Verizon's iPhone-like Hub 2 hands-on
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted Apr 16th 2009 10:56AM
posted Apr 16th 2009 10:56AM
Additionally, Verizon is working on further updating the software, adding new functionality like internet radio, a Webkit browser (which is kind of a no-brainer here), and yes -- an app store (or as they call it, the App Mart). The idea seems to be about moving the Hub more towards a role as another connected device for a kitchen or living room, and less about trying to sell it as a fancy phone, and that's definitely a step in the right direction. Verizon is still tweaking the box and adding features, but what we saw is very promising indeed. Now, if they just throw in some Bluetooth support, a speakerphone option, and lose that dated looking handset altogether (all suggestions we made when we met with them), we might be seeing the start of something magical.
I guess this whole iPhone-like thing is just a running joke now.
Beat me to it! Although in this case.. you could argue it does look slightly, errr, apple-esque... with the safari style setting icon and general rounded-edgeness. But agreed nonetheless.
Not everyone wants to be iPhone!
Engadget take note.
no .. they're actually being serious
I think these days Engadget considers anything with a touchscreen "iPhone" like
Yeah, after reading the whole post the guy is actually serious about it. Come on Joshua, you guys can do more to get people to read the post than sticking the word iPhone in it. At least he didn't tag it iPhone like Darren did.
I second the whole seriousness thing. Cuz, you know... jokes are supposed to be funny...
Ha, exact same thought. Yesterday we saw two totally, completely, uttery, obviously iPhonesque dashboard UIs, today it's the Hub...
Got a quota to fill here, Mr Topolsky?
After reading yesterday's article, which referred to the Chrysler dashboard as being iphone-like, I have a lot less respect for Engadget. Seriously, guys - Apple didn't invent the touchscreen, rounded edges, fingertip sized icons, black backgrounds, or the little red and white calendar representation. It is a minimalistic design, great for a mobile phone. It is evolutionary, not revolutionary. If a UI was more cluttered and didn't have the contrast the iphone (and apparently every other phone), you'd complain that it's hard to use and should be more like the iphone.
Yeah, Joshua, most of the people reading this are technologically informed.
This device is not more iPhone-like than, say, my shoehorn. This is really getting ridiculous, guys.
Look it has Icons and you can touch them!
Now does Apple have a patent on Icons? cause the only thing similar to it is basically that... Engadget you guys need to get out some more, perhaps hangout at other stores other the the Apple Store.
I am starting to think I look iPhone-like myself. My cheeks are touch-screen.
I'm shocked this didn't get a KIRF!
/sarcasm
I agree. These posts are really getting closer and closer to gizmodo and their obnoxious apple-sponsorships....
N41
verizon makes phones? the interface looks LG-like interface.
As of this post the word iPhone is mentioned 32 times on this page alone!
...or maybe it doesn't have copy/paste :p
"Seriously, guys - Apple didn't invent the touchscreen"
No but they sure as hell did make it popular. Nintendo did not invent motion controls, heck not even the first motion controlled video game, yet the popularity of motion controls is attributed to them.
Your insane.
It made them popular to iTards, that's about it. Apple does not deserve any credit what so ever for the touchscreen interface. So many other devices and technologies take advantage of touch screens it's utterly ridiculous to even make that statement.
Nintendo is a totally different story, the majority of people didn't even know about gaming motion controls before the Wii. If anything the Nintendo DS made touch screens more noticed in portable devices long before there was an iPhone, so don't even try it.
*sigh*
Apple haters are so pathetic.
By the way:
"It made them popular to iTards, that's about it. Apple does not deserve any credit what so ever for the touchscreen interface."
Is that why every cellphone manufacturer on the planet is racing to create the next "iPhone" killer?
Face it, Apple has changed the cell phone market in a good way. We're finally seeing cell phones worth a damn (other than $400-$500 smartphones).
That looks NOTHING like the iPhone interface! NOTHING. I thought it was based on HTC's TouchFLO 3D. I just clicked through to see how it changes to somthing totally different, ie iPhone style. It doesn't. Engadget just cares about number of clicks and nothing gets more clicks than something compared to an iPhone. If Engadget actually checked the number of Apple trolls "low ranked" because of moronic and unsupported comments, they would realise that they are actually catering to a mainly, intelligent, informed group of people that should be treat us as such.
No, it's the media and people like you who call every single touch screen phone iPhone killers. There were cell phones worth a damn long before the iPhone, they weren't advertised out the wazoo the way the iPhone is. Apple is fucking awesome at pushing a product, no doubt whatever they put out is going to sell tons, but you people really give apple way too much credit. It's a nice device, has a really slick UI but it really hasn't revolutionized anything. It took a bunch of pre-existing stuff and put it in a nice package. Believe me, i know the iPhone is a good device and if it wasn't only on AT&T and let me run apps in the background I would probably own one.
But the Apple sheep treat the thing like there was no cell phone before it.
