How to add an internal USB hub to a UMPC

If you've been hankering for a way to void your UMPC warranty, or just want to add a touch more utility while getting down and dirty with a soldering iron, this here hack may be the one that fits the bill. Facing the daunting task of shoving an internal USB hub into the already cramped confines of a TabletKiosk eo, thoughtfix managed to not only burn his fingers, add a few ventilation holes, and sharpen those wiring skills, but he also stuffed a three-port USB hub within his UMPC. Apparently, the internal WiFi / Bluetooth module's USB interface can be tapped into to provide a way for a hub to be installed, and while two of the three ports remain open, a 2GB Sony Micro Vault Tiny was plugged into one connector for ReadyBoost usage. 'Course, the actual process of rigging this up is far too complicated for this space, but if you're feelin' froggy, jump on down and give the read link a bit of your time.

[Via Hack-A-Day]

[Mike Higginbotham @ Sep 3rd 2007 9:22PM]

I love what ingenuity does in a person. Way cool hack.

[rasengan @ Sep 3rd 2007 9:32PM]

It is too risky to open up a device that is new and in warranty period. But I like this guy courage to open up some new device. Way to go..... Hehehehhehehe

[Clark H. @ Sep 3rd 2007 9:36PM]

You guys don't read Hackaday, do you...


http://www.hackaday.com/2007/09/01/add-usb-ports-and-a-flash-drive-to-you-umpc/

[Clark H. @ Sep 3rd 2007 9:37PM]

wait....

[Blake @ Sep 3rd 2007 9:55PM]

How about one of those tiny rf receivers? The kind that are only a few millimeters longer than the usb connector.

[Blake @ Sep 3rd 2007 9:57PM]

like this:

http://gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2007/07/logitech_VXNano2.jpg

[Javi @ Sep 3rd 2007 10:22PM]

If u can afford it do it !

[themxtr @ Sep 3rd 2007 10:34PM]

w00t

[Alexandre Ste-Marie @ Sep 3rd 2007 10:44PM]

Now I need to buy a UMPC...

[Dan (thoughtfix) @ Sep 3rd 2007 10:46PM]

Thank you very much for the link, Engadget. The other two USB ports are planned for an SD card reader and an RF receiver for some kind of media remote. I have to find the right remote: my Keyspan Presentation Remote's dongle was a LITTLE too big.

Thanks for the comments, readers. The warranty JUST expired a couple months ago (I was a WAY early adopter on the UMPC side.)

[strider_mt2k @ Sep 4th 2007 8:03AM]

Definitely Engadget-Worthy.

Kudos and thanks again!

[Chris Rhein @ Sep 3rd 2007 11:30PM]

Nice!

[Teong @ Sep 3rd 2007 11:38PM]

I shall never do this ...

[Addison Dent @ Sep 3rd 2007 11:58PM]

cool

[Ian @ Sep 4th 2007 12:25AM]

There goes your warranty...

[Emre @ Sep 4th 2007 12:26AM]

Nice hack Dan, but you decreased the coolness factor by admitting the warranty had expired. :D

[Daniel Gentleman @ Sep 4th 2007 12:33AM]

Hahaha. Thanks, but as a UMPC blogger, I wouldn't hack an in-warranty UMPC unless I already had the next one in line. I pre-ordered the HTC Shift from Dynamism and hope to be one of the first few to get one.

[Quinn Richter @ Sep 4th 2007 1:08AM]

Cool another hack

[Chris Lucas @ Sep 4th 2007 2:13AM]

Hack a day is awesome.

[Thierry Olthuis @ Sep 4th 2007 2:14AM]

Funny. Is your mouse half the size of your UMPC.. :P

[Nadim @ Sep 4th 2007 3:14AM]

Wow, looks cool.

[daniel.buckley @ Sep 4th 2007 6:57AM]

looks... fun?

[strider_mt2k @ Sep 4th 2007 8:02AM]

i've already gushed about my own project that was inspired by thoughfix's awesome work over on his site and on hack-a-day.

i've been a reader over there on hack-a-day for years and years, and the projects are _always_ cool to read about no matter what they are.

in fact, to pay tribute to hack-a-day i didn't use any caps in this post. :p

[dj-kenpo @ Sep 4th 2007 12:09PM]

I noticed your name over on hack a day.

one day i really need to post photos of my own laptop hacks...

[Tom Green @ Sep 4th 2007 7:16PM]

Very Cool

[sohbet @ Sep 12th 2007 9:21PM]

sohbet

[sohbet @ Sep 12th 2007 9:28PM]

sohbet odasi