Verizon's iPhone-like Hub 2 hands-on
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted April 16th 2009 10:56AM
posted April 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.
It's missing the innovative 4x4 icon pages of your beloved iPhone though. And you can customize the home screen on this thing, blasphemy, give me an non-customizable home screen or give me death.
(/s)
hwo is this "iphone like"?
So, if it is a phone, and has a touch screen GUI, it is am iPhone rip-off? Ugh
Yeah, I think the Treo 600 was an iPhone rip-off as well.
Think of the iPhone as SkyNet and Jeff Hawkins as John Connor.
;)
Make it wall mountable or even better, flush mount.
Is it still $35 a month for this piece of crap!
That is what I want to know as well. I have a Verizon cell phone, but when I'm at home, I would like to plug it into this device to make it a home phone. Then I could take my cell phone with me when I leave, and this wouldn't work anymore, but since I am the only one that uses it, I would be fine with it.
But, price it at a reasonable price with no additional monthly fee (or a small $5 fee for a little bit of data), and I would buy one or two (if they could talk through wifi to each other. One would be downstairs and one upstairs)
If you add iphone to your headline it beings in more readers. Sorry if this is a shock but it is all about the money.
This device has possibly the worst commercial on TV (if it's the same thing I'm thinking of)
A stay-home mom looks up a recipe on the device, starts making it and alerts her family as to what supper is. Her snot-nosed pizza-faced son video messages back (not calls) and says "I don't know what [that food] is, but I'm not eating it."
Cut to: the mom using the device to order pizza.
I don't know about all of you, but if I woulda pulled that as a kid I'd of lost that phone so fast it wouldn't be funny. I must be getting old, because the assumed entitlements of kids today drives me nuts.
not to mention how he calls it "pah-ella" - because this kid is not only entitled, but is also culturally and culinarily ignorant.
LOL @ "iphone-like"
Can we call Engadget Gizmodo-like, seeing that it did come on the scene after them, and copied their whole idea.
Only in the sense that they're both prominent tech blogs... These journalism hands-on events are usually conducted with a number of journalists from different companies, so likely engadget and gizmodo where there at the same time for this hands on, so it would make sense that the posts would come very close to eachother.
Glad I'm not the only one who saw the headline and went "WTF?"
I'd say it looks more like the N97/5800 interface with the floating widgets on the home screen.
But then again, that would be a reasonable comparison, rather than a BS name drop
How the fuck is this like an iPhone? You writers are all a bunch of brainwashed idiots.
I agree that its nothing like the iPhone, but is it necessary for 50 people starting new comments saying that. Almost every comment just says that one way or another.
It looks like a fun little toy to have but I don't get how they are selling it. If I remember correct, it uses VOIP instead of the network - but is only available to network customers. So it doesn't use the network you need to have and doesn't really make your mobile phone connected in any special way. It just makes no sense to me. If its just a VOIP device then it should be sold as that for people who want a home phone. Otherwise, I just don't get the point.
I made the mistake of buying the HUB 1 over a month ago and I am still trying to get my phone and internet service back to where it was before I bought the Hub. The first one was pretty cool but I had to return it because the volume was so low on the phone, it was un-usable. Tried a second one at the store managers request, same problem . Returned the second one. 2 weeks later my phone line goes dead ! And this is my business phone. Then my DSL goes dead! They ported my phone number over to the Hub but never canceled the port when I returned the hub (even though they said they did). They changed me over to a new long distance company, which really caused a ton more problems.
Long story short, it took almost a month and hours on the phone (cell phone) to get it all straightened out . Most of the problems stem from the fact that Verizon Wireless,Verizon Phone and Verizon DSL act like 3 different companies that really don't get along very well. I think it could be a very cool product in the end but Verizon really needs to get their shit together first.
Hey Engadget, any pix of the handset?
Hmm, I have an iPhone and I have to say, this device is far from "iPhone" like. Not even close.
