Wal-Mart Unplugs The Hub

By Geoff Duncan Published October 4, 2006

Mega-retailer Wal-Mart has shut down “The Hub,” the online site launched in July 2006 to capitalize on the Internet’s social networking craze amongst teens and other desired demographics. As of today, visitors are greeted with a message saying “Sorry, but the School Your Way promotion has ended.”

The site had never exactly been a hit. Hoping to offer an alternative to sites like MySpace, Wal-Mart’s hub was tightly controlled, offered a small set of features, and was often described as sanitized to the point of antiseptic boredom. The site also drew criticism for suspiciously non-ironic posts promoting The Hub and Wal-Mart itself, leading many to suspect Wal-Mart was seeding the site with fake users.

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But, if you can’t get enough to Wal-Mart’s trend-setting style and fashion, you may be pleased to know the company has created its own MySpace page.

Geoff Duncan

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

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Early Black Friday e-bike deals: 75% off folding, fat-tire, more

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Update 11/14/24: With Black Friday very rapidly approaching, there are a lot of excellent eBike deals coming out that we've found. To that end, we've updated the article with a couple new deals worth checking out, as well as updated all the prices for you to have the latest info.

More people are finding out that e-bikes for commuting is a transit cheat code, as their electric motors give the punch that you need to move faster and conquer uphill roads easier -- which is why we think there's going to be high demand for these personal transportation devices on Black Friday. Lucky for you, there's no need to wait until the shopping event officially starts on November 29 to buy one with huge savings because we've found these fantastic early Black Friday e-bike deals.

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How to reset the Linxura Smart Controller

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The Linxura Smart Controller is a powerful way to control your smart home. Instead of relying on mobile companion apps, you can toggle smart lights, change your thermostat, or open smart blinds at the press of a button. It’s a unique device, but like all electronic gadgets, it’s bound to run into some issues. And if you’re encountering serious ones that can’t be fixed by other troubleshooting methods, it might be time to reset your Linxura Smart Controller. This wipes all your data from the device, giving you a chance to start anew. It’s also a great option if you’re selling the smart controller to another user or giving it away to a family member, ensuring they don’t have access to your data.

Here's a look at how to reset your Linxura Smart Controller, along with other troubleshooting tips to try before opting for a full reset.

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I used CamelCamelCamel to check if these are the best deal prices for Black Friday (they are)

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You may or may not know this, but certain online retailers and various small brands will actually increase prices before a huge sale, like early Black Friday sales, actual Black Friday, or even Cyber Monday and Cyber Week. Let's say, for example, they discount the product by $20. Weeks before, they might raise the price by $30 to make the discount look bigger. So, the reality is you're not actually getting a great deal -- they trick you. There is a way to combat this and find the best early Black Friday deals and beyond. There's a tool I use called CamelCamelCamel, which works wonders to help you find the real deals and steals. Well, anyway, I used the tool to find the best deal prices for Black Friday, and the holiday discounts. Let's take a closer look at some of those deals. Spoiler: They're so, so good.

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