USB (or Universal Serial Bus) is a 13-year old standard that was originally designed to connect then smart phones to PCs in the mid-90s. It later became the de facto standard for connecting any external, thanks to USB's built-in power supply and relatively fast speeds. The then-unique one-cable approach sparked a revolution that spawned everything USB (no, not this site) ranging from flash drives, hard drives, speakers, TV tuners to webcams. All these top at 12Mbps, at which speed is only good for mice and keyboards; so the official USB body upgraded the specs to USB 2.0, adding Hi-Speed USB mode operating at 480Mbps. As more applications moved on to wireless thereafter, the same group decided to follow the trend by cutting the wire in the latest Certified Wireless USB 1.0 standard, completed in 2005. And now, we are currently in the pre-WUSB era.
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In Web Watch
News: Best of December 2008 - Everything USB
Wednesday 31st December, 2008
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In Web Watch
News: Everything USB Listed as a PCMag's Favorite Blog
Wednesday 31st December, 2008
Call this shameless self-promotion if you must. PCMag recently named Everything USB (that's us) as one of their 100 favorite blogs. We must be doing something right, right? Not every blog listed is as high-profile as Engadget, and only few are actually tech-related, while rest of them cover a wide range of topics from sci-fi fictions to mysterious animals. Plenty offbeat sites also make it to the top hundred. Last August, Everything USB was also honored by the same magazine as one of the Top 100 Undiscovered Websites. Suffice to say, it would be odd to find ourselves on the same list again this year. We are #31 on what appears to be an alphabetical listing. So, here's what PCMag said about us. "If it plugs into a Universal Serial Bus port, it will end up on this site. All the news and new products that support USB get a blurb here eventually, from the incredibly important (USB 3.0! Wireless USB!) to the silly (USB thumb drives in every shape under the sun, including thumb-shaped), and all the fast external goodness in between. "
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In USB Gadgets
News: Energizer Solar Charger Hits Mainstream, Likes USB Only
Tuesday 23rd December, 2008
Solar power is going part of our lives in foreseeable future when large mainstream companies make sub-$100 gadgets that harness the free energy. Here's thefirst sign first sign: a $50 Energizer Rechargeable Solar Charger. In a nutshell, it's a portable AA and AAA battery charger which draw juice from either your typical hefty AC adapter or on-board flip-out solar panel. Your gadgets from cellphones to iPods and anything that recharges via USB are compatible. Additionally, since the Solar Charger includes two semi-environmentally friendly Energizer batteries, anything that need double As and triple As are also good to go. To find out how long it will take to charge up a pair of batteries, you'll have to wait til CES 2009 where Engerizer will put this solar grabber gadget on display.
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In Authentication & Security
News: Jewelry Box Opens with a USB Key
Tuesday 23rd December, 2008
While quality wood, mirror, and multi-level compartments come to mind when one thinks of a jewelry box, Syba is raising your expectations with state-of-the-art security. The OEM likes to call its exquisite biometric storage box, BioMirage Coffer. The high-tech jewelry box provides not one but two security measures: fingerprint authentication and USB key. You are more likely going to take advantage of the finger sensor more as it's inherently more convenient. The USB key here is a failsafe measure in case the sensor loses its effectiveness, or your fingerprint for whatever reason becomes un-recognizable. Unfortunately, this won't help you a bit in an event of a fire in which case you will need a fire-proof safe (also happens to support USB too).
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In 802.11g, 802.11b & Bluetooth Adapters
News: Sprint's 4G WiMax USB Modem is Uber-fast
Tuesday 23rd December, 2008
Remember what it is like when carriers first introduced 3G that rivals early broadband speed. You may feel like you can finally get something done in a timely manner with that extremely precious laptop battery life. Yet it will leave something to be desired. Now with WiMax, it's coming to a point where web pages popping up faster than one could find a hyperlink to click on. Fast it is, but you have to live with a $79 monthly month for two years, drop $149.99 for the 4G U300 USB modem dongle, and be in Baltimore. If you're fine with that, Sprint welcomes you to its new WiMax network (or Xohm as the carrier would like call it). So, how fast is it? Early reports are coming in that speed can reach upwards of 6.6Mbps. That's 50% faster than its advertised claim of 4Mbps, though, there couldn't be a lot of early adopters sharing the spectrum. The USB modem with a fallback option to connect to 3G is now actually available in Sprint stores throughout Baltimore. Sprint hopes to expand the coverage to major metropolitan areas in 2009, but the 5GB bandwidth allowance is a letdown.
