I got sick of having to pull USB cables out of my computer everytime I needed to free up a plug for my printer, and I realized that this is exactly what I needed. So far I am loving this thing. It has freed up alot of clutter on my desk and you can't put a price on the time it has saved me from never having to unplug USB cables again. Also, it will power up any devices you have that are powered through USB such as a rechargable mouse. This is important as some USB hubs don't have this feature. The blue lights on it are also cool. It even has a plug for an AC adaptor, in case you need to plug devices into it without it being plugged into a computer.

There's nothing too fancy about this little hub but it does the job. I thought the blue lights would be exciting but they turned out to be the most annoying feature since I can't get three of them to stop blinking when a device is attached. The manual is sparce and doesn't mention why this happens nor can I find any info on the Targus website, either. It has a flat side which makes it easy to mount under my work desk and keep clutter down a little. There are better choices out there but I made mine and I'll keep it for a while.

This hub works great! Easy installation. No fuss! That's the way things ought to be!!

This is a very compact, well-built USB hub which worked right out of the box with both Windows XP and 2000.

It was purchased for 1) it's price and 2) it's size. The hub is well-worth the money and more of these hubs are in order for the other computers around the house. Of course, the small size means that it is easily dragged around by the movement of any cord attached to it. Some Velcro or double-stick tape might be useful to hold the hub in place.

One possible disadvantage to this hub is that there is no option to plug in an external power supply. This limits the total amount of power that can be used by the devices plugged into the hub. To help with this, the hub comes with a Y cable and can be plugged into two ports on the computer. On the "computer-side" of the cable, the black connector provides both power and data to the hub. Optionally, you can plug in the red connector to provide additional power to the hub.

This thing works really well- however, you have to plug in two USB plugs (they do come with it) if you plan on charging an iPod on it. Otherwise the iPod looses battery faster than it can charge it.

So I read other reviews, and took a chance. I have yet to need the power supply that comes with it, so it is really portable so far. I like the feature that you may unclip part of the adapter that swings out so I can actually lay the device flat when it is plugged into my laptop.

I bought this to solve my probem of ever dwindling supply of USB ports. This product has a very long cord on it which is very helpful. I would recommend purchasing it.

I bought this Targus powered 4-port mini-hub blind, mostly on Targus's reputation. The Targus has readily visible lights on active ports. Works right out of the box. Needing a second hub, I opted for a powered 4-port mini-hub by APC, again based on APC's reputation. The APC hub costs about $10 more and does not perform nearly as well. The APC has no lights on active ports. In addition, the APC runs very hot; I will not be surprised to see it burn itself out. I would give the APC about a 3-star rating.

Actually, I've probably had it for a year and a half now.

Pros:
- For the most part this product has functioned quite well
- Most of the ports still work (6 of 7)
- Design is nice, I like having output and power on one side and ports on the other for space purposes.
- Outlasted my other hub (can't remember the make or model - I threw it away some time ago)

Cons:
- One of the ports stopped working about three months ago.
- Everytime I start my computer I have to unplug and replug at least one or more of the devices in the hub to get them to work. For instance, when I start the computer and the mouse and keyboard are already plugged into the hub, they will not work until unplugging them and plugging them back in. This is consistent - EVERY time I turn on or restart my computer this has to be done. Kind of a pain.

This is very well designed. It give you 4 USB Port but two on opposite sides. This is very clever becase you have plug in devices from both sides. You webcam or cell on your left and your mouse and number pad on your right. The cord that plug in from the Hub to the Computer is very sterdy yet flexible so you can not only adjust the Hub in all kind of angles, it would stay at that angle and not twist all around you wires. It also works great if you jsut want to charge you USB devices on the go. It come with a plug in AC adapter so you don't need to bring your computer along with you to charge youd devices.

I,ve seen complaints about the ac adapter you "must" plug in. Hey guys, try it without an outside energy source, I just hope I,m not gonna fry something but it seems to work fine just plugged into a powered USB port. I have a VERY high end system though with wattage to sprare, but no more PCI slots, Damn 7900 512 gtx graphics cards, why do 2 of em have to take up so much room. Oh well, trade offs are a bi---, but a reality and 7 extra USB slots are awfully nice.

