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USB hubs. Can you think of anything more boring to research in the world? I thought it was dull, too- who wants to research things that use up a USB port, only to provide 4 (or 7) more for you to use? However, with one of my PCs having dodgy front USB ports, and all of my laptops being limited to just 3, I've decided to buy a USB hub.

It's probably not something you consider when buying a PC, but with my recently acquired EEE PC, I've found the 3 USB ports rather limiting. I stupidly didn't research the EEE PC in too much depth. I didn't know you had to buy an external DVD drive. This takes up two of my USB ports already. The other one has a 16 GB USB stick, which is essential since the EEEPC only has about 12 GB of solid state space. (Speaking of which, USB sticks with U3 technology are very useful- you're able to install programs on them!).

All of a sudden the super portable, sexy and underpowered EEEPC doesn't sound too useful, does it? Imagine being on a coach with an external USB HUB, DVD drive and USB storage device connected and even then, the PC doesn't have enough power to run Fruity Loops with out immense stuttering. Heck, I even struggle to get 40 fps on Half Life 1. At least I've finally got a PC slow enough to be able to playtest computer games I run in a 'worst case scenario'. Bad reason to get a PC really.

Back to the USB hubs. Browsing Amazon has been an enlightening experience. All of a sudden, a simple case of 'needing a USB hub' has become a minefield. Do I get a self powered one, or one that runs from the mains? Considering I need it for my EEEPC, I'd say that I need a self-powered one. I really think the Power Supply Unit on my EEEPC is struggling already- plugging my DVD drive in causes it to turn off. Also, self-powered ones tend to get bad ratings since they're no powerful enough to run anything more than a USB stick. I don't want smoke to come out of my USB hub as I plug my mouse in! ...but on the other hand, what use is a USB hub on a coach if it needs to be plugged into the mains?

Behold: The Rainbow. This fantastic manufacturer claims that they can offer both in the same device. I'm sure that most can, but this one says it can. Not only that, but in the manufacturer description it says...

I don't know whether to be more afraid of how well constructed the sentences are for someone with a pathetic grasp of the English language, or the way it wants me to share a rainbow. Admittedly I was very tempted to buy it simply so I could babble on about the power of the rainbow to anybody who asks about my USB hub, but the product's one star rating put me off.

Shame, I really wanted the Rainbow Shine to be a good quality product. Still, you can't have it all. In the item's defence the one star rating was because of a short lead, something that many USB hubs suffer from.

Yet more interesting designs I looked at. The one on the left appealed to me, but its £15 price tag scared me off. The second one only has 3 USB ports, and it wouldn't be able to fit in a pocket or laptop case.

As I was travelling through the Amazon, picking through the rainbows and Sweexes, I came across a rather bizarre and interesting looking plant / USB Hub

Behold, the beautifully named

LaCie hub, design by Ora-Ïto ,4 x downstream USB 2.0 (type A) & 1 upstream USB 2.0 (type B) ports; 2 x downstream & 1 x upstream FireWire400 (6-pin IEEE 1394a)

You have to give it to those people who devote their lives to USB Hub manufacturing, they're very imaginative and have a great sense of humour. Once again, however, the USB failed to impress because the cable was too short, and guess what- it kept rolling over. How can it be so hard to get something as simple as a USB hub right? (I have the same problems with motherboards too, but don't get me started on that. Or how modern keyboards are limited to 2-3 button presses at once)

So, I needed a USB port with at least half a metre of cable, that could be either self powered or from the mains, that could run USB 2.0 and had its plugs far enough apart for them not to obstruct each other once things were plugged in. Harder than it sounds... but I eventually found one.

Nice long cable, USB plugs are far enough away from each other not to be annoying, USB 2, average rating of over 4 on Amazon and best of all it's got a sucker so that it can stick to stuff! £10 including postage, but this 'Hama Compact USB 2.0 Hub 1:4' got my vote. And money. Any USB Hub manufacturers out there, just think. People don't want circular ones that roll around. They don't want ones that dangle from the back of the PC because they've got a two inch cord. They want something that can be plugged in and works straight away. Oh, and include a sucker so that it can be stuck to walls, laptop screens, foreheads etc.

PART 2!

To cut a long story short, I received it but it turned out to be the WRONG 4 port USB 2 hub. It was in beautiful brushed aluminium but it didn't include a nice sucky bit so I sent it back.

PART 3!

I finally got hold of the one in the picture above and it works perfectly. The ports don't block each other and even though I haven't found a surface the sucky thing can stick to, it's comforting knowing that it's there. Squeezing the device makes it creak a bit. Doesn't seem like the strongest thing in the world, but it does the job and I've had no problem plugging in keyboards, USB devices, webcams and mice into it. Mission accomplished. I would upload a picture of me with it stuck to my forehead, but moving it causes everything that's plugged in to stop responding. Eep. I'm becoming lazy, I'll just let it be.