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ZOMOI 9-in-1 USB C Digital Multiport Adapter review

REVIEW – Many new laptops and tablets are smaller and lighter than models sold in previous years. While this change is great for your back and shoulders it usually comes at the expense of peripheral ports. The ZOMOI 9-in-1 USB C digital multiport adapter provides a large selection of useful ports in a small footprint. Read on to see what I think!

What is it?

The ZOMOI 9-in-1 USB C Digital Multiport Adapter includes the following ports:

  • 2* USB 3.1 ports
  • 1* USB 2.0 port
  • 1* HDMI port
  • 1* Gigabit Ethernet port
  • 1* USB Type-C PD port
  • 1* SD slot
  • 1* TF slot
  • 1* Audio (earphone and microphone) jack.

What’s in the box?

  • Multi-port Hub
  • USB Type-C to USB Type-C 3.1 cable, 8.5″ tip to tip
  • User Manual

Hardware specs

Upstream:

  • USB-C 3.1

Downstream:

  • Display: HDMI up to 4K@30Hz, 1920x1080p@60HZ
  • USB: 2*Type-A USB3.1 Gen1, 1 Type-A USB2.0, 1 Type-C with Charging
  • Ethernet: RJ45 gigabit Ethernet
  • 3.5mm Jack: headphone/speaker; microphone
  • Operation Temperature: 0-40°C
  • Storage Temperature: -20-70°C

Design and features

The adapter comes in a small white flip top box that is not much wider or thicker than at the actual port adapter.

The box has an adhesive label on the back that demonstrates the features and ports available.

The label also identifies that the product comes in black, silver and space gray. This review is of the space gray model. Inside the box, the adapter is packaged with cardboard that keeps the attached USB cable neat.

The adapter is mounted upside down in the box. as discussed below, the labeling of the top and bottom of the device goes against convention.

The design of the adapter is very sleek. It is an elongated prism with beveled corners. As such it is the perfect shape to prop up the back of a laptop. I’m not sure that the designers thought of or intended this but it seems a useful shape for enhancing the airflow to underneath my Dell.

The top, bottom, front and back sides are aluminum, which helps with durability and heat dissipation. The left and right sides are plastic. The front side has an SD card and microSD card slot.

The rear has the HDMI, Three USB type A slots and a USB Type C slot.

It is easy to identify the USB 3.1 and USB 2 ports by their color and by the additional 5 contacts at the front of the USB port.

The left side has an Ethernet port and the right side has the audio jack, upstream USB Type C port and a small blue power indicator LED.

 

The aluminum on the top side is beveled and printed with the ZOMOI logo. The bottom side has compulsory markings (CE, FCC, WEEE Directive, SAMR logo, RoHS Directive) and a statement that the product is made in China.

I cannot determine how this is put together or how to take it apart, which is a testament to the build quality and apparent durability. However, the device has one peculiarity – the USB, memory card and Ethernet ports are all upside-down with respect to the ZOMOI label. Is this viral cross-promotion with Stranger Things? More likely is that the engineers and the marketing department are not on the best terms. This doesn’t impact the adapter’s normal use, but more often the adapter will be used with the ZOMOI logo facing the table.

The fact that the upstream side USB Type-C cable is removable helps with storage and packing since the removed cable and adapter can be put into a smaller area than both items can be with they are attached. The other benefit is that this port adapter can be used with a Type A to Type C cable to provide audio, memory storage access, and Ethernet access. On an older android phone, the multi-port adapter still provides memory card and audio access.

When the Ethernet port is used the activity and connectivity lights are blue, which is much cooler looking than the typical green and amber.

Setup

The port adapter does not come with any drivers. The port is either supported on your device or not!

Performance

I downloaded a 4K MP4 movie and played it with VLC on my laptop attached to a 4K set with the laptops HDMI port and with the ZOMOI port adapter. I compared the number of dropped frames on each playback. While the movie had 32 dropped frames when playing through the local port, the movie only dropped one frame when it was played back using the ZOMOI.

The port is indeed able to display 4K@30Hz. I’ve also had no problem reading and writing to any of the ports or memory card slots on the device. I even used this to copy a file from one device to another with very little lag.

The only type C power adapter I had to power a laptop was itself from a hub, and when I tried using this as a pass-through power source, it provided power. You can see the computer registers “plugged in” when using the power through the power direct port.

What I like

  • Small footprint
  • Many useful ports
  • Inexpensive

What I’d change

  • Reverse the top and bottom of the unit (in terms of printing)

Final thoughts

The ZOMOI multi-port adapter is a great addition to your computer gear, especially for those who have models with fewer number and types of standard ports.

Price: $44.86
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by ZOMOI.

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ZOMOI 9-in-1 USB C Digital Multiport Adapter review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 25, 2019 at 9:30 am.

