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MSI might be a good product; however, what's their service backup like?

I'm considering getting either the MSI Wind U90 (14.8K) or Acer Aspire One (17.4K)
What's the better choice?

My notebook(Lenovo S10) has only two USB ports, in order to expand the USB ports, I am about to buy a 4-port USB hub.

I have come across iBall USB hubs:

1. High speed 4-port hub


2. Ultra slim 4-port USB hub


(pictures from: http://www.iball.co.in/Product.aspx)

First is USB 2.0 while the second one is only USB 1.1. Apart from being slow is there any disadvantage of going in for the second(as this one is sleeker than the first one and both happen to have both same specifications)

Thank you.

Raj.

Trust me Raj, 2.0 or 1.1, do NOT buy a USB hub that does not have its own adaptor/power supply. Logitech has an excellent one and I can vouch for it.

Sam,
I didnt quite understand what you meant by that. As per the specification sheet of the iBall USB hubs they are Self powered. What is the difference?

A self powered USB hub draws all its power from the computers USB port to where its connected. However, many devices might fail to work when connected to the self powered USB hub as they sometimes require more power that this self powered hub can provide.

An external powered hub is best as it draws power from an external power supply and can provide full power to all the USB ports on the hub.

lo... i am confused now!!! (as usual in team-bhp:D)
The self powered ones are useful when I am traveling. Also reduces an extra cable(My laptop bag has a collection of them!!!)

The following devices I will be using with my notebook as of now:
1. One optical mouse(I may replace this one with a wireless mouse in future but still the new mouse set requires an USB port ).
2. One external DVD drive.
3. Digital signature key.
4. Wireless USB data card.
5. 4GB pendrive / 30GB apple ipod.

While i dont regularly use all the 5 at a time, but using 3 & 4, I will be requiring 2 or 5 and 1.

Assuming that the DVD drive takes up lot of power, I will dedicate one of two USB ports to the DVD drive and the other to the USB hub. In that case, the following will have to depend on the USB hub:
1, 3, 4, 5.

3 & 4 are the most important ones which can not be ignored while others can be managed, as most often I will be using 3 & 4 with 1. (actually i tried finding a express slot compatible data card for internet, but no luck there)

Will the Self Powered USB hub be suitable with the above mentioned combinations?

Raj.

choice is between carrying an extra power cable and having a power surge at your usb port and a possible damage to your laptop.

I use a non powered one too, but the devices connected to it have their own power.

Hi,

I have started facing this problem lately and would like some help regarding the following problem.

A few days back I realised that opening facebook in IE was getting more and more difficult. After filling in Password and stuff the browser gets stuck on redirecting and doesnt moove forward. And if i opened it from my email (by clicking on the link provided in email notification) it did open.

Now from today onwards my mail account also gets stuck half way whilst opening.

Please note the other websites open happily and very fast.

Is there something in settings which I need to change? Please advice. For information i am using Airtel unlimited plan

Thanks

kkr2k2, the device which will often not work with a bus powered USB hub is the small (2.5 inch) external HDD.
Full size HDDs have their own power supply and use only the signal pins of the USB connection without drawing any power from the socket. Ditto the external DVD drives. Pen drives do not really pose a problem. I have no idea what the data card requires. You'd have to try it out.

If your laptop has PCI slots you'd be best off with a PCI card 4 port USB hub.
Some of these can tap off extra power from the laptop USB ports via a lead that is supplied.

I felt weird of the timing of the happening, just the first week when i had no AV or Anti-Spyware. No defence as such. That was b/c I found the system run smooth w/o them. I wouldn't have come across a virus, had it not been for the USB drives!
Re-installed windows after deleting all system restore/.exe and setup files from all drives using BartPE and now the CPU is running fine no data files effected.
Thought of loosing the data was a nightmare though. The first thing I did after re-installing windows was to back up the data.

I have a bad experience with a USB powered external HDD. It crashed twice when data over 1 gb was being copy pasted. That never after switching to an external powered case.

I doubt whether my notebook has one, but it has an express card slot. Did a google search, it appears I cant get one which goes into an express card slot here in India. Also the one which is shown on in the google search has its own disadvantages.

Everything will run slower and will not be reliable, especially that DVD writer. If you want your USB devices to work properly buy a hub with external power. Take it from a man who has experimented aplenty with this crap.

Your Yetiship, here is one who has burnt no less than 500 CDs/DVDs with the Plextor writer connected to a bus powered hub on a Sony VAIO laptop!
All 500 were not successful burns however; about 20 or 25 failed. But I think that is a fairly common failure rate. :)

Hi,

I am planning to purchase studio 14 with the following configurations. Could you please guide me whether the deal is OK and whether should i go for dell studio 15 or studio 14 is good because as per style i like studio 14 but it didn't have much features.

Many Thanks
Abdul

You have not mentioned the configuration and studio 14 has everything which a 15 has.
I got studio 14 a month back and its a very good machine.