But hey, in a year or two the iPhone hype will die down when more better devices come out. I think it of the way every FPS was called a "doom clone" back in the 90's. That faded away, and every touchscreen device being compared to the iPhone will fade away too.
NaeemTHM Wrote:
-----------------------------------------------------
By the way:
"It made them popular to iTards, that's about it. Apple does not deserve any credit what so ever for the touchscreen interface."
Is that why every cellphone manufacturer on the planet is racing to create the next "iPhone" killer?
Face it, Apple has changed the cell phone market in a good way. We're finally seeing cell phones worth a damn (other than $400-$500 smartphones).
------------------------------------------
Wrong, cell phone makers are running to make crap products because dumb shits like yourself run out and buy apple' s garbage no matter how craptacular it is. Think of it this way: I roll up a ball of shit and sell it to one person. You think this person is cool so you go out and buy a ball of shit, to be just like him. Pretty soon everyone's buying balls of shit because that's what everyone else is doing. My friend Jake over here, he sells balls of gold. Balls of gold are worth a lot more than ball of shit, but everyone's buying balls of shit because that's what's 'in' what choice does Joe have but to cover his ball of gold in layers of shit in order to get some sales?
This is exactly what happens with apple products because of sites like Engadget. No matter how crappy Apple's product is Engadget will turn a blind eye and say it's nice. (Remember how ugly and fat the Fat Nano was before everyone realized that it was a real apple product. Remember when Apple showed it at their little press conference, suddenly "it's not that ugly in person." Dumb people like yourself start buying these 'nice' products and pretty soon the other manufacturer has to follow suit in order to trick some dumb people into buying their look-alike product. And it's not very hard to do either, cuz as i said, you're dumb person.
yeah, that means 82% of US who own a music player are considered 'dumb', and whoever buys an ipod is 'dumb'.
Shop Smart Shop App Mart..
YOU GOT THAT?
I hope this fails simply because it uses the word "Mart".
"Market", "Store", or "Shop" would have made it much more acceptable IMO.
Why is this like an iphone? its more like a MID with custom UI.
Either way, if they embed CDMA and let me be able to add this to my cellphone plan for a low monthly fee, I would consider buying it.
I'm hoping it will work well with FiOS, without the monthly fee.
Because to the unsophisticated or Apple-obsessed eye - if it has a touchscreen and icons - it's an iphone. Because you know - no one else has anything like it (*coughsurfacecougharchoscough*)
I agree with ATOS, it looks like a Chumby to me.
I think the iphone-like is a joke. But it is a good joke because people will click on anything that says "apple" or "iphone" creating more add revenue.
That makes it a "clever" joke, not a "good" one. Also, some -including me- would argue it's more of an "evil" tactic as well.
Just concede the point if you agree with it. No need to argue semantics, you know what i meant.
If that's what they're doing, it wouldn't work half as well, if the anti-Apple zealots would stop clicking on them to bitch about them... every... single... freakin'... time... over and over again... constantly revisiting the page to see if any fanbois have taken their trollbait...
@ Gordon: "if the anti-Apple zealots would stop clicking on them to bitch about them..."
Or maybe it's that people who want to read about the new Hub, or any other touchscreen gadget for that matter is sick of seeing them compared to the iPhone. The only thing truly iPhone like about this is having a dedicated AppMart.
Seriously, this is more like a Chumby than an iPhone, but I guess that's not gonna get the same Pavlovian response, from both sides of the aisle. :)
A simple "knock knock"-joke would be better.
I realy clicked the article because of the iphone-word in the title - i was sure that this thing has absolutly nothing to do with an iphone. But I wanted to read the comments. It seems that most Readers know more about gadgets then engadget. Keep going like this, dear readers!
PS: If you want to apply to the job they offered yesterday, dont forget to mention the best and most innovative gadget is the iphone - seriously, did they not allow comments in that post because people would make jokes about this?
Guys its clearly a JOKE. Joshua would know better than this other sloppy guy. The reaction was overwhelming.
It's no "Earth 2".
Heck, it's not even an "Ark 2"!
Yeah, that's right, and "Ark 2" reference. Wrap your head around that one.
are they going to disable the wifi in this device too? verizon just plain sucks. holding back the true power of their devices is never good for us the consumer.
Looks more like a big Touch Pro 2 to me.
WILL YOU STOP SAYING IPHONE LIKE FFS!!!!!1
So is this not even a phone anymore? Verizon sure seems to make a good living peddling products that make little sense.
That little phone logo on the screen would lead me to believe otherwise.
That's exactly what I was thinking... Is this just some GIANT handset or is it supposed to be a speaker only phone. I've been thinking about getting the HUB for my wife's business, but not if there's no handset with it.
I was being a bit of a smartass. I just don't get why they'd pull the handset (or the base) completely.
coming soon...the iphone like automobile.... Enough already
Don't doubt it, i remember a while back them calling a car- Apple Like and it was far from it.
read yesterdays post about chyrstler's touch screen UI, they already compared a car to iPhone.