Still an option for us and for our customer is to distribute to the team a little USB fan – these great little products just plug into any spare USB port on your PC and away they go – you don’t need any batteries, you don’t need mains power and you don’t need to add them to the list of things that need PAT testing.  Nope, these cute little USB fans will generate a nice cooling breeze that will certainly help keep you cool and tempers in check. At only £3.45 each they are an absolute steal but if you’re buying them for the office there are packs of 5 USB fans available for only £17.99.

So if you’re feeling a little hot under the collar then either get yourself one of these USB fans or put the web page under the nose of your manager and just point out to them how much happier everyone would be with their own controllable fan!

DVI ports are common of PC’s and laptops. Laptops tend to feature a variant of this, which is called a Mini-DVI Port. Digital Video Input is referred to as DVI and it’s the preferred choice for sending video data over it’s predecessor, VGA (Video Graphics Accelorator). The reason is simple, the DVI is digital and thus carries a digital signal. This means you can watch High Defination movies and videos from your computer direct on your TV! Without the need for a Bluray player!

HDMI ports are common on LCD and Plasma TV’s. The reason for this is it also allows a digital signal to be sent through your your AV device such as an Xbox, PS3 or Bluray player.

The below should help you choose the right solution for you.

	Mini DisplayPort to DVI On most laptops you’ll find a Mini DVI port, these are especially common on Apple Macs. The port will enable you to add an additional display for an extended desktop. The Mini DisplayPort to DVI is an ideal solution, you’ll need a DVI cable with enough cable length to reach your monitor or TV. Most TV’s equally will feature at least one DVI, however if you TV does not have a DVI port located on the bottom you can simply choose our Mini DisplayPort to HDMI.
	Mini DisplayPort to HDMI You can find a HDMI on the reverse of an Xbox, PS3 or Bluray player. Additionally you can find one on the back of your TV. HDMI allows you to watch and play in High Definition! The Mini DisplayPort to HDMI is great for anyone wanting to hook up their computer direct to their TV. You must already have a Mini DisplayPort (Mini DVI) on your PC, Mac or laptop.
	USB 2.0 to DVI/HDMI/VGA Display Adapter This adapter allows you to connect your computer to an additional monitor or LCD/Plasma TV like the above but through a USB port. These devices support resolutions up to a massive 1920 x 1200 / 2048 x 1152! Comes complete with a DVI to HDMI adapter for flexibility. Supports DVI, VGA & HDMI. The USB 2.0 Graphic Adapter driver used to control the extra screen uses very little computer resource and offers a vast array of screen resolutions and color depths. This ensures that there is little difference in performance between a directly connected screen and a screen connected through the USB 2.0 Graphic Adapter.
	USB 2.0 Display Adapter DVI w/Audio The device is like the above but with two phono plugs (Coaxial) for transferring your computer’s sound. Especially handy for watching movies! Supports DVI, VGA & HDMI. The USB 2.0 Graphic Adapter driver used to control the extra screen uses very little computer resource and offers a vast array of screen resolutions and color depths. This ensures that there is little difference in performance between a directly connected screen and a screen connected through the USB 2.0 Graphic Adapter.

Okay, so you won’t save the planet with one of these alone but you can surely save yourself a lot of money – Up to 20% infact! If you’re spending £200 a quarter, that’s £800 a year on electricity… Imagine cutting that down to £600 p/a or even less!

The problem with using energy is you really don’t know what your using unless you’re on energy cards, even then you can’t really be sure of what your appliances are costing you. With this handy unit you can monitor every electrical appliance including… TV’s, DVD, Hi-Fi, Desk Lights, Dishwashers, Fridge Freezers, Microwave Ovens, Blenders, Food Processors, Kettles, Toasters, Telephones, Boilers, Heaters & Coolers, Home Gadgets, Electric Cookers, Electric Hobs, Coffee Machines, Tumble Dryers, Washing Machines etc.

Having the information instantly in front of you is an effective way of cutting back and saving energy:

• See instant cost in £/hour of the electricity used in your home
• See instant savings when you turn off an appliance or light
• Check the display before leaving the house and see if you have left something on!

How it works:

Discover and reduce the size of your carbon footprint! Buy a Wireless Electricity Monitor and start saving! Click here.

If nothing takes you fancy, then head over to the Stocking Fillers category… You’ll be sure to find that ideal gift. As well as this we’ve put together a Gifts for Him and a Gifts for Her section full of perfect for that loved one.

Gifts for Him

Gifts for Her

Lots of new stock arrived today. We’ve taken order or Satzuma products before, but these are something else…

Satzuma USB 2.0 Diamante Mouse

Doing a lot of shopping over the internet this Christmas? Then get this Diamante Mouse and surf in style!

