Windows Phone Thoughts: Dual USB CF Adaptor Available Soon

Have you ever wanted to attach a USB device to your Pocket PC? Something like, a USB hard drive, a CD-RW or DVD drive, full sized USB keyboard, Mouse, USB Printer etc? Well, we just heard from Twin Paradox that their compact flash USB twin host port adapter is going into production and will available in June though their on-line store for $89. The features and specification include:

• 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.)
• 5 Volt DC Power Jack for full USB Host power support
• Compliant with USB 1.1 specifications (audio microphone, speakers and video webcams supported on future driver release)



Obviously not every USB device will be usable with this adaptor without specially written drivers. However, there are a large number of devices that can be used straight off. These include the USB HID Class (keyboards and mice), USB Printer Class (printer surprisingly enough) and USB Storage Class (FAT formatted USB Flash Hard drives & USB Hard drives). Twin Paradox have a list and an overview of what you can do with the adaptor, here. So, if you Pocket PC does not come with a USB slot (i.e. most of them), then you now have options. Options are good. Now, lets see if they can keep the drivers for this adaptor up to date, to support all the nice toys to plug into it.