There are modems, then there are do-it-all devices like the BoB. Marketed to iiNet's broadband users and to arrive by April, the new iiNet BoB updates the modem /router/VOiP phone combination with a new design, a phone handset with colour screen and the ability to use two VoIP numbers.
iiNet has used BoB as a key element in its advertising campaigns - one of the device's main features is its ability to download settings once connected to the Internet.
BoB is also a pre-requisite for iiNet customers wanting to get the FetchTV service, which includes TV channels and movies on demand delivered over the Internet.
Since the arrivial of the first Bob device, iiNet has also launched BoB Lite, which is the much cheaper of the devices, at $69 on a 24 month contract, compared with $269 with a handset on a 24-month contract for the original BoB modem. iiNet has yet to announce how much the new iiNet BoB will cost.
We do wonder whether the lack of Gigabit Ethernet will prove the BoB's only sticking point for some enthusiasts.
