MicroU2E USB 2.0-to-ExpressCard adapter hearts OS X

The ole ExpressCard seems to be the apple of many adapter manufacturers' eyes, as here we have yet another way to integrated an ExpressCard into a machine that wasn't originally made to play nice with 'em. Of course, we've already seen other methods of getting your ExpressCard to function via USB, but the MicroU2E iteration is a simple, small, one-piece device that works solely with USB-based cards (read: not PCIe flavors) and provides all the power it should need for that HSDPA / HSUPA card to function as advertised. Not a bad piece to keep in your arsenal for $38 -- and fret not, as it gets along just fine with Vista and OS X, too.

[Via MacNN, thanks Eric]

[Matt @ Jul 22nd 2007 5:42AM]

I can understand a USB flash drive plugging in directly, but that thing looks like it would cover the two slots next to it on a tower, and there's no way I could plug that into my Mac Mini, as the ports are orientated vertically.

[Vinay @ Jul 22nd 2007 6:27AM]

Use a frakkin USB extender cable, damnit!

Gawd, no wonder Apple sells washed-down, over-simplified computers to folks like you.

[Matt @ Jul 22nd 2007 6:31AM]

Well I'm just saying without an extender this is next to useless on most computers. And it doesn't even seem to come with one. And thanks for the Apple flame, how is that any tech discussion degenerates to that?

[ssuk @ Jul 22nd 2007 9:29AM]

You started it, you bought a mac.

[James @ Jul 22nd 2007 6:33AM]

No PCIe? Damn.. i thought this could be the answer to playing games at decent speeds on a MacBook with one of the external ExpressCard gfx cards.

[MacGuru @ Jul 22nd 2007 10:10AM]

Watered down? Haha... Good thing Virus scanning is fast on PCs, so you can scan for those 100s of thousands of viruses every day.
Mac = NO viruses

[Vinay @ Jul 22nd 2007 11:13AM]

What bollocks. I've used AVG Free for over three years now. Never been hit by viruses.

PS. ENIACS have no viruses attacking them. Maybe we should all switch to them![/sarcasm]

[roach @ Jul 22nd 2007 12:18PM]

I had my Vista for over 6 months (including Beta) and I don't have a virus software. Virus thing is getting old.

[jsanders4484 @ Jul 22nd 2007 8:33PM]

Eh I think it's a great idea plus it's only 38 bucks. It'd make a great addition to a car pc!

"Think Different" said his Jobness! And the sheeple rejoiced. Kind of hard to think different when every mac is pretty much just the same minus the every once in a while hardware upgrade. Sure they look fantastic, but they're dumbed down and overpriced.

The whole virus thing...? Most of the people who get a virus...well they get it because they're not exactly intelligent. They're either surfing porn sites using IE, downloading attatchments from e-mails sent by a person that they don't even recognize, or they're downloading programs via torrent, p2p, or some other means and someone thought it'd be cute to sneak something extra in there. I don't use any antivirus software, nor any type of firewall other than the router. I've never had any problems with viruses, spyware, or network intrusions.

[Philipe Caldaron @ Jul 23rd 2007 4:37PM]

I called them and they have USB extension cables for use with the device for under $6. They said they would soon have a 'Y' cable {two USB-A to one USB-A female} to provide more current for 3G wireless cards. They said it improves transmit and reception for some of those cards.