GetUSB.info researches USB products every day from every corner of the internet. Although we don’t publish about those finds each day the research goes on with a filter geared towards bring value to our visitors.
Over the past six weeks we have seen an increased number of products listed as a USB splitter and it’s worth posting an explanation about what a USB splitter is, or might be.
A USB splitter does not split the USB signal. The most common use of the term “splitter” is a phone splitter for an analog signal. Meaning you can take a single phone line and use a splitter to get the same analog signal on two phones, at the same time. A USB splitter is not this – at all.
A USB splitter should truly be called a USB hub. A USB hub is comprised of an upstream port and multiple down-stream ports. The upstream port is the signal coming into the hub, the down-stream port(s) are the ports available to get that information. Key word here is “available to get” because not all ports are equally available to get the same upstream signal, simultaneously.
For example, if you have audio playing from your PC to a USB speaker, a hub will not automatically split that audio signal to multiple USB speakers connected to that hub. Same would go for video and data. You cannot split USB signals to multiple devices automatically.
To call a USB hub a USB splitter is a very poor choice of words. In fact, we would consider this a red flag for not buying product from a supplier who uses such a term to describe a USB hub.
There is a USB-Y cable which is the closest thing which could be considered a splitter. A USB-Y cable has two connectors from the upstream port to a single downstream port; however, both of those upstream ports do not transmit data. One connector transmits the data and power and the second connector transmits only power. For example, it is very common to get an external hard drive (a disk drive, not solid state) which comes with a USB-Y cable. This setup is designed to pull the maximum power from the host (your PC) using two connections and send as much power as possible to the device, the external hard drive.
Looking at the image above, the idea would be connecting two USB A cables to two USB ports on the host computer and the single USB-A connector to the device. This setup will provide additional power to the USB peripheral device.
Satechi introduces a very nice looking four port USB 2.0 hub. Not much to announce as for technology inovation when it comes to USB hubs, but at least this gives the user a fresh, clean look to the peripheral and matches the Mac sh!t to a tee.
Source:Â Satechi online store.
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Just last week GetUSB.info reported on a solar charging USB hub and a USB power strip and for noting more than to recharge your gadgets. It’s clear that USB is the common thread in recharging – and moving forward I only expect this trend to continue.
Speaking of continue, now we have a 13 port USB hub which fits right into your 5.25″ computer bay. I do say, the picture is inviting enough to get this add-on component and integrate it into your tower, but then we’ve got two questions for you. 1) Don’t most people use laptops these days and 2) Imagine all the cables coming out of this thing. I say this because you’ll quickly realize the ports are much too close for anything but cables. Even the most slim USB stick would have a hard time fitting into each port.
What I do like about the design is the power connection you can make to the internal power supply of your PC. This means the 13 port USB hub will support larger devices with more power thurst…say hard drives and large 64GB flash drives.
The 13 port hub isn’t on sale yet, but will be in late August 2010. Pricing was not given. Here is a link you can bookmark to check availability.
Yesterday we spoke about Elcom introducing a USB power strip and today we have USB Fever with a solar powered USB hub. We where very excited to hear about this product - as it seems to be a step up from the introduction from yesterday, and it’s got some great features, but unfortunately, the solar power charging system isn’t for the USB devices which are connected, but rather the built-in LED torch light [insert sad face here].
I understand it would take a fairly big solar panel to correctly power 4-5 devices connected to a USB hub, but it would be nice to see a trickle charge feature for anything connected. Like I said yesterday, in our house we have 3 iPhones, a Flip Video camera, two blue-tooth headsets and some other stuff, so a solar powered trickle charging USB hub would be nice.
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Will this USB hub give you chub? With 13 ports all rolled up into one case, it’s a gadget lovers dream to power all those things USB. In addition iMONO went green with giving us the ability to turn off a port and save energy going to a device.
A quick glance through the specifications shows that an external power adapter is not available so you might run low on the bus powered juice if you’ve got too many power hungry gadgets [say several USB hard drives], but for powering your MP3 players, sticks, and humping dogs, should be ideal.
It seems that kids these days are simply born with the jeans to run computers. I know of 7 year old kids doing Power Point presentations already! They have incorporated YouTube videos, slides with more animation then what I’ve ever done and all before the 4th grade. Impressive.
