta, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles for $299, with more to follow. Check a quick video hands-on after the break.

Read - HomeManager site
Read - 3Screens hands-on

[avester @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:27AM]

"we're not really sure who's in that crossover zone between people who want this kind of gear and people who still have landlines"

People who use AT&T cellular network?

Sorry breaking upsdahohaskljdfnfl... *CARRIER LOST*

[Joe Pollicino @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:29AM]

Landlines are SOOOO 1985....

[Josh @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:36AM]

yeah really, i only know one person my age that still has one and it's only because she gets no reception in her apartment

they need to somehow target businesses, or at least home businesses

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Sep 22nd 2008 12:04PM]

Word.. my cellphone yawns at this.

[Nixter @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:32PM]

Landlines? You mean like all of the Cable and DSL lines that most people still use? There not going away anytime soon.

[ImTherious @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:44AM]

Too little, too late!

[TheCow5 @ Sep 22nd 2008 12:01PM]

I believe devices like this one will be the future however this is not it.
Its too tied to ATT and not open. I yould like my Fasebook pix to be the screen saver, I would like to send a text message form this device, sync my outlook contact with this, pair my bluetooth head peace to the device and use voice dialing,
I could think of a couple more things but I will stop.

Google or Apple with come out with one of these and it will be better.

[Le Big Mac @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:04PM]

For sure. The sales points of this are not (1) AT&T! (2) On landlines!

If something like this had a good interface and good functionality and could be plugged in either to a phone line or a home network, then we'd be talking. But as is? Not sure of the point.

[supmahbruddah @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:14PM]

that's called a computer

[Grant @ Sep 22nd 2008 12:05PM]

great video, i love how he makes all the cuts before he actually finishes talking.
Mmmm, can you smell that? Thats the smell of anxiety and awkwardness.

ragging on the shitty video aside, this product seems pretty cool, and since i get shit quality cell reception in my house, it could be pretty useful.

[Du @ Sep 22nd 2008 12:17PM]

If this was $50 I would consider it....oh, landlines would need to be free too.

[zomgz @ Sep 22nd 2008 12:25PM]

From their site:

"AT&T HomeManager is available in select AT&T retail stores in the following cities: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Locate a store near you

HomeManager is available for $299.99 to customers with qualified services:

* If you have AT&T home phone service and sign up for a two-year DSL contract at speeds of 1.5 Mps or higher.
* Or, if you subscribe to U-verse TV, U-verse high speed Internet and have either U-verse voice or a telephone line from AT&T.

The discounted price of $299.99 includes a complete AT&T HomeManager package — one base, one frame, one handset.

The AT&T HomeManager package is also available for $499.99, to customers without eligible service discounts."

ZOMGZ!

[Sam @ Sep 22nd 2008 12:36PM]

It's waaaay too expensive to sell well, unless you make a similar setup for business customers.

[Echo1 @ Sep 22nd 2008 12:48PM]

I may have been beaten to the punch line. I was thinking with POTS based communications a device and an interface that would allow to view extensions at an office from the home phone.

[John @ Sep 30th 2008 2:31AM]

After hurricane Ike we were unable to reach my sister for three days via cellphone or her children's cellphones. We just kept getting an "all circuits are busy" message. Finally we received a call from her... on her landline! She had returned home to inspect the damage. She couldn't reach us for three days using her cellphone either but her landline at home was still working even though they did not have power. I guess the phone companies have their own independent power source. I know our alarm system is tied into the phone line and still receives power when the power goes out.

[Eric @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:40PM]

I'm part of the testing group for ATT and I must say it's pretty nice. It allows me to view movie trailers, movie times, the weather, sports scores, the yellow pages, and much more without having to leave my chair. Don't bash it till you try it.

[Derrick @ Sep 28th 2008 10:13AM]

I'm a gadget freak who happens to have AT&T DSL and a landline (for my ADT alarm) so I took the plunge. The device isn't for everyone. I can see this really being more for Grandma and Grandpa, or people who don't want to be bothered with a computer to do simple stuff like checking the weather, getting the latest showtimes, or seeing the latest headlines. Believe me, there are plenty of people out there who would rather use this than touch a computer. The cordless phone that comes with everything is pretty nice too. The frame has a nice added bonus of being a digital picture frame and can play videos. I was able to sync all my contacts from my Blackberry to the device with no problem. Although you need a separate program running on your phone (if supported) to backup all your contacts to AT&Ts servers. The frame does have a calendar, but sadly not sync capabilities as of yet. Although I was told by a rep that it will be coming soon. The best thing about the frame is that it is software for the most part, so features can be added to it with a software push from AT&T. As far as setup goes, I don't know if it was just me, but I had a hard time getting the base and frame to connect to the internet for some reason at first. Both the base and the frame needed software updates (which happened without my intervention) before everything started working like it was suppose to. Overall this is a nice little device for people who still have a land line and broadband service. Contrary to an earlier post, this device is NOT totally tied to AT&T. You can use any broadband service and even VOIP to use the phone and get the frame to talk to the internet. You obviously need an AT&T cellular phone to use the address book sync function and AT&Ts unified voicemail service to use "Visual Voicemail". But everything else works just fine without AT&T. What I think needs to happen is Samsung need to come out with the frame without the AT&T branding, then I think that it will catch on.

[Skibby @ Sep 29th 2008 8:53PM]

Please find another review to put on this site. It was painful to watch this. I don't think this guy watched the video before he posted it.

-Skibz