Are you one of the folks still clinging to a landline? If so, you might find a lot to like in the Verizon Hub. In familiar fashion, it sits on a kitchen countertop or hallway table. But the Hub routes calls through your home’s high-speed Internet connection (wired or wireless) and communicates in ways Ma Bell never dreamed of.
A sizeable touch screen lets you access features including visual voicemail—see a list of messages, then play them in whatever order you choose. To make a call, press buttons on the cordless handset or touch someone’s name in your onscreen address book. The Hub also displays weather and traffic reports, plays video clips (movie trailers, cooking demonstrations, news broadcasts), and maintains your household calendar.
Purchasing the Hub requires that you already have at least one Verizon wireless service plan, though Verizon might loosen that precondition soon. The home unit costs $200 with a two-year service contract. For $35 a month, you get unlimited domestic calling to any phone, plus unlimited text messaging with Verizon cell phones. The Hub is available at Verizon Wireless stores and verizonwireless.com.