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Lepow 15.6-inch USB-C portable display review

REVIEW – I switched from a huge 27″ iMac to a MacBook more than 7 years ago and although I still use an external monitor with it when I work in my office (Gadgeteer HQ), I sometimes wish for some extra screen real estate when I’m working away from home. One solution is to buy a bigger MacBook, but that’s not a solution I want to take. Another solution is a portable monitor like the Lepow USB-C display. Let’s check it out.

What is it?

The Lepow USB-C display is a 15.6-inch portable display that connects to laptops and mobile devices with a USB-C cable.

Hardware Specs

Screen size: 15.6 inch
Visual area: 344.16 x 194.59mm
Panel type: IPS
Dimensions: 368 x 225 x 8.8 mm
Aspect ratio: 16:9
Resolution: 1920×1080
Display color: 16.7M
Color temperature: 6800K
Visual angle: H: 85/85Min V:85/85Min
Contrast ratio: 1000:1
Brightness: 300cd/m2
Output interface: 3.5mm headphone jack
Speaker: 1Wx2

What’s in the box?

  • Lepow USB-C monitor
  • Magnetic cover
  • Screen protector
  • USB-C to USB-C cable
  • HDMI to mini HDMI cable
  • USB-A to USB-C cable
  • User Guide

Design and features

The Lepow 15.6-inch USB-C portable display immediately reminded me of a supersized iPad Pro with an Apple smart cover. It’s designed like a slab/tablet, without a built-in stand. That’s what the case is for.

The display has slim bezels and a dark grey shell that holds a matte screen that unfortunately is not a touchscreen.

Both sides have ports and speaker vents. The left side has a mini HDMI port, the main USB-C port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The right side has another speaker vent, a power button, a roll key for menu selections, and a PD USB-C port.

The monitor does not have a built-in battery so it requires an outside power source. It can pull power from a laptop, a smartphone, a tablet, or you can connect a USB-C cable and an AC adapter to the USB-C PD port on the side and use that to power the monitor and charge the device (laptop, phone, etc.) connected to the other USB-C port on the opposite side of the monitor.

As mentioned above, the Lepow monitor does not have a built-in kickstand, but the included smart cover not only protects the screen when you’re not using the display, but it can fold into a stand.

The cover has grooves so you can customize the viewing angle and small magnets at the edges hold the cover to the monitor for ease of use.

Using the Lepow USB-C portable monitor with a laptop

I tested the Lepow monitor with my 2016 12in MacBook and my Huawei P30 Pro smartphone, both of which have a USB-C port for easy connection. The Lepow also has a mini HDMI port that you can use with the included mini HDMI to HDMI cable to connect the monitor to full-sized HDMI port.

One of the best things about the monitor is that it doesn’t require its own power source because it pulls the power it needs from the connected device. That means that you won’t need to carry a bulky power supply with you or need to be near a wall outlet to use the display because it powers on as soon as it’s connected to the laptop or phone.

By default, the monitor is in landscape orientation when connected to a macOS or Windows laptop.

However, you can go into the settings on the computer to rotate the display like you see above. The only problem is that when you physically rotate the Lepow USB-C monitor, the folding cover doesn’t make a very sturdy stand in that orientation. And even worse is the fact that there’s the cable sticking out of the top of the monitor when it’s in this orientation and the monitor will rest on the roll key which when pressed, will bring up the onscreen menu. All that said, it is doable in portrait orientation, just not very convenient compared to a traditional landscape orientation.

The monitor’s built-in speakers on both sides of the display are not impressive when it comes to volume or audio quality. Even at full volume, the audio is weak and definitely not loud enough if you’re using the monitor in a noisy environment.

Using the Lepow USB-C portable monitor with a smartphone or tablet

If you happen to own a smartphone or tablet that allows for video out though USB-C like the Huawei P30 Pro (shown above) or a Samsung Galaxy device, the Lepow monitor can turn your mobile device into a computer-like device with a full screen experience.

Depending on the device that you use, it really does feel like your phone becomes a computer. With the Huawei connected to the Lepow, it becomes a touch pad.

I tested the monitor with normal everyday activities like using it to surf my favorite sites, work in spreadsheets, work in documents, editing images using Photoshop, and watching videos. Note that I did not use the monitor for gaming as I don’t play games. But for all the tasks that I did try with the Lepow, it worked fine.

The colors are good, the image was clear and crisp, and viewing angles are decent. I’m not going to say that the Lepow is better than my BenQ 27inch monitor which has a resolution of 2560×1440, but the Lepow’s 1920×1080 resolution is perfectly adequate for its intended use as a portable companion monitor for travel or small workspaces.

One thing I did notice early in the review process was that the monitor defaults to 30% brightness and doesn’t save changes to the brightness setting or other settings. So even if the computer times out and the monitor goes idle, when you wake it back up, the Lepow screen’s brightness goes back down to 30%.