On that note, it’s worth making their computer environment a bit fun. With USB keyboards, USB mouse, flash drives, digital cameras, iPhones etc, it’s required to have a USB hub, even at the kids computer. So why not get them a fun looking Lego USB hub?
USB Fever now carries these 4 port USB hubs for just $12 USDs. It’s a USB gadget they need, in a fun familiar form factor they recognize.
It would be very cool if the USB Lego hub would stack, but with a flat bottom, it doesn’t. Shame.
In case you are color blind and can’t see the different colors available in the picture, you can purchase red, black, yellow or blue 4 port Lego hubs.
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We’ve seen the first step in USB 3.0 which is the USB host controller. This gives motherboards the opportunity for USB 3.0 devices to connect. Now we are starting to see other system support peripherals such as the USB 3.0 hub.
VIA announced their USB 3.0 four port hub this week just days before CES 2010. We fully expect others to make a similar announcement during the CES show, but VIA, thus far, has beat everyone to the punch.
The USB 3.0 hub supports 4 downstream ports and one upstream port. The board is powered via AC and VIA claims to have improved the power management in the USB 3.0 hubs to allow attached devices to enter into a lower power state when not being used. The chip itself is based on advanced 80nm CMOS technology which makes it a more power efficient USB hub controller.
VIA did indicate the USB 3.0 hub is not only backward compatible, but also supports the full 5Gb/s transfer rate USB 3.0 calls for. No word on price, but I’m forecasting a 50% increase in price over traditional USB hubs.
Wouldn’t it be cool that whenever you plug in a USB device your computer would make an awesome artillery sound? I think it would – for at least the first 30 times – and so I found a solution for you. The USB hub artillery gun.
This hub looks very cool and plays a three second sound effect upon connection of a USB device. This really had me…until I read it was USB 1.1 compliant. I didn’t know China was still cranking out USB with ONLY 1.1 support…especially with USB SuperSpeed just around the corner.
The 1.1 spec means this USB hub artillery gun is really only good for mice, keyboards and other slow input devices. Meaning you wont get the awesome sound effects all that often. Still, it might be worth the
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It’s about “time” someone came up with a USB hub that looked like a watch. What better way to suggest to your boss it’s time to leave then prop up your USB hub just before quit’in time [like that would happen]. This should fair particularly well for those clock watcher types.
There is not conformation, but from the look of the images at USB Fever, the 4 port USB hub really does tell time. It connects via miniUSB with 4 port type A connectors.
The watch also illuminates blue if for some reason you are working in the dark.
Watch Style USB 4 Port Hub – only $14.
More USB Fever products.
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USB Fever is looking for some fun with their new USB photo frame shaped like a person and a bobble head type photo frame.
The cute little frame will spin 360 degrees and rotate forward and backward by 60 degrees.
Yes, it’s cute, but also useful. The USB photo frame also doubles as a 4 port USB hub…so you’re not just taking up valuable desk space, but making it a bit useful too. After all, with everything USB, a couple extra ports wouldn’t hurt.
What else doesn’t hurt is the price tag – just $12.99 plus some change for shipping.
Source: USB Fever.
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Logitech is probably the first name most people think of for input devices like keyboards, mice and hubs…and why not, they’ve been around since 1985…pretty much from the start for mainstream computers.
Logitech posted some interesting information about selling their one billionth mouse after being in the market for 20+ years. The first mouse from the Switzerland-based Logitech was the P4 (pictured above), which began mass production in 1985 at the company’s birthplace. Logitech reached the 100 millionth mouse mark in 1996, and subsequently, topped 500 millionth 7 years later. The company is now selling at a rate of 376,000 mice per day and 7.8 million every month.
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Etsy is a website dedicated to helping those who make unique and customized products and looking for an easy channel to sell to the public. Why they don’t use Amazon is a totally different post, but while I was searching their site, I came across this new 4 port USB hub made from a lego.
The 4 port lego hub looks very cool and would be a fun little addition to the office. A bit much in price for the concept of a 4 port USB hub, but given the custom build and stylized look, one could make the argument for the $50 price tag.Product is made by Databrick [great business name] and is available for immediate shipment anywhere in the world.
To help close the deal, check out this ultra boring YouTube video with crazy brackground noise music.
Jump to product page.
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Source:Â 
