  
|
 |
|
|
| EasiDock 300F USB Port Replicator |
| Mobility Electronics |
|
Price:
$150 |
| Coolness
score: 6 |
| Ease
of use: 8 |
|
| A small package that gives you every port imaginable for connectivity, plus it reads Flash Media cards (Compact Flash and IBM Microdrive cards). If you've got an older notebook that's missing some newwer ports, or just want some additional ports to add to your notebook, this is a great device to get. |
| USB 4-port mini hub |
| Keyspan |
|
Price:
$35 |
| Coolness
score: 7 |
| Ease
of use: 10 |
|
| A very small mini hub for your laptop, you can plug four USB devices into the hub, plus add more hubs for more connectivity. This is especially nice if you only have one or two USB ports on your laptop, and you want to plug in a lot of different devices, like a USB mouse, a printer, scanner, digital camera, or other “Cool Yule Tools” that you’re testing. The hub is small enough to throw into your laptop bag without adding extra weight or bulk. Additionally, the hub works in both “bus mode,” and in “self-powered” mode, which means you can use it with the power cord or without. The only thing that’s a downside the USB cable of the hub itself is very small, making it a little difficult to hook up your other cords if you’re working in a tight space. But it’s only a small gripe. |
| FriendlyNet Cable/DSL Router (4-port) |
| Asante |
|
Price:
$179 |
| Coolness
score: 6 |
| Ease
of use: 9 |
|
| A 4-port 10/100M bit/sec router used for sharing a single broadband connection with up to 253 computers. Features include Web-based administration, a NAT-based firewall for security, a parallel port for printer sharing and modem backup in case the DSL or Cable connection goes down. The device support IPSec and PTPP traffic for those that need to connect to a corporate VPN. We tested the device by connection a video source streaming at 1M bit/sec across the router to a laptop running NT 4.0. It worked flawlessly. The plastic case is a bit on the cheap-feeling side, but Asante builds its product line to stack on top of one another. |
| 3Com Bluetooth
Wireless PC Card and 3Com Bluetooth USB adapter |
| 3Com |
 |
Price:
$150 for either the PC Card or the
USB adapter |
| Coolness
score: 8 |
| Ease
of use: 10 |
|
| Bluetooth has taken its share of knocks, but when you see it in action the practicality of this point-to-point, limited distance wireless technology is apparent. 3Com offers two Bluetooth adapters, one a $150 PC Card with a pop-out, flip up antenna, and the other a $169 self contained device for USB ports that is about 2/3 the size of a hot dog. The latter, which has a clever flip up antenna, is designed to be carried around in a briefcase. Pretty neat, but you need the software too so it isn't likely you'll be swapping this from machine to machine unless you don't have a free PC Card slot for the more sensible card version. The real beauty of the 3Com Bluetooth implementation is in the software, which is the same for both products. You can get this stuff up and running in a heartbeat and immediately start swapping files. The products require Windows 98 or newer. I tried the card in a Compaq Presario running Windows Millenium Edition and the USB device on a Presario running Windows 2000. The only instructions are printed on the CD folder: drop in CD, install card/USB device, load software. You're then asked to name your PC and pick a password. In use, you launch the software and it scans for other devices and returns icons representing each one and their respective names. To send a file you drag it over the icon for that device, which launches a pop up asking for the password of that device that you need to get from the device owner. Before transmission begins the intended recipient gets a pop up saying, essentially, "X is trying to send you Y, do you want to accept?" I sent a 4.6M byte MP3 file in a minute and a half. To gauge range, I walked one machine about 60 feet away and still managed to get the attention of the other machine. So, where would you use this? The key benefit would be for impromptu file sharing at meetings or, say, printing something off on someone else's printer. The beauty is it is peer-to-peer and doesn’t require network access or permissions. Another nifty application: seat-to-seat communications on airplanes. Apparently the FAA has approved use of Bluetooth. |
| 4-port cable/DSL gateway router |
| Belkin |
|
Price:
$138 |
| Coolness
score: 8 |
| Ease
of use: 9 |
|
| An easy-to-use home cable/DSL router. Within 10 minutes of opening
the box, our network was up and running. Not only is it easy
to install, the Belkin SOHO Networking device makes it a snap
to share files and printers. |
Apply for your free subscription to Network World. Click here.
 
Request a reprint or permission to use this article.
 |
|
|
|
Responsible for insuring the safety of your network?
NWFusion offers two FREE security e-mail newsletters to help you keep your enterprise network
secure.
Click here to sign-up.
Three free and easy ways to bring Network World's in-depth editorial content to your own Web site.
Learn more |
