Tuesday, March 9, 2004
The Coolest Hub Yet: Iogear USB 2.0 Microhub
Posted by Jason Dunn in "HARDWARE" @ 08:00 PM
Last year, Iogear sent me a couple of their USB 2.0 Microhubs, and I finally got a chance to sit down and play with one of them. A hub isn't exactly a sexy device: it either works well or it doesn't. I connected my Sandisk USB 2.0 memory card reader to it and was able to pull data off very quickly - there was no percievable difference between having the memory card reader attached to the USB 2.0 port on the front of my Shuttle XPC then to the Iogear USB hub.
The most interesting thing about this hub is the size - it's so tiny! It also includes a very short cable, which is awesome for maximum portability - you don't need to carry anything with you.
[Please note that the hub in these pictures is the USB 1.0 version - the USB 2.0 version is a dark grey and not pictured here]
Some of the basic specs for the hub, taken from the Iogear Web site:
• 4 USB 2.0 ports for easy expansion
• Supports a data transfer rate of up to 480 Mbps
• 40 Times faster than USB 1.1 products
• Plug-n-Play, hot swappable
• Backward compatible with USB 1.1 specifications
• Supports Windows 98, 98SE, 2000, ME, XP, and Mac OS X or later version
• A-B cable tucks away when not in use
• 3 Year Limited Warranty
Here's what the hub looks like next to an iPAQ 2215 - it makes the iPAQ look huge!
You can buy the Microhub by looking at our Pricegrabber listing. I'm very happy with the hub and would recommend it to anyone who needs extra USB ports but wants to stay mobile.
