When a harried-looking man carrying a whining and crying young boy stops you and tells you that he needs an USB hub that can connect to an iPad2, do not ask him what an USB hub is. When he explains to you what one is, do not ask him why anybody would need one of those*. When he explains to you why, and you tell him that you have no idea what you could sell him, the act of the man then turning around and walking out of the store is an indication that there will be no sale today.
Do not follow him.
I hope that this feedback helps!
Moe Lane
*Because I’d like to download video camera movies… well, hell, I’d just like to download video camera movies, period – which is apparently something that Apple doesn’t want me to do, ever. But assuming that I ever can, it’d be nice to do it without simultaneously draining battery power, yes?
As far as I know, it can’t be done, Moe. standard USB provides 500 mA when you plug it in to a PC, and there are ‘high-power’ USB ports that provide a full amp, at the expense of slower transfer rate. But the ipad wants two amps, and the USB spec basically says to provide that you have to disable transfer.
However, have you confirmed that you’re not, in fact, charging (or at least not losing battery) when you’re downloading movies to it? On mine, even when it says ‘not charging’ it’s actually charging, very very slowly. I believe if you get a hub with high-power ports it’s still going to say ‘not charging’, but be charging not quite so slowly.
Skip: Joy.