As the packaging states… “A girl’s best friend”. They are of course not real diamonds but they sure do bling! The mouse is completely covered in pink and white diamonds. More importantly, it’s comfortable to hold in your hand and great for everyday use! An ideal Stocking Filler or gift. Brings a glimmer of hope to those of you who’s workstations are a little dim and depressing.

More info

Satzuma USB Mousepad Calculator with 2.0 Hub

You’ve seen mouse pads before, sure you’ve also seen calculators too… But not this one!

Very nifty USB calculator that doubles as a mousemat and a 4-Port USB 2.0 hub! You’re in no danger of accidentially pushing buttons whilst your mouse is in full flow over it’s smooth plastic body, they are pressure sensitive you see. Great for Stocking Fillers or for that person in your life that’s terrible at basic math and just can’t pry him/herself away from the computer.

You’ll find the full speed 2.0 USB port on the back and out of the way, this eliminatesthose messy cables hanging about.

More info

Satzuma Aqua 4-port USB 2.0 Hub & Phone Holder

Running out of desk space? Combine a place for you phone, extend those USB ports for ease of use and enjoy this novelty aqua hub/holder!

These 4 port USB hubs come with fish floating in or on their own little pond. But if you thought that was special enough in itself you thought wrong, yes siree. Because the Aqua USB Hubs also work as pen holder or mobile phone holders. It’s almost more excitement than one person can take. – seriously though a great little USB hub thats a little different!

More info

Because USB 2.0 is still so popular it may take years to fully phase it out. Manufacterers are reeling out USB 3.0 products almost as fast as the cable itself! USB 3.0 offers up to 10x fast data transfer than USB 2.0, now that’s quick! As well as this, our cable is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 so should you decide you want to keep that USB 2.0 device that’s fine.

So, get up to speed and be one of the first to get your hands on these cables. Our 2 metre version is just £9.99! Click here for more information or take a peek at the USB 3.0 demo below:

The Veho USB Microscope is perfect for the inquisitive among you who just have to know what stuff looks like really, really close up.

With a massive 200x magnification and photo capture and video recording options, this palm-sized USB microscope is fantastic and functional all-round fun for students, technical explorers or just having fun in your own microscopic world.

Adjust the brightness of the LEDs and the focus wheel to see your subject more clearly and capture photos and video using the snapshot button. Photos and footage are automatically saved within the software program, where you can make use of the editing tools, add the time and date, then save and share the finished file with friends and family.

Enjoy an exciting new dimension to your favourite hobby and add depth to your school projects by ordering the Veho USB Microscope today! It comes compete with the stand as shown!

Click here to buy now!

More specifically this article is tailored to laptops and the reason is simple, most laptops still have either an ExpressCard or PCMCIA slot! This allows us to add a host of different ports to your laptop that would normally be very costly. For example, you can add up to 4 (Sometimes even 6) extra USB ports without having to purchase a separate external hub. You can easily add Firewire, Multi-card readers, WIFI cards, eSATA and even old serial ports!

The first thing is to determine what you have… Is it an ExpressCard Slot or a PCMCIA Slot?

You can find this in your laptop manual, simply ask a friend or call us, we’ll be glad to help: 01604 684816. You’ll find Express Cards are the most common of slots available today. There are however, different sizes you’ll need to make note of when ordering. Please see below:

The most common  size is the 34 & 54mm slots. ExpressCard slot are hot-pluggable, meaning they can be activated by connecting them while the computer is on. The ExpressCard/54 is L-shaped with the external portion measuring 54 mm wide and the connector at 34 mm (same port as the ExpressCard/34). ExpressCards communicate with a higher bandwidth than a PCMCIA card because they function through both the PCI Express and USB 2.0 paths. Many laptop manufacturers incorporate an ExpressCard/54 slot into certain models, including Acer Aspire, Panasonic’s Toughbooks, and late-model Gateway notebooks.

18-in-1 Express Card – Memory Card Reader This APIOTEK 18 in 1 Express Card adapter (its a memory card reader/writer) £14.63

2 Port Firewire (i.Link) Express Card The card will provide you with 2 X High Speed Firewire 400 Ports to your laptop. £19.95

Firewire + USB 2.0 Express Card Adapter The Belkin N1 connects your notebook computer to your wireless network. £22.46

For more options, please click here.

We have two great options for making use of them!

