Home USB hub

Obi Wan, it is a Moon, and also a smart hub with levitating camera

NEWS – Technology startup 1-Ring Inc. has created the smart home hub called Moon. The first thing anyone (who hasn’t been under a rock for 41 years) will notice is that the camera part of the hub looks like the Star Wars Death Star. Then again, the first thing people may notice is that the camera is levitating. Whether you believe Obi wan Kenobi when he says, “That’s no moon…it’s a space station” or Rey when she explains the Force is, “…a power that Jedi have that lets them…make things float” you are right on either count.

The Moon is a space station because it is a fully integrated home automation center. It has an integrated programmable IR Blaster and communicates with all major home automation standards including, Wi-Fi, ZigBee, Z-Wave, and Bluetooth Smart.  Moon integrates seamlessly with Philips Hue, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Homekit and other services in the Internet of Things as well as legacy devices such as TV or stereo systems. Not only does the Moon communicate with existing devices on your home network, but it has its own sensors too. Not only does the Moon have a camera, but it includes integrated sound, temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, and light sensors.

The Moon is part of the Force because the magnets which levitate the camera actually allow the camera to rotate 360 degrees. The camera can be controlled in real time by the mobile app to rotate with a swipe of the finger. The camera can also be programmed to analyze the sound received by high-precision microphones in the base to rotate the camera accordingly.

All smart hub features are easily accessible through the Moon Commander, an intuitive mobile application available for Android, IOS and watch OS platforms.

This is a crowdfunded gadget. The crowdfunding campaign to kick-start the mass production of the working prototype started on October 17, 2017, and collected the goal amount within 24 hours. 1-ring has raised more than half a million dollars being 750% funded. All information about the technical highlights of the product is available at the Moon’s campaign page.

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Obi Wan, it is a Moon, and also a smart hub with levitating camera originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 14, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Satechi Type-C Multi-port Adapter 4K with Ethernet V2 review

REVIEW – As newer laptops become thinner and more portable, they have fewer and fewer ports available. As a result, users have to purchase USB hubs to provide the missing necessary ports. My Lenovo Yoga 730 only has two USB Type-C ports (Thunderbolt 3), one USB 3.0 Type-A port, and a 3.5 mm audio input/output jack which means that I really need more ports. I had decided that I wanted a USB hub that has at least two USB Type-A ports, an Ethernet port, microSD and SD card slots, an HDMI port, and a USB Type-C port. Thankfully Satechi makes an adapter that has all that I was looking for.

I was sent the Satechi Type-C Multi-port Adapter 4K with Ethernet V2 to review. It has three USB 3.0 Type-A ports, a 4K HDMI port, an Ethernet port, SD and microSD card slots, and a USB Type-C port which provides pass-through charging and will output up to 49W. I found that all the ports worked well but that the three USB Type-A ports were a little too close together to accommodate three different shaped USB flash drives simultaneously. In addition, it’s expensive.

What is it?

The Satechi Type-C Multi-port Adapter 4K with Ethernet V2 is a device that when plugged into your laptop’s USB Type-C port, provides you with three USB 3.0 Type-A ports, a 4K HDMI port, an Ethernet port, a USB Type-C port, and an SD and microSD card slots.

What’s in the box?

The only thing in the box was the adapter with its built-in USB Type-C cable. There was no information provided.

Design and features

I received the silver Satechi Type-C Multi-port Adapter 4K with Ethernet V2. The outer portion of the adapter is made of a matte aluminum. The adapter also has a built-in 6″ USB Type-C cable (measurement includes connector). The Satechi brand name is also displayed on the top of the device.

One side of the adapter has a tiny LED status light that glows blue to indicate when the adapter is plugged in. The microSD and SD card slots are also located on this side.

As the above photo shows, the Satechi adapter tapers from one long edge to another, thus making it a little more portable. The end of the adapter shown above has an Ethernet port and USB Type-C port, thus, the adapter replaces the USB Type-C port that it uses when plugged into your laptop. The adapter’s USB Type-C port will allow you to charge your devices (up to 49W) or allow you to charge your laptop.

The other side of the adapter has a 4K HDMI port and three USB 3.0 Type-A ports.

The length of the entire adapter is a little over 10″ long when including the built-in cable.

And it is only a little over 0.5″ thick and is thus very portable.

Use

I plugged the Satechi adapter into my Lenovo Yoga 730 laptop and was able to successfully use all of the ports simultaneously.

As shown in the photo above, I have plugged in the following (starting at the top right of the adapter and continuing counterclockwise): my TV using an HDMI cable, a USB mouse dongle, my camera using a micro-USB cable, a USB flash drive, an Ethernet cable, my laptop’s USB Type-C power cable, a microSD card, and an SD card. Notice how the SD card sticks out a great deal. When inserting this storage device, you only need to slide it into the adapter until it stops to seat it properly.

Each of the windows displayed on my laptop’s screen (and my TV) shows the photo stored on my camera, the music playing on my USB flash drive, the photos stored on my microSD and SD cards and the web page I pulled up using the Ethernet connection.

