AT&T today introduced the $299 AT&T HomeManager, a combined home-phone-and-Internet solution, which is initially available in nine markets: Chicago, Atlanta, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles.

"With a compact, 7-inch color touch screen frame and portable speaker phone, AT&T HomeManager provides one-touch access anywhere in the home to Internet content, including visual voice mail, weather reports, e-mail access, local news, and more," writes TMCnet's Michelle Robart. "From a broadband-enabled base station, information is sent directly to the cordless touch screen, delivering quick and easy access to important information when needed."

"It certainly looks nifty - the Frame's interface seems nice and quick - but just as with OpenFrame, we're not really sure who's in that crossover zone between people who want this kind of gear and people who still have landlines," writes Engadget's Nilay Patel.

More here from SlipperyBrick ... and the press release is here.