What happens when one of Australia’s best chefs gives you a cooking lesson?

You end up creating a dish that bursts in your mouth with flavours you didn’t know existed. Well did, but never thought you could put them together in a way that would make the Masterchef judges salivate.

A Vietnamese snapper crab salad.

To die for.

I had my cooking lesson with Justin North as part of attending the T-Hub 2 event launch with a few other bloggers. Not only did it enhance my cooking abilities and inspire me to do more of it, it also helped me welcome Telstra back into my life.

I was really interested to attend the event to check out the new product myself and for my readers, many of whom are Telstra customers. Craig and I have Telstra home phone, but Optus mobiles. We’ve been talking lately of the need for us to switch to Telstra for our mobile needs. Being constantly blogging on the road we really need reliable and fast service. Telstra is supreme in this area. The event gave me an opportunity to test how my gut was feeling about the move.

I was pretty impressed with the T-Hub 2 home phone and tablet system and how Telstra is putting some good social media programmes in place to listen to their customers and improve their products and services as a result.

The launch gave me an opportunity to also address some readers concerns based on the first T-Hub which they did not feel checked all the boxes. While I have no experience on the first T-Hub, I do know the improvements made to create the T-Hub 2 were based upon users feedback and suggestions.

I think they have produced a pretty valuable product for the home and our technically driven world.

The T-Hub 2 tablet features

The T-Hub 2  is all about connecting the family to each other and to globalization.

It’s Android-powered base, which I celebrated with a little fist pump in the air. I finally belonged to the cool club! I’m tired of the iPhone getting all the glory.

Being android powered made it really easy for me to navigate around the system and hook myself up and download some apps and games for Kalyra from the Google play store.

Last night, Kalyra sat on the couch and didn’t move watching Minnie Mouse movies on You Tube. It was fabulous as it gave us time to clean up and cook dinner.
At one stage she asked for my help and she guided me towards the back button and explained what I had to do to return to the screen she needed!!!

It’s a little dangerous actually. She wanted to bring it with us on our upcoming family trip away. Her own personal tablet device. Sadly we had to explain that you need it to be home with the internet connection. If not I swear I would bring it with us.

The T-hub 2 sits on my desk and it automatically shows the clock and I can easily and quickly check my calendar, the weather, and the sports report. You can also tune in to your favourite radio stations, even those from other countries! I nearly got lost in my Raleigh radio world for a while there listening to my old favourite stations. But then the I-miss-Raleigh tears nearly came so I shut down. (I’m trying not to let Craig know he can access the sport radio channels over there or I’ll be listening to football and basketball games for the rest of the year)

There’s also an in-built camera and a gallery feature to showcase your photos.

One function they showed us which was really cool is the Google speak (I actually have this on my phone but didn’t know what it was)

You can speak what you need or want and Google will instantly return you search results!! I’m using that function on my phone all the time now because typing on a phone is hideous!

Now that I am a cooking whiz, I can speak the name of the recipe I need and it will return it. Instead of writing the recipe from my computer into my cook book, I can sit the T-hub 2 in my kitchen and read straight from it as I cook.

The only thing I haven’t liked so far about the device is that it is very sensitive when you are scrolling. Sometimes it will open a page up thinking you have tapped it when really you were scrolling through the list a little too heavily.

T-Hub 2 phone features

The T-Hub 2 is not just about the tablet though there are also phone features that are useful for families including hands free-calling from the tablet, and voice mails listed so you can easily scroll through to the ones you really want to listen to. (No, that is not you telemarketer.)

There is also a cordless handset device you can use attached to it for more personal calls.

I do think the T-Hub 2 is very cool and is just adding value to your home phone set up. Kalyra gives it the double thumbs up. She keeps telling everyone about her new white computer and wants to take it to show everyone.

Pricing and availability

T-Hub 2 phone is available in-store and online at www.telstra.com/thub

It is available for $360 outright for customers with eligible services or can be purchased in conjunction with a Telstra T-Bundle® and paid off over 24 months for $15 a month.

T-Bundle customers also get unlimited voice calls in Australia from their home phone to up to four Telstra mobile services on their single bill, as well as unlimited local calls on most T-Bundle plans.

To enter the T-Hub 2 phone giveaway

I have one T-Hub 2 phone to giveaway. The T-Hub 2 will be couried to the winner by Telstra and someone from their  T-Plus team (Telstra technicians) will set up the device for you in your home.

To enter is really easy.

1. Fill in the form below answering the following question “How do you think the T-Hub 2 could best help improve your home connection needs?”

2. Join my fanpage community. You will be directed to my fanpage once the form is submitted. Introduce yourself on my wall and let me know you entered the giveaway and tag someone you would love to chat to on the phone.

 Terms and Conditions

1. The competition is open to Australia residents
2.The compettition opens on 9th August at 7am and closes on 17th August at 12am
3. The T-Hub 2 will be judged on skill. Entries will be judged on creativity and originality.
4. There is one prize to be won with a value of $360
5. Winners will be notified via email.
6. Entries remain the property of Mojito Mother and may be republished.
7. One entry per person

If you know someone who would love to win the T-Hub 2, please direct them to this page.