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In USB Mice & Trackballs
News: MS' Chinese-themed Arc Mice Nags Buyers
Monday 22nd December, 2008
All these Chinese-themed flash drives from mahjong tile to terra cotta and Beijing Olympics torch are lucrative business opportunities as more people are looking up to China these days. It's not too surprising that we see Microsoft steps up to grab Chinese market by following other people footsteps. Here, we see two MS' wireless Arc mice all painted up in oriental style. There's one with the Chinese pottery scheme that we couldn't tell there actually hides not one but four Arc mice. The other one looks much more cartoonish, and might appeal to foreign devils. Despite of the creativity and artistic value, we can't convince ourselves paying more than twice the amount of a regular Arc for this. A full set - available only in Hong Kong - goes to retail for $199 USD, or you can get it separately for $115.
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In USB Apps for Flash Drives
News: OpenOffice 3.0 - Now in PortableApps Format
Monday 22nd December, 2008
The 8-year old OpenOffice (OOo) has reached version 3.0 in October, but for USB apps fan, the portable version has only gone gold in mid December. Ported by none other than John Haller from PortableApps.com, OpenOffice 3.0 is designed to run directly on a USB flash drive - supposedly without concern that temporary files will be left behind on the host machine. The package weighs at a hefty 240MB after installed, but its size shouldn't be much of a problem given today's thumbdrives' capacities. The latest version of OOo now boasts a fresh look, including a new start center, splash screen, and icons; it also comes with plenty of improvements for the suite's Writer (word processing), Calc (spreadsheet), Draw (graphics) and Impress (presentation). The most notable addition is perhaps the ability to read MS Office Open XML files, enhancing interporerability with rest of the Office world. Since OOo is essentially in PortableApps format, the integration allows the free office to work with PortableApps.com suite's menu and backup utility.
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In USB Flash Drives
Review: Kingston Data Traveler 150 32GB Flash Drive
Thursday 18th December, 2008
The newest USB flash drive on the market comes from a world leader in memory technologies, Kingston Technology. But can this aged expert in memory still keep up with relative newcomers in the flash market? Our newest review has an in-depth look at the Kingston Data Traveler 150 32GB model sporting both copious amounts of storage capacity and a fancy design that does little to innovate but a lot to refine USB flash drive appearances.
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In USB Video Capture / PVR & USB Video Cards
Review: Samsung 10.2" UbiSync Digital Photo Frame
Monday 15th December, 2008
Possessing the largest LCD of any digital photo frame in its class, the widescreen Samsung SPF-105F is truly a gorgeous gadget for shutterbugs or photo buffs. From the high contrast, high resolution screen with bezel mounted touch controls to the extremely long feature set including USB monitor functionality and 1GB of built-in memory, this beast packs a ton of tech into its sleek and stylish case. Read on to find out if the Samsung photo frame can live up to its promises.
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News: Best of December 2008 - Everything USB
Wednesday 31st December, 2008
- Samsung SPF-105P 10" Digital Photo Frame with USB Display
- Kingston Data Traveler 150 32GB Flash Drive
- Cables Unlimited Certified Wireless USB Adapter Set
- Antec USB Notebook Cooler 200
- Everything USB Listed as a PCMag's Favorite Blog
- Energizer Solar Charger Hits Mainstream, Likes USB Only
- Jewelry Box Opens with a USB Key
- Sprint's 4G WiMax USB Modem
- Chinese-themed MS Arc Mouse
- OpenOffice 3.0 - Now in PortableApps Format
- Alereon Wireless USB PCI-E mini-Card
- Thanko USB Cam Watch - Great for Spying and Sabotaging
- Addonics USB-to-NAS Adapter
- Verbatim Marries Backlit Keyboard and USB Speakers
- Logitech G13 Gameboard
- Shiro Solar-powered MP3 Player
- Sandisk Cruzer Enterprise Gets Free Mac Upgrade
- LaCie CurrenKey - Counterfeit Currency or a Flash Drive?
