STACKABLE HUB OFFERS HIGH-SPEED, EXPANDABLITY
When you run out of A/C power sockets on the wall, you usually
add one of those multiple A/C socket adapters so you can plug in
additional devices. Similarly, when you need to connect additional
USB peripherals such as a printer and scanner to a computer that
only has one or two USB ports, you connect a little box called a
"hub" to any one of them. Much like the multiple-socket A/C plugs, a
hub contains several additional USB ports into which you can attach
more USB devices. Hubs are fairly commonplace since many computers
still only have one or two built-in USB ports.
For some time now, the USB 1.1 standard has been upgraded to the
newer, faster 2.0 protocol. The former operated at speeds of up to
12 megabits-per-second (Mbps). USB 2.0 transfers data at up to 480
Mbps. If you purchased your computer within the last year, it
definitely has USB 2.0 ports which are compatible with the older USB
1.1 devices. Even Apple Computer, the company that championed the
Firewire standard that competes with USB 2.0 itself now offers USB
2.0 ports on their newer computer models including the newest Mac
Mini. So chances are you're going to eventually be needing a USB 2.0
hub. After looking around at what's available, I found myself moving
toward one made by Belkin (www.belkin.com). Known for their line of
quality cables, connectors, switches and other connectivity devices,
their latest USB 2.0 hub offers compatibility as well as the ability
to expand.
 The
Belkin Hi-Speed USB 2.0 7-Port Hub lets you connect up to seven USB
devices right out of the box. The low-profile rectangular device
offers five horizontally-mounted USB ports at its back edge. An
additional two ports sit on a raised center block directly at the
hub's top center. These serve a dual purpose. The first lets you
easily connect and remove any temporary devices such as a thumb
drive or a digital camera as the two center ports are readily
accessible. The second lets you take another Hi-Speed USB 2.0 7-Port
Hub and stack it directly over the first one. When connected to each
other, they form a step-like stack rather than being directly over
each other. This arrangement makes it much easier to add and remove
additional cables that plug into each hub's rear ports. This clever
step design also lets you keep the first hub's 2 center ports even
with a second hub stacked directly above it.
 A
provided 5-Pin Mini B USB cable connects the hub to any available
USB port on your computer. The included power cable provides A/C
power to the hub thus relieving your computer's power supply from
the additional power load that comes from connecting too many
devices at the same time. The only weakness I could find with this
nifty hub is that you must connect each additional hub to its own
A/C power source. When I asked why Belkin didn't design it so that a
single power cord would power all of the connected stacked hubs, the
company's product manager explained that it was a limitation of the
USB design itself. Personally, I think that some clever engineer
could have come up with a way to do it. Nonetheless, the Hi-Speed
USB 2.0 7-Port Hub is a cool design and its stackable design saves
precious desk space while letting you add additional ports when
needed.
The Belkin Hi-Speed USB 2.0 7-Port Hub sells for $69.99, comes in
dark grey and works on any USB 2.0 equipped PC or Macintosh.
www.belkin.com |