I also noticed that routing all the audio through the Lepow monitor’s built-in speakers was not a very good experience. Volume levels are low even with the volume setting cranked to the max.

What I like

  • No power adapter needed
  • Portable
  • Pass through power port

What I’d change

  • It would be nice if settings were saved between sessions
  • Volume through the built-in speakers is very weak

Final thoughts

There are 100’s of excellent full-sized monitors on the market but the selection of ultra-portable monitors is limited, especially monitors that only need a USB-C connection to work. No bulky AC adapter needed.

If you don’t mind that the monitor doesn’t save settings like brightness and volume, the Lepow 15.6-inch USB-C portable display has a lot going for it. It has a nice screen, with vivid colors, and crisp text. It’s portable enough to fit in a gear bag along with your laptop and it comes with a magnetic case that doubles as a stand.

Price: $169.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Lepow.

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Lepow 15.6-inch USB-C portable display review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 14, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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OWC USB-C Travel Dock review

REVIEW – Multitaskers are the road warrior’s best friend, and that’s what the USB-C Travel Dock by OWC offers. It’s a single device that includes an assortment of ports for your charging and peripheral needs! Leave the extra gizmos and doodads at home… but stay for the review!

What is it?

It’s a USB-C travel dock with a USB-C port, 2 USB ports, an HDMI port, and an SD Card Reader.

Hardware specs

  • 1 USB-C Port, fully compatible with all Thunderbolt 3 equipped Macs and PCs
  • 2 USB 3.1 (Standard-A) Ports
  • USH-II SD Card Reader
  • HDMI 2.0 Port
  • Supports 4K display resolution – up to 4096 x 2160 at 30Hz

What’s in the box?

The dock, and nothing but the dock.

Design and features

The Travel Dock is a 3.2″ by 3.2″ by 0.7″ block that weighs in at a mere 3.2 ounces, perfect for tossing in just about any pocket in your bag. You can get it in a choice from four finishes to match your MacBook (Gold, Silver, Space Grey, or Rose Gold). It looks and feels like a natural accessory. While it’s a bit chunkier than some other USB-C adaptors on the market, there’s actually a lot of subtle and very functional usability built into the design.

For starters, it’s got a dedicated 9″ UBC-C cable, which is great for uncramping the immediate space around your laptop. The 3-sided port setup also helps with managing your chords because you’re not fighting to plug a bunch of stuff into a small space. There’s plenty of room to work.

Once you’re plugged in, a blue indicator light shows you that you’re drawing power:

The USB-C port is on the opposite face from the dedicated plug, which allows your power cable to keep running without interfering with the other ports. You can plug your power into this port, and the pass-through feature enables you to take full advantage of integration with the rest of your devices. You can charge your laptop, your accessories, and link your iPhone or iPad to the MacBook at the same time:

One face has a standard USB port and an HDMI port. This faces towards the back of the unit when plugged into the left side of your laptop, which is handy if you have a permanent location for your monitor or are trying to hook up to a projector in a conference room:

The other face has a second USB port and an SD Card Reader, which faces the front if you’re plugged in on the left-hand side. That extra USB port is lovely when you’re trying to charge multiple items at once:

The base also has some soft tabs on the corners to keep it from scratching your desk, which is a nice touch:

As someone who doesn’t have a permanent desk these days, I’m loving the convenience that a single dock offers. I can tap into whatever power and video sources are available in any conference room or hoteling station at work, and still have ports to spare to charge my iPhone and iPad (or other USB-compatible peripherals) as needed. The roomy dock also means less fumbling when you’re trying to plug things in, a plus over some of the more compact adaptor solutions.

As an added bonus, you can plug the dedicated USB-C cable into your MacBook power brick and use the dock as a dedicated charging station. Not only is that great for when you crash in a hotel room, but that means less stuff to manage when traveling. I’ve been running with the MacBook power brick and USB-C cable and two extra USB cables for charging stuff, leaving the other assorted power bricks at home. It’s ideal for the minimalist traveler.

What I like

  • 9″ dedicated USB-C cable uncramps your workspace
  • Well-spaced ports make for easier management of cables
  • Also works as a dedicated charging station with your MacBook power brick

What needs to be improved

  • None to be found

Final thoughts

I’m really liking the OWC USB-C Travel Dock as a do-it-all accessory. It’s well designed, well built, and has some nice design features that make it easy to manipulate while giving you some extra room to work with. Some may prefer the more compact adaptors, but I like the added features an extra USB port for all the gadgets I typically carry. It looks great and comes at a great price, too.

Price: $39.00
Where to buy: Go to the product page on the OWC web site.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by OWC.

