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I am now using it with a Dell Laptop and it seems to be doing fine. I am beyond warranty so I will go with a different hub to replace it. I bought two of the hubs in June 2004. The other one I used with a Mac for about a year and a half now and it has failed. It does run hot so I think it must have good ventilation to hold up well. One of them failed in about a month of using it with a HP/Compaq Laptop. IOGEAR replaced it for me.
When I'm off to take my laptop with me somewhere, am I going to put this lava chip in my pocket. For each of these devices, the Microhub either caused the device to work improperly or flat out failed to recognize it.Using the mouse was an exercise in futility. I'm actually better off *without* the hub. That's pretty frustrating when you're trying to close a window and instead the document starts scolling down.As for the iPod, external hard drive and printer, they were as good as gone.
The idea behind this product is great: create four USB ports in the place of a single port and make the package small enough to be inconspicuous and eminently portable. Try again. At least that way I can use my mouse without wondering when it will decide on its own to open a context menu, slide down to the bottom of the screen or simply freeze in place.To add insult to injury, this so-called convenient piece of hardware heats up like an iron. IOGEAR did a fine job with the latter; this hub certainly is small and easy to carry about.
Microhub didn't recognize a single one of these devices, causing me to ask "What's the point." I've got four devices and four USB hubs, and only one of them works (and erratically at that). The only reason I haven't thrown it out yet is because I'm soaking it in a tub of ice water so it doesn't smolder in my trash basket.My suggestion is for you to save your pennies for something more useful like, say, a pair of sole-less shoes. Unfortunately, where the product falls short -- way short, I'm afraid -- is in its dependability.It so happens I have four USB devices I've tried to use with the Microhub: an external hard drive, a printer, a wireless mouse (the receiver plugs into a USB port) and an iPod. The mouse tracked poorly and the Microhub would execute phantom click actions without me even touching a mouse button.
When it worked I loved it, though. Uncanny, but my hub had the same problem - mine lasted for about 1 year, but now the middle two ports don't recognize devices. Wierd.
All of a sudden it wouldn't recognize the keyboard, mouse or printer with those ports.I tried plugging in some other things, those ports can still give power to my cooling fan though. I bought it because it looked cute and small. Used it for 7 months, and the middle 2 ports gave up.
Also the unit does need some "cool down" time before you put it away. Other than two minor flaws this hub does just fine. It would be nice if it could simply be system powered, as are others, without the need for A/C.
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