Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 SD Card Reader, USB Adapter HUB, and OTG Adapter

Not the highest quality construction, but this does the job with a few perks and a few tradeoffs. Read the details to find out what you should know about this lovely little device.======================The Praise (Good Stuff)====================== - Integrated connectivity for multiple types of flash devices as well as multiple USB connections concurrently - Implies that it accepts power for high-current USB devices (Powered USB hub) - Normal Samsung 30-Pin connector as a pigtail to the hub means less sticking out rigidly to possibly break - Lighted power indicator gives feedback on operation======================The Raze (Bad Stuff)====================== - Construction is not of the highest quality - 30-Pin connection is (more than slightly) tighter than normal and can cause issues inserting and removing the connector - Top of the 30-pin connector is not indicated - Despite having an external power connection port, the hub does not appear to use it - No manufacturer support apparent======================The Haze (Stuff to Consider)====================== - This will NOT work on an Apple iDevice and is not intended to - You cannot charge the tablet while this is plugged in - Power supply needs are not documented======================The Details======================--- Physical ConstructionThe hub has connections for MS (Memory Stick), M2 (Memory Stick Micro), SD, and TF (T-Flash) memory cards, as well as three USB ports. It also has a DC input connector intended to power the USB hub, though it does not come with anything to put into this. While the plastic of the outer casing is sturdy, the seating of the electronics inside is not precise and can cause some difficulty in using the ports the first time or so as the inner ports do not completely line up with the outer casing. It is also notable that the 30-pin connector does not have any indicator of its top, so care is needed when plugging it in to avoid it being upside down and potentially causing damage.The power input is standard USB power (5V, 2A DC) which can be supplied by one of any number of adapters. One example of an external adapter is here. This product on its own does not come with a power supply however, nor does it seem to recognize or use external power supplied to it. Unfortunately, the claimed manufacturer does not acknowledge the existence of this device on their web site, so further investigation may be performed regarding this.--- OperationThe 30-pin connector does not have any indication of "top", so care must be taken when plugging it in to avoid reversing it and potentially damaging the tablet. The tablet supplies power and will stop doing so if the current draw becomes too high, in which case the entire hub must be unplugged and reinserted. Beyond that, it works as intended and allows the use of multiple memory card formats and USB devices at once, subject to the limitations of the power capability of the tablet. Testing was successful reading all types of cards as well as using various and occasionally multiple USB devices. Also, notably, a separate powered hub may be able to be chained from this and provide sufficient power for high-power USB devices.Some USB OTG connectors for the Samsung tablets have a very long profile held on by the 30-pin connector. This has a cable leading from a standard 30-pin connection so reduces that profile. That reduces the likelihood of problems from the connector being levered.It is important to note that the USB and card reading will draw extra power from the tablet and thee tablet cannot be charged while this is in use. Expect the battery life to be impacted by extended use of this device.======================The Verdict======================This builds a one-stop solution for multiple (limited power draw) USB devices and also memory cards to be used at once. The faults are a sad reminder that some things are not built as well as people would like. If the specific features of this fit your needs and the faults do not cause an issue, it is a good solution for some specific uses. In other cases, where just a simple USB OTG/USB Host connection is desired, a Samsung USB OTG Adapter or OEM version thereof is less bulky and will meet the need as well.As always, please let me and Amazon know if you found this review helpful and let me know if you have any questions or comments regarding the review or the product. I follow comments and answer what I can. The review will be updated if and when information becomes available.

Very fast shipping and very good packaging. It works as promised. I connected two usb drives simultaneously and recognized them independently letting me work with each one with out conflict. I stored a couple of movies in the usb drive and watched them without compromising the 16GB of memory available in the tab. It says that is for the Galaxy Tab 2 but I'm using it in a Galaxy Tab 8.9 and works flawlessly.Very good product.*Edit. November 3,2012Someone asked if the SD card reader can be used to see pictures of digital cameras. I post the answer here also in case it helps someone else.Yes. It will read pictures or videos from a SD card. You can also transfer the pictures and videos to the tablet and/or delete them from the SD card just like a PC. But even better than taking the SD card out of the camera, you can connect the camera directly to the tab via the camera's USB cable. I have a Canon T2i and I connect it directly to the tab, exactly the same way as I do home in the desktop PC. The advantages are great because I can see the pictures a lot bigger and with better resolution than the camera's small screen. So if I'm shooting something that requires a lot of detail I check the pictures in the tab to be sure. Also you can save the pictures in the tab or any cloud service to be sure you don't loose anything if the SD card fails or like I've done a couple of times, I send the pictures to my local photo printing service and they have them ready on my way home. I uploaded a picture of the camera connected to the SD card reader to the costumer images. Hope this helps.

Only time will tell how well this adapter works. The fault may not lie with the adapter itself but it's overall compatibility with various devices and the tablet itself. I will continue to use this cautiously mostly because it is a useful device.

So... the GrayBean worked wonderfully... for about a week. Then it all of the sudden stopped working and I was forced to by another adapter. Would not have been a big deal if it wasn't for being out of the country.

... on adding more stars. Here's the deal: The hub arrived in typical Amazon fashion - quickly. As others have noted, there were no instructions, so no surprise there. The hub itself is straight-forward, self-explanatory and clearly marked. The problem was the jack. It was clearly a used component, marred and scratched up, almost like someone chewed on it. Additionally, it was flimsily attached and felt like it was going to come off the cable. The hub itself was perfect, looked brand new and was without any flaw. I did plug it into my Galaxy Tab 2-7 and it was recognized immediately. I plugged in a USB mouse to test it and it worked perfectly. I'm returning the item and will give them another chance. I love the hub's flexibility and what it does. I just hope the next one they send is an all-new item with all-new components. If it had a new cable and jack, I'd recommend and give it 5 stars.