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OWC USB-C Travel Dock review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 15, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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The Satechi Type-C iMac hub takes the party from the back and puts it in the front

NEWS – For several years, my primary computer was an iMac and I loved everything about it except for one thing. Apple hid all the ports on the back of the iMac making them awkward and annoying to access. It’s been a long time since I switched from an iMac to a MacBook, and even now, years and several computer updates later, Apple still hides the ports on the back of the iMac. Luckily we have companies like Satechi that build products to solve problems like this. Their new Type-C Aluminum Monitor Stand Hub is both elegant and useful.

The hub brings an SD card and a micro SD card slot up front along with a 3.5mm headphone jack, 3 USB 3.0 ports, and a Type-C port. But that’s not all, it doubles as a monitor stand to raise the iMac 1.63 inches off your desk. The hub is available in silver or space gray for $89.99. You can read more about it by visiting satechi.net and Amazon.

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The Satechi Type-C iMac hub takes the party from the back and puts it in the front originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 4, 2019 at 12:00 pm.

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Satechi Type-C Mobile Pro Hub review

REVIEW – If you’ve been reading The Gadgeteer for a while, you’ll know that I like to bend gadgets to my will. That usually means that I  try to turn tablets and smartphones into my only computer. In my past attempts, I’ve failed at these experiments and running back to the comfort of my 12-inch MacBook. But now I’m feeling that old familiar tug to try another experiment. Why is that? I blame the Satechi Type-C Mobile Pro Hub. Let’s take a look.

What is it?

The Satechi Type-C Mobile Pro Hub is an ultraportable USB-C hub that plugs into devices that have a USB-C port to provide the device with an HDMI port, USB A port, USB-C port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Design and features

This little hub has been designed for the 2018 Apple iPad Pro, but it can be used with other mobile devices that have a USB Type-C connector like a variety of Android smartphones and tablets. Available in space grey or silver, the hub is about the same size as a pack of gum. It features a 3.5mm headphone jack, a full-sized HDMI 4K 30Hz port, USB 3.0 port, and a USB Type-C 3.0 PD port that will let you charge the device that is connected to the hub while you’re using the hub.

The other side of the Type-C Mobile Pro Hub has a Type-C plug that is used to connect to mobile devices.

I tested this hub with 4 different devices: my new 2018 11-inch iPad Pro, my Pixel 2 XL, Huawei P20, and a Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 tablet. All of these devices have a Type-C port, which of course, is a requirement to use this hub. I tried them with my BenQ PD2710QC DesignView 27-inch Designer Monitor and VIZIO M-Series (M65-F0) 4K HDR Smart TV.

The Satechi Type-C Mobile Pro Hub inserts into your device exactly how you would expect any Type-C device to plug into another Type-C device.

In the image above you’ll notice a tiny blue LED between the HDMI and USB 3.0 ports. That LED lets you know that the hub is connected and is ready to be used.

I tried the hub first with the Pixel 2 XL which was a big fail. No output to my BenQ monitor at all. Next up was the Huawei P20 smartphone.

Success! And the cool thing about the Huawei P20 is the EMUI interface that turns the phone into a desktop type of experience with a full-screen windowed desktop.

The phone’s touchscreen even can become the touchpad of the computer. Nifty!

Next up, I tried the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 and like the Pixel 2 XL, it was a fail. ARGH…

Time to test the device that the Satechi Type-C Mobile Pro Hub was designed for in the first place, the new 2018 iPad Pro.

Look at that, it’s iOS on a bigger screen. Success #2.

I connected headphones, which worked as expected, and connected a Type-C power cable and it also worked as expected. I connected a USB flash drive with a bunch of files into the USB 3.0 port on the hub and… fail. But that was to be expected. I already knew that you can’t connect a flash drive to the iPad Pro and expect to see all your files as you do on a Windows or Mac. Thanks Apple. BUT, if you have a flash drive with images or video files on it, the iPad Pro will see those files if they are in a DCIM folder structure and will allow you to import them into the Photos app which will automatically launch when the flash drive is plugged into the hub. So, yay. You can also connect a camera with a USB cable and transfer photos and video that way too.

What I like

  • Ability to hook up some Type-C mobile devices to a larger display
  • Adds a 3.5mm headphone jack to the iPad Pro
  • Adds a USB 3.0 port and Type-C charging port

What needs to be improved

  • Type-C connector not long enough to plug into iPad if a case is being used.

Final thoughts

You know that we are living in a dongle world and I’m a dongle girl (hat tip to Madonna). But seriously, as devices get smaller and thinner, we’re losing ports like 3.5mm headphone jacks, and USB ports. Dongles and adapter like the Satechi Type-C Mobile Pro Hub are filling the void and solving this connectivity issue. Will this hub work with every device that has a Type-C port? Nope. But it’s been designed for 2018 iPad Pros and it does work very well with them. So there you have it!

Price: $59.99
Where to buy: Satechi and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Satechi.

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Satechi Type-C Mobile Pro Hub review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 1, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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