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151 of 156 found the following review helpful:
 Why user-centred design really works. Jan 12, 2005
By John Jones
The Kensington 7 Port USB 2.0 Dome Hub is a superb piece of user-centred design.
For years I've used USB ports that technically did their job, but failed in other areas. Take the most recent that I've been using - made by GE, it suffers from design flaws that are truly infuriating. First, there is not enough space between the USB port sockets, so that USB leads that have fat plugs cannot be plugged in next to each other. Secondly, the unit is so light (despite being a seven-port hub) that it slides around my desk whenever I move one of the leads that are plugged into it. It might work technically as a hub, but as a piece of useful technology it's hopeless. It has quite clearly never actually been tested by a real end-user in a working environment.
The Kensington 7 Port USB 2.0 Dome Hub, on the other hand, is superbly designed. Its rounded shape means that the USB lead plugs are adequately separated and all the ports can accommodate a lead with a fat plug. One of the ports is conveniently located right at the top of the dome, perfect positioning for items that are frequently plugged and unplugged, such as pen drives. And, the unit is heavily weighted, and never slides around my desk. And, it looks superb as well. Highly recommended.
176 of 188 found the following review helpful:
Plugs don't stay in Feb 04, 2005
By Karen Wallace
It's very cute, and I like the way the LEDs light up when something is plugged in and blink when data is going through. However, I have a few complaints.
1) The plugs don't go all the way in because the ports are set parallel to the base, not perpendicular to the surface. One side of the plug is seated all the way, but the other side isn't.
2) Plugged-in items slip out easily. The hub is behind my monitor where nothing moving touches it, yet I occasionally find that my printer is offline because the plug has slipped out of the hub.
96 of 100 found the following review helpful:
Is it OK to love a USB hub? Jul 02, 2006
By Greg Robertson
I don't usually get all misty about peripherals, but the Kensington 7-Port USB 2.0 Dome Hub solved a couple of major usability issues for me and is possibly the best, most intelligently thought out USB hub made. Why?
1) This hub replaced an older 4-port hub that had too few ports even when it was new. This makes me ask: Why do others even bother to make a 4-port desktop hub today? If you're on the fence as to whether it's worth spending $12 more to get 7 ports instead of 4, the answer is Yes, Yes, YES! Even if you don't use all 7 right away, at some point -- like when you need them most -- you'll be glad they are there.
2) This hub's dome design actually makes it more compact than my old 4-port hub, so it takes less desktop space while doing more work.
3) It's weighted, so it stays where I put it. As with other hubs sold even today, my old one was not weighted, so it moved whenever a USB cable did, which in turn often made cables come loose. But the Kensington Dome is rock steady and the cables stay put.
4) It worked instantly right out of the box, and still works flawlessly. Note that I run a Mac OS X system, so no driver was needed for this hub. If you run OS 9 or older, or a PC with Windows, you'll need to load the driver provided on a CD that comes in the package. I can't vouch for how it runs with those systems, but it worked so well with mine that I see no reason it shouldn't with yours.
Finally, keep in mind that although this is a USB 2.0 hub, if you plug it into a USB 1.1 computer port, like those in an older computer, it can only do USB 1.1 work. This may seem obvious, but unfortunately isn't to some, and it's an important point in order to give this little beauty it's due respect.
Go for it. You'll love it, too.
59 of 61 found the following review helpful:
 Oh, Kensington DomeHub, we could have had something really special... Apr 12, 2008
By D. R. Sidlinger
The idea of a weighted hub was very appealing to me. My last hub, a D-Link, spent a lot of time behind my desk. Apparently, most hub manufacturers have not been introduced to physics. Attaching a bunch of cables to a piece of plastic that weighs a few ounces makes sure that it won't ever stay put.
Alas, Kensington has broken my heart with the promise of this hub. I've only had it a couple of days and have noticed two problems.
The first, and most important, is that this hub supplies almost no power. I am able to use an external hard drive, but only if I don't connect any other devices. Using my wireless mouse causes my docked iPod to stop charging. Why in the world does this thing even plug into an electrical outlet?
Secondly, it seems to be very susceptible to interference. Transferring a large file over the wireless network starts making the mouse not respond and keyboard strokes to be missed. I tried the mouse receiver in another hub, and it seems to be something specific to the Kensington.
I've always been very satisfied with Kensington's products until now, but this thing doesn't even do a mediocre job. It should only be considered by people who don't use any bus-powered devices.
37 of 37 found the following review helpful:
Best USB hub I've ever had... May 02, 2005
By Eric Pruss
The best thing... it's about apound in weight, so it will not slide around.
Next best thing... it has a port on top, perfect for flashdrives.
It also comes with a nifty little LEF light on a flexible stalk, which is long enough to be attached to a rear port and still light up my keyboard/tablet (I like to do my graphics work in the dark).
I don't understand the complaints others have made about the ports... They firmly grip all my USB connectors... So tightly in fact, that they take a little extra effort to shove in, but not so much that it feels like I have the connector backwards.
And the one complaint someone had about the length of the USB cable also seems a little odd... The pigtailed connector is a couple feet long, and the box includes a nice long extension. 99% of users should be happy with this arrangement.
Not much else to say, except I am quite pleased with it... it's different looking and not ugly, and simply works... I guess if I were to change anything, I would put blue or white LEDs on it, instead of green, but that's a personal preference.
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