In March of this year, we attended MACWORLD Tokyo, providing coverage of the event. One of the most popular products we showed was one that wasnit actually being sold, the Godzilla FireWire Hub. Our pictures from that event:
 "AAARRRGGGHHH!!!! Run, run! Itis Godzilla! |
 The blue light ROCKS! |
 The beast from above... |
 This is where the cables go. |
While we couldnit find any company that was offering this product at the time, Charismac was in the process of working out a distribution deal for the product. The company is now offering the FireWire hub under the name "Hubzilla." According to a company spokesperson, Hubzilla will be marketed around the world by Charismac, though "shipping costs to some countries may not be attractive." The company has already received international orders.
Hubzilla is not yet shipping, but Charismac is accepting pre-orders. TMO has been told that the product is expected to ship in early November, with limited availability through Christmas. Supplies constraints should ease after the holiday buying season, and Charismac will "continue to carry the product well into the future, as well as some other exciting products of this type." There is no word on whether that means a Mothra USB hub or not.
Hubzilla is a four-port FireWire hub, and works with Windows and Mac OS (Classic and OS X). The device includes unnecessary, but very cool, lights in Hubzillais eyes and mouth, and has an optional power supply. From Charismacis Hubzilla page:
Hubzilla is stomping through town and he means business. With piercing red eyes and an open mouth that lights up when plugged in to the FireWire bus, Hubzilla is as menacing as he is useful. When heis not destroying your desk* heis helping you with your FireWire connectivity problems.
If you have more devices than FireWire ports then Hubzilla is for you. Hard disks, CD and DVD Recorders, Video cameras, you name it and Hubzilla will allow you to connect multiple devices to your FireWire capable computer.
Key Features:
- 4 ports to expand your computers FireWire capabilities
- Menacingly fast 400 Mbps data transfers
- 100% 1394/Firewire compliant
- Eyes light red and mouth lights blue when Hubzilla is plugged into the FireWire port on your computer
- No drivers required
- Optional Power Adapter allows Hubzilla to be externally powered (Sold Separately)
- Per-port over current protection
- Supports Mac OS, Win 98/SE/ME/2000/XP
- Doesnit bite
- Rarely eats**
Hubzilla Includes:
- Hubzilla
Hubzilla Requirements:
- FireWire (1394) capable computer
- Must know how to dial 9-1-1 in case of emergency
Disclaimers:
*Charismac claims no responsibility for broken personal or business related property should Hubzilla go on a rampage. As always, a clean and fed Hubzilla results in a happy Hubzilla.
**Please keep small children away from Hubzilla, just in case.
You can find more information about the Hubzilla release at the Charismac Web site. Hubzilla is available for US$74.95. Our forum members have discussion thread and poll on Hubzilla.