1. Hard Drive Enclosures
   Hard Drive Enclosures (also known as Hard Drive Caddy’s) are rigid cases that Hard Disk Drives “sit” inside. They are designed to support standard Hard Disk Drives of all types and sizes and once installed inside the enclosure, the enclosure can be connected to the computer via USB, Firewire or e-SATA.We have a large range of Hard Drive Enclosures…

   HiPoint 3.5″ IDE USB 2.0 External HDD Enclosure The new HiPoint 3.5″ IDE USB 2.0 External HDD Enclosure offers an easy and fast way to add storage in the office or at home. Quick and simple installation allows you to instantly store and share music, videos, images and any other file(s). Simple setup and endless possibilities make the HiPoint 3.5″ IDE USB 2.0 External HDD Enclosure the perfect solution for your home and small office. The HiPoint 3.5″ IDE USB 2.0 External HDD Enclosure replaces many other devices and is designed to setup easily without network administrator knowledge.

   £16.99

   Probox SATA Hard Drive Enclosure This version of the new Probox range of SATA Hard Drive enclosures from Hotway will support any SATA Hard disk drive up to 1.5TB. Data transfer from the Hard Drive Case to the PC is via USB 2.0. The HDD case is manufactured from Aluminum which is lightweight, rigid and has superior heat dissipation capabilities – so, no fan needed meaning near silent running! Suitable for Mac or PC. Cables, a UK Power Supply and VAT is included in the price! The Hard Drive Enclosure supports SATA Hard Drives up to a whopping 1.5TB (1,500 GB) !!

   £16.99

   3.5″ Mobile Disk USB 2.0 – SATA HDD Enclosure This version of the new Probox range of SATA Hard Drive enclosures from Hotway will support any SATA Hard disk drive up to 1.5TB. Data transfer from the Hard Drive Case to the PC is via USB 2.0. The HDD case is manufactured from Aluminum which is lightweight, rigid and has superior heat dissipation capabilities – so, no fan needed meaning near silent running! Suitable for Mac or PC. Cables, a UK Power Supply and VAT is included in the price! The Hard Drive Enclosure supports SATA Hard Drives up to a whopping 1.5TB (1,500 GB) !!

   £18.58

2. Cable Kits
   

   USB to eSATA Adapter with One-touch Backup This simple USB dongle allows connectivity via USB to any eSATA device (typically a Hard Drive Case with an eSATA output) The kit Includes the eSATA cable (“i” type SATA Cable) to connect from the SATA device to the dongle and then in turn to the PC. When connected to an external Hard Drive Enclosure with an eSATA interface you can copy or offload files from the Hard Drive to your PC easily and quickly. Plug & Play Support for Win98SE/ME/2000/XP/Vista, Mac OS v9.2 or higher

   £9.99

   USB to SATA HDD Cable + eSATA Outputs (VE444) This handy USB to SATA (Serial-ATA) adapter with a Power Supply allows you to recover, transfer and back-up data to/from any SATA Hard Disk Drive via a USB Port (or eSATA and an eSATA cable is supplied). The connectivity to your PC is via USB 2.0 or eSATA (the eSata cable is supplied). eSATA offers 3x the speed of USB 2.0. Don’t have an eSATA connection on your PC? Add all the connectivity a professional needs with our multi funtion panel or for Laptops with one of our SATA Express Cards The adapter and all cables are supplied (see image gallery for full details). The USB to SATA adapter is easy to use and manufactured from high quality components and its USB 2.0 ready.

   £17.99

   USB 2.0 IDE & SATA Cable (with Power Supply) This is an incredibly handy USB to SATA and IDE Adapter and Converter Cable solution for SATA and ATA, IDE Hard Drives. The USB to SATA and IDE Kit Includes an eSATA to SATA cable (Type I – Type L) and a Power Supply unit for the hard drives. The USB to IDE/SATA Kit allows you to transfer files from computer or notebook easily and with no fuss, back up files, or store large file archives on hard drives. Its perfect for techies or anyone that needs access to a hard drive, or a fast way to add another SATA or IDE device. The hi-speed USB 2.0 interface provides an almost universal connection for any Windows or Macintosh workstation. The adapter supports all existing Serial ATA SATA drives or IDE drives. Its fine for 2.5″ Hard Disks (laptop sized HDD’s) or 3.5″ Hard Disks (typically found in desktop PC’s or towers).

   £18.95

Help & Advice – Hard Drive Caddy’s

Not sure which Caddy you need???
Guide to choosing the right HDD Enclosure

Not sure how to format a HDD???
Help & advice on HDD formatting a hard drive

Not sure how to make a backup???
Help & advice on making backups

Ever ran out of cable length? Just when you need to run that printer or that other USB device?

What you need is our 5 metre USB 2.0 extension cable! Conveniently converts one USB into two ports. What’s more is you can use the cable with USB hubs to create a big network of USB ports. Never unplug & replug those USB ports again! Bargain at £14.99.

Cool down as the weather starts to warm up nicely for the summer (we’re ever hopefull folks at USBNow) then this super little USB fan will keep you nice and cool. The body of the fan is flexible and can be adjusted to stand up and point in whatever direction you want.

Needs no power – you simply plug into any USB port and away you go. Click here.