This review pertains specifically to the Targus PAUH217U 4 Port Ultra Mini USB 2.0 Hub.
The cord is about 2.5 feet long - long enough to reach from my pc, which sits on the ground, to the top of the desk. It has a cable which is split into two USB plugs - one just to transmit data, the second to power the unit. The second plug does not need to be used unless you plan on using some heavy-duty hardware, and if so what are you buying a hub called the ultra mini for anyways? If you insist on trying to run a blow dryer off the thing, then it does have an input for a separate power source, which you will have to buy separately.

In short, If you have an old school machine with USB ports which are inaccessible /inconvenient to use, this little hub will give you quick access while taking up minimal space on your desk.

I would like to believe that this hub works well- but I wouldn't know. I bought it to reduce clutter on my desk from all my devices hooking into my powermac. I hooked up my printer, ipod and digital camera and nothing happened. I called Targus and they said I needed an a/c adaptor. It doesn't come with one and doesn't say anything about one in the manual or instructions, or their website. They said I could get it at radio shack and gave me the info (5 volt, 2.1 amp, center positive). I've been to two radio shacks and online- they don't carry it. I'm upset. Any advice?

It's speedy and space saving and inexpensive. I bought this to replace my Belkin because the Belkin needed to be plugged in. This one is powered by your computer so there's no extra power cords, which is a big plus to me.

The only thing I dislike about this is the fact that the Hub takes up two Usb ports instead of just one like the Belkin.

PROS

Small
Cute
Self-powered - comes with a power adaptor. I have 6 devices hooked up to it, including 2 USB Hard Drives, and it works fine without the adapter - a big plus for me. Most hubs would not work with this setup.
USB 2.0 & 1.1 - 6 devices hooked up, 3 low speed and 3 high speed, all work very well.
Runs cool.

CONS

Not sure why, but they put the 7 ports on one side of the hub and power/uplink ports on the other. This is dumb. If you have the hub on a desk it looks awkward. All ports should be on the back and leds on the front. Here, the leds are next to each port which makes them completely useless as you don't see them.
The hub is very light so when you have lots of devices hooked up the font gets a elevated.

Overall, the best hub I've ever had and I tried many.

First off, note that Amazon has grouped together reviews from a number of different Targus hubs. That's why you see references to USB 1 versus USB 2, some people with 4 ports and some with 8. This review is for the Targus PA050U USB 2.0 High-Speed Hub (4-port).

The positive:

--It functions. However, almost all USB hubs do that, so that can't really be the basis for a rating.

--I do like the glowing blue lights when a device is plugged in and powered. (And it matches my Saitek Eclipse keyboard, which also has a blue glow. Unfortunately, the hub ended up on my tower underneath my desk because of the cord length, so I can't even see it).

The negative:

--The cord! It's not even three feet! Make sure you measure the distance you'd like your cord to travel before purchasing this hub. It's about 2 feet 9 inches. I wanted to put this hub on my desk, but the cord is not long enough to make it there from the back of the computer. For the price of this hub, I shouldn't have to buy a longer cord.

--It weighs almost nothing, which means it won't stay where you want it to. Plus, the cord it comes with is fairly rigid, which means that the direction of the cord determines where your hub points. I grant that the weight is a positive for those who carry it around with a laptop, but it is not good for someone who wants it to sit somewhere semi-permanently. Another reviewer had the great idea to use velcro; I will have to take that suggestion.

Overall, it does what it's supposed to, but doesn't every hub? The difference is in the details, and this hub's short cord and feather weight are disappointing. Three stars for a desktop user. I'd probably give it four or five stars if I were a laptop user, since the short cord and light wieght would be great.

It's a simple device, so there's not to say about it other than it does the job. You should note that the LEDs on the device remain lit as long as the device is plugged into your PC and the PC is powered (they glow a bright blue).

You will appreciate this product only if you don't have enough USB ports. In my case, I had plenty of ports, but needed an extension cable, which would help me in plugging the flash drives, whithout bending down and plunging into the cave of wires(I keep my CPU, under the table).The only complaint I have is the the wire lenght is not long enough.
Overall good value for price.

This hub takes care of old power issues I had with smaller (unpowered hubs). It is handling my pda, usb jump drive, high capacity external drive, and printer. And I still have 3 more ports. And I haven't had any USB power alerts from my computer since I added this hub. It does what it says.

everything it claimed to be. plenty of ports. lights to tell you which are active. no problems

Stopped working for reasons unbeknownst to me in less than 60 days.
Simple product, poorly on reliability.