AOTS on G4 yesterday did a Gadget Pron review of this thing and basicaly had nothing good to say about it...and I'm more likely to believe them than this site...
Here are their main issues...Verizon!
Then there's the cost, which seems to be missing in this article...
$200 for the unit
$35 per month for service (remember, this is VOIP which you can get from anyone else for less than $10/month)
*AND* here's the kicker...even though you're paying for all this service, you still get advertisements *AND* you can't even browse the web!
My question is, why is there even a need for a product like this? you really can't rely on VOIP as your primary phone service...the internet connection to your house doesn't have the service priority of phone service..and you don't even get 911 service...try calling in to 911 when you have a burgler in your house!
This is a product that solves a problem that doesn't exist and it does so really badly.
Ed
web/gadget guru
Has anyone ever seen an unbiased review of a vz product on engadget? Honestly, are these articles written by apple and att fanboys or what? Why is everything compared to the iphone? You lose a lot of credibility that way...
Needs more Android.
If it's from Verizon, why isn't it "Storm-like"?
Silly fanboys.
I had the Hub, I have the Storm, believe me, the Hub is a lot closer to being a really great product than the Storm ever will be. Just look at the fact that they realized how to make it better and are already launching a new hub.
Where's the hands-on for the new and improved Storm POS 2 ? It's easy to come out with a new improved product when the first one is so piss poor.
@TJ your comment "It's easy to come out with a new improved product when the first one is so piss poor." Sounds like the iPhone, EDGE first (piss poor), add 3G next time round (new and improved) Maybe this thing is more iPhone-like than I first thought.
Lol, your mad! but it's funny.
know what wouldn't hurt? some home control features and some kind of remote access. have this bad boy control the thermostat and my sprinklers outside and remind me to take out the trash Wednesday nights. have it link up to my iPhone so i can turn on the heat from mexico (only because i CAN)
@Duke: It's because all of us who aren't iphone obsessed are getting a little tired of the now two year long bj Apple has been getting for one lousy phone from sites like Engadget. :)
Oh I agree with that too. Hell, I have an iPhone and am sick of it being talked about nonstop.
HOKAY so whether or not any touchscreen with icons looks like an iphone, i still don't get the utility of this device. so you put an old laptop in the kitchen, which is much quicker at recipes and streaming video and stuff (or even a new netbook), and has wifi if you want to surf the net while you're on the couch. and if you want to text your family, you just, i don't know, pick up your phone and text them! plus someone said $35 a month, just for this!?! that's stupid!
the only way i see this taking off at all is in houses like mine with no verizon service, as a substitute for their "network extender" femtocell. then it might get a few more sales. but as i see it paying $35 a month plus an unspecified up-front fee, plus the hassle of having an extra line, is not worth it at all compared to a cheap netbook and/or a "network extender" (and i spent a little time on the phone and got $100 knocked off the price of mine).
Why do they call it iphone-like? Because most Engadget readers only browse / comment on stories that talk about the iphone, or when there's a freebie on offer. Funny that.
Conclusion: Most people are cheap whingers
its more nokia-like than ifone-like
Looks more S60 5th to me personally, with the 3 option buttons (very similar to the default Nokia 5800 theme) and the widgets... Just sayin...
Maybe it's time to stop subscribing to this iDouche site. I thought Gizmodo were the kings of Apple penis envy, but it appears Engadget is now following suit.
OOO LOOK BUTTONS THAT YOU CAN TOUCH. ZOMG U COPEID TEH IPHONE YUO NUBZ!!1111
Christ...I hope Jobs dies soon.
Hey muddy, EDGE is a network, not a phone . Blame ATT not Apple.
the next blogger that uses the phrase "iphone-like" should get bitch slapped. we get it, tech bloggers see a touch screen and nice graphics and don't have the mental capacity to compare it to anything but an iphone ... because no one had these features before or after the iphone came out.
K
o
F
Didn't we see this concept before when it was called the 3COM Audrey?
wow, yawn