Orange Micro has announced a 4-port USB 2.0 PC card for both Wintel and Mac laptops. The new card allows portable users to take advantage of the emerging USB 2.0 standard, and the large number of ports eliminates the needs for users to travel with a USB hub or repeater. According to Orange Micro:
Once again Orange Micro has taken the lead in developing USB 2.0 Hi-Speed products. Added to their USB 2.0 Hi-Speed product line is their OrangeUSB 2.0 Hi-Speed CardBus PC Card. This exciting new product will have 4 USB 2.0 ports which may eliminate the need for purchasing a USB hub in most user circumstances. It will have a data transfer rate of up to 480 mbits/sec, which is 40 times faster than the older USB 1.1 technology. Also, it will be backward compatible with all USB 1.1 peripherals. This means the user can mix and match older and newer USB devices. The OrangeUSB 2.0 card is capable of supporting up to 127 USB devices to a single PC or Macintosh notebook and is Plug & Play and USB 2.0 compliant.
Art Scotten, founder and CEO of Orange Micro observed, "USB 2.0 Hi-Speed represents a technological quantum leap forward. Users will be able to invest in our new Hi-Speed interface cards, connect all their current USB devices, and be ready for the ultra fast USB 2.0 products when they hit the market."
The OrangeUSB 2.0 Hi-Speed Product Series
Orange Micro has completed development of three other USB 2.0 Hi-Speed products in their OrangeUSB 2.0 Hi-Speed Product Series. (1) The OrangeUSB PCI Board has 4 external and 1 internal USB 2.0 Hi-Speed ports. (2) The popular combination board, the OrangeLink+ FireWire/USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, sports 2 external and 1 internal FireWire ports, in combination with 3 external and 1 internal USB 2.0 Hi-Speed ports. (3) The OrangeUSB Hub has 4 USB 2.0 Hi-Speed ports that will support USB 1.1 legacy peripherals simultaneously with newer USB 2.0 Hi-Speed technology products.
The card should be available in March for under US$100. You can find more information at the Orange Micro web site.