My experiences with this device are great. It's small, so it doesn't take up much room, and one can plug just about any USB device they want into it. My only complaints, if any, were that the ports on the hub were kind of stiff when i first plugged things into it, and it takes a second for things like mice and controllers to load, for lack of a better word.

I bought this in late January of this year and it fell apart last night. I plugged it in the day after I got it and I have not moved it until I went to dust (yes, I only dust 2 or 3 times a year) and the USB connection just fell out. I will be contacting the company.

This Item is great it even has lights on it when it is pluged in to a computer trust me if your thinking about buying this do it.

The 4 Port Slim USB 2.0 Hub is a very compact and portable USB 2 hub. I was able to easily plug in the device and attach my printer, headset, and mouse, which all worked fine without using the AC adaptor. The design works nicely, with 2 ports on either side which makes plugging everything in easier. Matching these characteristics to an affordable price, I am very satisfied with this product.

I just bought this hub and it is amazing! When it is connected to a computer that is turned on, it lights up and it looks awesome. Plus, it actually works, unlike some of the other brands. The only bad thing about it, which only some people care about, is that it doesn't come with a plug. It still lights up without it, so I don't know why they even added a port to this great product from Targus.

This is a great little hub...I have 2 7 porter's and they work great...much better than the others...no name needed.

A get It ! from me ***** five stars

The "See more technical details" link indicates

Standards: USB (1.1, 2.0)

However, the hub is USB 1.1, not 2.0. The cable, size, and function are nice, but the description should be clear that transfers will not be at USB 2.0 speeds. An e-mail response from Targus after receiving the product included:

The Targus Ultra Mini 4-Port USB Hub Model # PA055U
is a USB 1.1 hub. It does not support USB 2.0.

At this point in time, a USB 2.0 alternative was what I was looking for, and what I would recommend.

This hub seems to work fine, but it is not a high-speed USB 2.0 hub, despite the on-line technical specifications. (The packaging doesn't say anything about USB 2.0 either.)

I chose this just because I wanted something cheap. I have heard bad things about some other brands overheating or having various problems, but I have been using this a few months and found no problems whatsoever.

It remains room temperature and has had no bandwidth or power problems for me. It appears to have a place to connect a power supply (not included), but that doesn't seem to be listed as a feature so I cannot guarantee it. It has two USB plugs so you can get the power from a second USB port if you need it. I have only needed one. My only complaint with the device is having that extra plug sitting around (attached to the cord), but of course that isn't a problem if you use it.

It's cheap and it works, so I recommend this item.

This is a great product at a great price. I bought one of these for my laptop to add to the number of USB ports available. I liked it so much, I bought another for my desktop to simply make the ports more accessible. The supplied cord is plenty long to reach the desktop on the floor and then I simply Velcro'ed the Targus to my desk to make plugging and unplugging USB devices much more convenient. The Targus works right out of the box, no install required and it works on every computer I've tried -- no problems. I must confess, the blue LED's look pretty cool too!

I just got this item after reading just some of the confusing reviews and other positive ones.

It was inexpensive and worth the buy.

Upon getting it I unplugged by Logitech webcam and plugged in the targus. I then plugged in mouse, digi camer and webcam and it worked as smooth as silk. It is most recommended!

Works great!!

The concept is great, use one USB port on the back to connect to the Targus USB Hub, and then from there you can plug in four additional USB devices.

The problem I had with my Win98 SE machine, was when the Targus USB Hub was attached at bootup, my PC would not boot at all. Unplug the connection (either from hub itself or back of PC) and the computer boots fine. Once up, I can reconnect the USB cable to the Hub and use all connected devices, but then I have to unplug before shutdown or right before start-up which is a pain in the arse.

Hey, if you have a solution, then email me at wilkc@yahoo.com.

I have two of these hubs on two different machines, and they have both performed flawlessly with a wide variety of USB devices. Buy with confidence. On the other hand, two out of the eight blue LEDs have perished - though this had no effect on the real function. Everything considered, good value for the small price.

Just started using it, everything just about fine and dandy except it is not USB 2 compatable. Part of the reson I bought it is because I thought it was (said so in the tech specs) but it doesn't seem to work, or at least it gives out warnings (Win XP).
But for this price its still not bad and it turns out I can rearange some stuff so USB 1 is sufficient for me at the moment.