- Logitech Sold 1 Billion Mice in Two Decades
Permanent Link
In Web Watch
News: Everything USB Listed as a PCMag's Favorite Blog
Wednesday 31st December, 2008
Call this shameless self-promotion if you must. PCMag recently named Everything USB (that's us) as one of their 100 favorite blogs. We must be doing something right, right? Not every blog listed is as high-profile as Engadget, and only few are actually tech-related, while rest of them cover a wide range of topics from sci-fi fictions to mysterious animals. Plenty offbeat sites also make it to the top hundred. Last August, Everything USB was also honored by the same magazine as one of the Top 100 Undiscovered Websites. Suffice to say, it would be odd to find ourselves on the same list again this year. We are #31 on what appears to be an alphabetical listing. So, here's what PCMag said about us. "If it plugs into a Universal Serial Bus port, it will end up on this site. All the news and new products that support USB get a blurb here eventually, from the incredibly important (USB 3.0! Wireless USB!) to the silly (USB thumb drives in every shape under the sun, including thumb-shaped), and all the fast external goodness in between. "
Permanent Link
In USB Gadgets
News: Energizer Solar Charger Hits Mainstream, Likes USB Only
Tuesday 23rd December, 2008
Solar power is going part of our lives in foreseeable future when large mainstream companies make sub-$100 gadgets that harness the free energy. Here's the
Permanent Link
In Authentication & Security
News: Jewelry Box Opens with a USB Key
Tuesday 23rd December, 2008
While quality wood, mirror, and multi-level compartments come to mind when one thinks of a jewelry box, Syba is raising your expectations with state-of-the-art security. The OEM likes to call its exquisite biometric storage box, BioMirage Coffer. The high-tech jewelry box provides not one but two security measures: fingerprint authentication and USB key. You are more likely going to take advantage of the finger sensor more as it's inherently more convenient. The USB key here is a failsafe measure in case the sensor loses its effectiveness, or your fingerprint for whatever reason becomes un-recognizable. Unfortunately, this won't help you a bit in an event of a fire in which case you will need a fire-proof safe (also happens to support USB too).
Permanent Link
News: Sprint's 4G WiMax USB Modem is Uber-fast
Tuesday 23rd December, 2008
Remember what it is like when carriers first introduced 3G that rivals early broadband speed. You may feel like you can finally get something done in a timely manner with that extremely precious laptop battery life. Yet it will leave something to be desired. Now with WiMax, it's coming to a point where web pages popping up faster than one could find a hyperlink to click on. Fast it is, but you have to live with a $79 monthly month for two years, drop $149.99 for the 4G U300 USB modem dongle, and be in Baltimore. If you're fine with that, Sprint welcomes you to its new WiMax network (or Xohm as the carrier would like call it). So, how fast is it? Early reports are coming in that speed can reach upwards of 6.6Mbps. That's 50% faster than its advertised claim of 4Mbps, though, there couldn't be a lot of early adopters sharing the spectrum. The USB modem with a fallback option to connect to 3G is now actually available in Sprint stores throughout Baltimore. Sprint hopes to expand the coverage to major metropolitan areas in 2009, but the 5GB bandwidth allowance is a letdown.
Permanent Link
In USB Mice & Trackballs
News: MS' Chinese-themed Arc Mice Nags Buyers
Monday 22nd December, 2008
All these Chinese-themed flash drives from mahjong tile to terra cotta and Beijing Olympics torch are lucrative business opportunities as more people are looking up to China these days. It's not too surprising that we see Microsoft steps up to grab Chinese market by following other people footsteps. Here, we see two MS' wireless Arc mice all painted up in oriental style. There's one with the Chinese pottery scheme that we couldn't tell there actually hides not one but four Arc mice. The other one looks much more cartoonish, and might appeal to foreign devils. Despite of the creativity and artistic value, we can't convince ourselves paying more than twice the amount of a regular Arc for this. A full set - available only in Hong Kong - goes to retail for $199 USD, or you can get it separately for $115.
