Windows Phone Thoughts: Add USB Host Ports to Your Pocket PC

Twin Paradox and Cypress Semiconductor have announced a Compact Flash card which adds two independent USB hosts to a Pocket PC. I recently posted about a product in the same category, albeit it used serial communication. It's easy to forget that what makes all these Pocket PC peripherals possible is an underlying operating system that has had all the nescessary hooks integrated for a long, long time. Beauty of standards! Check out Jenneth's comments in her Compact Flash USB host adapter for Windows Mobile 2003 article.

"Features
• Adds two independent USB Host ports to your Pocket PC
• Supports standard-A USB Host connectors
• Dongle-less Type I CompactFlash Card design
• Pocket PC supplies USB low power to each Host port (5v @ 100ma)
• Provides full USB Host Port power to each port with AC adapter (5v @ 500ma)
• Internal Power Auto-Switch (Switches CF Card and USB Host power from Pocket PC power to AC adapter power automatically.)

Includes
• SolarExpress® PDA CF Card
• USB Host extension cable
• Installation Guide
• CD-ROM with CF USB Host Card driver
• AC adapter (optional use)

Specifications
• Compliant with USB 1.1 specifications (audio microphone, speakers and video webcams supported on future driver release)
• 2 USB Host port connectors on CF Card
• 5 Volt DC Power Jack for full USB Host power support
• 12 Mbps maximum transfer rate
• Windows Mobile 2003 Plug n Play
• Runs off Pocket PC power

System Requirements
• Windows Mobile 2003 (Pocket PC 2003)
• Pocket PC with 16 bit CompactFlash slot
• ActiveSync 3.7 or higher"