Using this adapter, I was also able to do things like easily transfer data from our larger external hard drive to our smaller portable hard drive as shown above. I had no problems doing this, nor did I have any problems transferring data between any of my portable storage devices or from my laptop to any of the storage devices using the USB Type-A ports and microSD and SD card slots. I also didn’t have any difficulties charging devices (or my laptop) using the USB ports, connecting to external monitors using the HDMI port, or using the Ethernet connection.

There was one thing that I noticed while using the adapter. Actively using some or all of the ports causes it to run a little warm. Satechi states that the operating temperature of the device is 86-122 degrees Fahrenheit, so apparently, this is normal.

My only complaints about the adapter are that it is expensive ($79.99), the USB 3.0 Type-A ports are too close together to accommodate anything other than physically small squared-off USB flash drives or cables, and in order to properly insert the microSD card, I needed to use my fingernail to push it far enough into the slot to get it to click into place. When inserted, the card sits flush with the adapter. And last, in the process of inserting or extracting the microSD card, sometimes the card would unexpectedly shoot out of the adapter if my fingernail slipped off of the card. *PEW* Whoa, look out! Where’d it go?!? This tiny projectile proved to be difficult to find a couple of times!

What I like

  • My laptop now has lots of ports available (3 USB 3.0 Type-A ports, a 4K HDMI port, an Ethernet port, a USB Type-C port, microSD and SD card slots) to accommodate my needs

What needs to be improved

  • Satechi should increase the spacing between the USB 3.0 Type-A ports
  • Inserting the microSD card is a bit of a challenge unless you have long enough fingernails
  • It’s expensive!

Final thoughts

I really love having the Satechi Type-C Multi-port Adapter 4K with Ethernet V2. It drastically increases the number of ports on my laptop and allows me to transfer and access data on my USB flash drives and microSD and SD cards. It also allows me to connect my laptop to a monitor or TV, my camera, or accessories that require a USB dongle.

The adapter’s drawbacks are that the USB 3.0 Type-A ports are too close together to accommodate physically large non-square USB flash drives, inserting the microSD card requires you to use a fingernail, and the adapter is quite expensive.

Price: $79.99 – $89.99
Where to buy: Satechi and Amazon
Source: The sample used in this review was provided by Satechi.

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Satechi Type-C Multi-port Adapter 4K with Ethernet V2 review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 25, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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The Imuto 10-in-1 USB-C hub gives you all of the connectivity that you need


In my home studio, I currently have 4 USB hubs connected to my main computer, for a total of 18 data transfer and 3 charging ports, not including the 8 USB ports that are built-in to the computer. Despite that reasonable number of ports, I still find myself saying that I need another USB hub because I have more devices I need to connect. For me, convenience is very important, and being able to grab photos or videos off of a client’s USB hub very quickly is a must, and I must be able to do so without plugging something out to accommodate it.

My USB port needs also extend to my laptops and when I am mobile. In this case, I need the hub to be a multifunction hub, so that I can carry fewer devices and still have great capability and connectivity.

The Imuto 10-in-1 USB-C hub is exactly such a device. This multifunctional hub has 1 USB-C PD 2.0 port, 1 wireless charging pad, 1 USB Type-C to HDMI 2.0 4K output port, and 7 high speed USB 3.0 ports for data transfer and charging. All of the ports can function simultaneously, with the 7 USB ports capable of data transfers up to 5 Gbps, and the 4K HDMI providing a constant and stable resolution of up to 3840 x 2160 at 30Hz. Imuto also stands behind their product by including an 18-month warranty.

You can purchase the Imuto 10-in-1 USB-C Hub at Amazon for $59.99.

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The Imuto 10-in-1 USB-C hub gives you all of the connectivity that you need originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 12, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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The Lexar Professional Workflow HR1 Hub adds efficiency where it is needed


Whenever I am in the studio and I have to work on editing photos and footage that I have shot over a few days, I usually have a bunch of different media full of files that I need to transfer to my editing computer. At any given time, I may have a couple of SDXC cards, a couple of compact flash cards and even some micro SD cards. I used to find the process of transferring the files very tedious since I would normally use a small multi-purpose USB reader and copy each card one at a time.

Some time ago, I decided to examine the efficiency of my workflow, and the copying of files seemed like a logical process that needed to be made more efficient. After some research, I found and purchased the Lexar Professional Workflow HR1 Hub. This is a very nice, small and compact modular 4-bay hub that accepts up to four different types of card readers, and via USB 3.0, it is able to transfer the files from all 4 of the readers simultaneously. The modules that are offered for this hub include readers for SDHC, SDXC, Micro SDHC, Micro SDXC, CompactFlash, CFast and XQD cards. There are also two flash storage drives that are available in 256 or 512GB sizes.

The Lexar HR1 Hub is both MAC and Windows compatible, and it has been an amazing addition to my workflow and has definitely added much better efficiency to my process. You can pick one up at Adorama for $58.95.

