Consumer electronics giant HTC has announced a portable router that will give crypto enthusiasts several powerful features including crypto storage, private key recovery and the ability to run a full Bitcoin node.
Exodus 5G Hub, a secure router, brings 5G connectivity to all internet-enabled devices. With a focus on cryptocurrency, it allows users to tap into HTC’s Zion Vault – which facilitates crypto holders who want to store Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance Coin, Litecoin, Stellar, ERC-20 and ERC-721 tokens.
By operating a full Bitcoin, node users will also be able to help secure the world’s largest blockchain network by recording and verifying transactions. Unlike centralized cryptocurrency exchanges that hold Bitcoin and crypto private keys on behalf of their clients, the Hub aims to promote financial autonomy by allowing people to control their own private keys through its Zion Vault.
The new crypto model integrates Zion software to secure blockchain-based assets and to grant users full control over their private keys. Users can also spend and receive digital currencies.
To counter the latest trend in home tech – from Amazon Alexa to Google Nest to Facebook Portal – HTC says its device empowers the individual and is “the ultimate safeguard against the collection of data by big tech companies in your home.”
“You are now verifying the cloud servers, rather than them verifying you. It is a complete power shift from the status quo.”
Says Phil Chen, decentralized chief officer at HTC,
“Exodus is about ownership. Owning your keys, owning your data, owning your privacy. Exodus is the shield against the onslaught of big tech and its assault on the privacy of your home. By using the Exodus 5G Hub, you have more control and ownership of your data than ever before.”
Chen says the company is extending that reach to ProtonMail and the Brave browser, platforms that are solely focused on protecting user privacy. The Exodus 5G Hub will also implement VPN and ad-blocking tech to shield the hub and its connected devices.
The original HTC 5G Hub, priced at $600 as a standalone device without cell service, is one of the first 5G hotspots. The new Exodus 5G Hub is slated to drop in the second quarter of 2020. Pricing will be detailed at time of release.