Permanent Link
In USB Apps for Flash Drives
News: OpenOffice 3.0 - Now in PortableApps Format
Monday 22nd December, 2008
The 8-year old OpenOffice (OOo) has reached version 3.0 in October, but for USB apps fan, the portable version has only gone gold in mid December. Ported by none other than John Haller from PortableApps.com, OpenOffice 3.0 is designed to run directly on a USB flash drive - supposedly without concern that temporary files will be left behind on the host machine. The package weighs at a hefty 240MB after installed, but its size shouldn't be much of a problem given today's thumbdrives' capacities. The latest version of OOo now boasts a fresh look, including a new start center, splash screen, and icons; it also comes with plenty of improvements for the suite's Writer (word processing), Calc (spreadsheet), Draw (graphics) and Impress (presentation). The most notable addition is perhaps the ability to read MS Office Open XML files, enhancing interporerability with rest of the Office world. Since OOo is essentially in PortableApps format, the integration allows the free office to work with PortableApps.com suite's menu and backup utility.
Permanent Link
In USB Flash Drives
Review: Kingston Data Traveler 150 32GB Flash Drive
Thursday 18th December, 2008
The newest USB flash drive on the market comes from a world leader in memory technologies, Kingston Technology. But can this aged expert in memory still keep up with relative newcomers in the flash market? Our newest review has an in-depth look at the Kingston Data Traveler 150 32GB model sporting both copious amounts of storage capacity and a fancy design that does little to innovate but a lot to refine USB flash drive appearances.
Permanent Link
In USB Video Capture / PVR & USB Video Cards
Review: Samsung 10.2" UbiSync Digital Photo Frame
Monday 15th December, 2008
Possessing the largest LCD of any digital photo frame in its class, the widescreen Samsung SPF-105F is truly a gorgeous gadget for shutterbugs or photo buffs. From the high contrast, high resolution screen with bezel mounted touch controls to the extremely long feature set including USB monitor functionality and 1GB of built-in memory, this beast packs a ton of tech into its sleek and stylish case. Read on to find out if the Samsung photo frame can live up to its promises.
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802.11b, 802.11g, Bluetooth,
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Popular Categories
Device Drivers From DriverAgent
USB Drivers, Driver Search, Driver List
Input Devices
Mice, Keyboards, Game Controllers
Multimedia
USB Headsets, USB Video Card,
USB Speakers, USB TV, USB Webcams
Networking
802.11b, 802.11g, Bluetooth,
Peripheral Sharing
Portable Electronics
MP3 Players
USB App Platforms
Ceedo, MojoPac, Moka5 LivePC, U3
Storage
USB Flash Drives, DiskOnKey
Hard Drives, CD & DVD Burners
USB Stuff
USB Bridges, USB Cables, USB Cards,
USB Extenders, USB Hubs, USB Gadgets
Recommended Products
Some of the best gadgets we reviewed.
(Products sorted alphabetically)
USB Flash Drives
Some of the best gadgets we reviewed.
(Products sorted alphabetically)
USB Flash Drives
- Corsair Flash Voyager GT
- Corsair Flash Survivor GT
- IronKey
- Kingston DataTraveler 150
- Kingston DataTraveler Secure
- OCZ ATV Turbo
- Sandisk Cruzer Titanium
- Altec Lansing FX5051 5.1 USB Speakers
- Asus Xonar U1 Dolby USB Sound Card
- Creative HS-1200 Wireless USB Headset
- IPEVO Trio Skype Speakerphone
- Logitech V20 USB Laptop Speakers
- Logitech Z Cinema 2.1
- Tritton Audio Xtreme 5.1 USB Headset
- Buffalo 320GB Turbo USB Portable
- Seagate FreeAgent XTreme 1.5TB
- Seagate FreeAgent Pro 750GB Desktop
- Thermaltake BlacX SE USB HDD Dock
- Toshiba 200GB USB 2.0 Portable
- Evoluent VerticalMouse 3 Rev 2
- MS Arc Mouse
- MS Mobile Memory 8000
- MS Natural Wireless Laser 6000
- Logitech G9 Laser
- Logitech MX Air Mouse + Remote
- Logitech MX Revolution
- Logitech VX nano
- Belkin MediaPilot
- Ergodex DX1
- Logitech G15 2G
- Logitech Illuminated Keyboard
- MS Natural Ergonomic 4000
- MS Wireless Laser Desktop 7000
- Razer Tarantula
- ADS Instant Video H.264 USB Encoder
- Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks
- Logitech QuickCam Ultra Vision
- Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro USB TV Stick
- Samsung SyncMaster 940UX USB Monitor
Best of the Month
The Most Popular Articles of each Month.
2008 2007
The Most Popular Articles of each Month.
2008 2007