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The Lexar Professional Workflow HR1 Hub adds efficiency where it is needed originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 17, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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DockCase MacBook sleeve with built in USB C hub review

I love my 12″ MacBook that I bought as a refurb from Amazon a couple years ago. It’s the perfect size and the perfect weight for everyday use and especially for travel. I actually downsized from a 13″ MacBook Pro just to get a smaller and lighter machine. But downsizing also meant that I would have to sacrifice performance and expansion capabilities.

I honestly haven’t had any issues with the smaller MacBook’s performance, but expansion, on the other hand, has been a challenge at times due to the machine only having one port which is used for both charging AND peripherals.  A USB hub is pretty much a necessity with this computer if you ever want to connect something to it like an external monitor, wired keyboard, wired mouse, flash card reader, etc. USB Type-C expansion hubs are a dime a dozen, but have you ever seen a sleeve style case with a built-in hub? You will now because this is a review of the DockCase for the 12″ MacBook.

What is it?

The DockCase is a slim microfiber leather and aluminum sleeve style case for 12, 13, and 15 inch Apple MacBooks that has built-in USB, USB Type-C, Ethernet, HDMI, microSD and SD card readers.

What’s in the box?

  • DockCase
  • USB Type-C to Type-C cable
  • Quick start guide

Design and features

If you didn’t look at the end of the case, you might not even realize that it’s more than a slipcover for your MacBook. Depending on the size of your MacBook, the DockCase comes in several colors like the red version that was sent to me.

On the end of the case, you’ll find the following ports:

1 LAN Ethernet(1000M Gigabit)
1 HDMI Video Output (4K@30Hz,1080P@60Hz)
1 USB C Power Delivery Charging (Up to 100W)
1 USB C 3.1 Data (Up to 5 Gbps)
3 USB 3.0 Data (Up to 5 Gbps)
Multi-in-1 Card Reader (SD-XC, SD, MMC, RS-MMC, SD-HC, Micro-SD)

A third Type-C port is on the side of the DockCase. This port is used to connect the DockCase hub to your MacBook using the included Type-C to Type-C cable.

As a case, the DockCase is just a basic sleeve that’s made of microfiber leather which is a synthetic (fake) leather with the look and feel (but not the smell) of real leather.

The interior of the DockCase has one main pocket to hold the MacBook, and a narrow pocket on the side that holds the included USB Type C to Type C cable.

The short cable is easily removed and stowed in the DockCase when it’s not being used.

My 12-inch MacBook it nicely in the 12-inch DockCase along with the cable.

Using the DockCase with my 12-inch MacBook

To use the DockCase, you connect one end of the included USB C cable into the USB C port on the MacBook and the other end of the cable goes in the USB C port on the side of the DockCase. To keep your MacBook charged you will need to connect your existing charger cable into the USB PD port on the DockCase which is located next to the HDMI port. You can see how the cables are connected by checking the image above.

I do wish that the included Type C cable was a round cable instead of a flat cable, which looks awkward routed from the MacBook to the back of the DockCase.

I tested the DockCase with my 12-inch MacBook connected to 4-year-old 29-inch ultra wide LG LED monitor. The LG monitor is not 4K, but the DockCase is able to handle 4K@30Hz or in my case, 1080P@60Hz. I couldn’t tell any difference using the DockCase’s HDMI vs. using the LandingZone docking station’s HDMI, which is what I’ve been using for the last several months.

The documentation that comes with the DockCase advises that you NOT use the USB ports to charge your phone or other devices. They are supposed to be used for data transfers only. Even so, I had to test them to see if they would actually charge my phone, a Pixel 2 XL. The 2nd Type C port next to the Type C PD port would not charge my phone at all, but the other three USB ports did seem to be charging the phone.

I tested the DockCase’s card slots which worked fine. I was able to read each one individually and transfer files between two cards. I was also able to copy files to and from USB flash drives. So, the hub does work as intended. But there is one problem and that’s heat.

The DockCase hub gets noticeably hot after several minutes of use (especially when you’re connected to an external monitor using the HDMI port). I used an IR thermometer and recorded readings of 100F to as hot as 120F. These temps weren’t hot enough to burn my skin, but the heat did make me nervous that it could become a fire hazard at some point and made me leery of leaving my MacBook connected to it while unattended. That said, the heat dissipates when the MacBook is not being used.

What I like

  • It’s a case with a built-in hub
  • Nice for the newest MacBooks that only have one USB Type-C port like my 12″ MacBook

What needs to be improved

  • The hub gets too hot
  • Not supposed to use it to charge phones or other devices
  • No room for other accessories like a charger

Final thoughts

Having a case for newer MacBooks that combines everyday protection with a USB hub is unique and useful while remaining relatively slim and sleek. If they can solve the heat issue, I think they have a winner on their hands, but as it is, I’m worried about recommending something that could be a fire hazard.

Price: $119.00 – $149.00 depending on size. $119 for the 12″ version reviewed here.
Where to buy: DockCase and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by DockCase.

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DockCase MacBook sleeve with built in USB C hub review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 6, 2018 at 1:00 pm.

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