There are hubs, and then there are HUBS. The LaCie Hub has got to be one of the more interesting interpretations I've come across (thanks to Jeremy Kaplan for the heads-up). It's a USB and FireWire hub designed for use with Windows, Macs, and Linux systems. Shaped like a white ball with eight twistable cables snaking out of it, the LaCie Hub includes four USB 2.0 ports and two FireWire 400 ports, with a different colored LED for each one that lights up when a device is plugged into the port. It comes with 5 USB 2.0 and 3 FireWire 400 cables and allows you to hook up six devices at a time. You can even daisy chain the hubs together for a truly geeky home décor touch.

But here's where it gets weird: LaCie bundles a USB fan and USB light to use with the hub. While I can't say with absolute finality that this is the first time anyone has ever done this, I can say it's a first for me. Now, I get how you make use of the fan and light if you're working on a laptop (and it's a dark, muggy night, which is a long ways away for most of us). But how exactly would this work if you were using the hub with a desktop? Seriously, people, I've been trying to imagine the different ways of doing this, and none of them are physically conceivable unless you work for Cirque du Soleil. (Okay, I'm lying. You can probably use the bundled USB extension cable or FireWire extension cable to manage this, but where's the fun in that?)

The LaCie hub is available for pre-order directly from the manufacturer for $79.99, and will start shipping next month. LaCie is hoping to showcase this as a solid example of form melding with function. It's definitely a conversation starter.

Post by Laarni Ragaza

Trivia: this product was originally named the LaCie Huby!