7-Port USB Hub with ON/Off Switch, Black

Just testing out this unit right now. It's great so far, has recognized every device I have attached. This includes:*A Logitech Wireless Mouse M325 with Designed-For-Web Scrolling - Light Silver (910-002332): at first I was dubious this would work for some reason but it did, and it works just like if it was attached to one of the main usb ports.*A cheap (but great) generic usb keyboard I bought a couple of weeks ago.*A WD Elements 1 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive WDBAAU0010HBK-NESN: this one uses it's own power supply so I don't know how it would behave if it was one of the newest ones that don't need the external power.I don't particularly like the leds as a matter of preference but the ones on this unit aren't too shiny as have been described on other usb hubs on Amazon. I guess it's also better to have them than not to since I could just tape over them if they become too annoying.All of this has been tested under Ubuntu Linux, so it should work on Windows too. That said, if something doesn't work quite right when I log on Windows I will update this review.Great unit at an unbeatable price. Can't get better than this: 5 stars!NEXT DAY UPDATE: I forgot to include my smartphone on the device connectivity test I performed yesterday. This hub just got better! I have the hub connected to a usb with powershare enabled and that same usb port couldn't recognize my smartphone (Galaxy S Captivate) as a mass storage device when connected directly to it, even with powershare disabled on the bios. Not anymore! Connecting it to the usb hub it is recognized as a mass storage device just as it should.I initially didn't care that much for the on/off switch but they are a nice addition that I will use regularly. I have a hdmi to rca converter (that doesn't have it's own on/off switch) that sometimes needs more power than the one provided through hdmi, now I can leave it connected to the hub and just turn on the port when needed. This helps me to accomplish what I wanted to do all along: more than having more usb ports, I wanted to FREE UP all the usb ports of my laptop, so when I'm going to move it around I just have to disconnect one and I'm all set. I'm using 5 ports of the 7 provided and there doesn't seem to be any reduced performance or functionality.As it stands this hub just has to stand the test of time to keep the 5 star score.

Here's a two-part rating. The first and most important concerns its attributes as a device (data-moving) hub. I'm quite happy with it in this capacity, due to the following benefits:Pros* Compact form factor* Cool blue lights for each active port (the blue is more saturated and slightly darker than a blue coneflower, if that helps)* One on/off switch per port (so you can temporarily disable individual devices from being enumerated or unnecessarily powered up)* All seven ports work (kind of a base requirement, but I'm pleased that they all do)* Automatic driver installation in Win7/64 (and presumably other OSes as well)* Black case (goes better with my other components)* Positive engagement of the USB-A plugs (not loose at all, but not difficult to insert)Cons* Just discovered today that it doesn't supply a huge amount of power for charging. I was attempting to recharge a small 1500mAh backup battery and running two other devices -- a wired keyboard and a wireless mouse (the dongle for it). When I started charging the battery, the mouse jerked around and then stopped working. This abated when I used the hub's convenient switch to turn off the battery. I've plugged in the hub to a 5v power supply to remedy this.* Minor: the device is lightweight and thus is capsized by the cables I have plugged into it. This is a nit not worth docking a point for, rather just an FYI in case this sort of thing matters to you.* Some people may find the LEDs a bit bright (then again, it gets flipped over by cables, so the LEDs don't aim up, anyway).Other thoughtsThe power issue is a little annoying, but I'll live. I won't dock the device a star for this, but it is something future buyers should be aware of.----And here's where the review from the standpoint of a hub ends. Read on, if you want to try using this device to share peripherals between two computers by way of swapping plugs.The integral USB-A cable, rather than a USB-B socket with a B-male or mini-male to A-male cable supplied, slightly derails my original game plan for swapping peripherals between two computers using two interchanged USB-mini male plugs (one each per computer). I clearly see this pictured on the item page, and thus I won't be dropping any points from the rating of a fine piece of equipment. This is just a heads-up for those of you who might want to use this excellent hub like I plan to. I have purchased USB A (female) to USB A (male) extensions and all is well. I just switch manually, which beats a KVM that ultimately does unpredictable things or enforces keyboard emulation.

It's Worked well for years now, over 5 years now. Constructed well, plastic sturdy with a solid feel. On/off switches are firm to press but not hard. Light up well to indicate on/off status. The USB card is a little short so you have to be fairly close to the PC. It does not come with a power card and it needs to be powered otherwise it causes issues with the Computer.