| I-Rocks Crystal USB 2.0 Card Reader & Hub Combo - Page 2 of 2 |
Impressions:
As you can see in the promotional image at the begining of the review, the Crystal Card Reader/Hub comes in a variety of colors. The review sample came with a very shiny silver finish.
 
The bottom side of the unit has a sticker with the model # IR-8100 and the serial # along with 4 small rubber feet to keep the unit from sliding around and scratching a delicate desk, or other surface you may have the unit sitting on.
All four sides of the Crystal unit have ports on them. The following pictures show the port layout on the different sides of the unit. The below left image shows the side with the USB connection, AC power port, and 3 USB ports. The below right image shows one of the sides dedicated to reading memory cards.
 
The remaining two sides have the various other memory card ports.
 
The I-Rocks Crystal USB 2.0 Card Reader & Hub Combo appears to be very welt built. It has a very simple design that makes it very straight forward to use. There are no LEDs or any other type of gimmicks, and it is just a "what you see is what you get" type of device that works very well.
I was able to test the card reader using Compact Flash, Smart Media, and Secure Digital media. The Crystal unit read all three types of memory I had available flawlessly, and with respectable transfer speeds. The three USB ports also worked as well as you might expect. I tested them with a variety of USB items including a set of Ezonics 5.1 Headphones, a Transcend Jetflash 2.0 drive, and an Epson printer.
The ability to read nine different kinds of flash memory, along with the convenience of three USB 2.0 ports, all in a package that measures only 3.25”x3.25”x0.5” is pretty impressive.
Conclusion:
I-Rocks has come up with a very sleek and easy to use combination that packs a lot of usefulness into a very small and attractive package. I found the Crystal USB 2.0 Card Reader & Hub Combo on PriceGrabber in red, black, blue, and of course silver for under $24.99. Anyone in the market for a USB hub and Card reader needs to take a close look at the I-Rocks Crystal. It offers a good value in a small, attractive package.
For its good looks, simplicity of use, and value I give the I-Rocks Crystal USB 2.0 Card Reader & Hub Combo hub 4 out of 5 stars.
Final Rating (4 out of 5 stars): 
Pros:
• Available in many colors
• Slim attractive package with many functions
• A/C power adaptor
• Good value
• Felt carrying bag
Cons:
• USB cable was a little on the short side at 40.5” long
Special thanks to PCUSA Corporation for providing the I-Rocks Crystal USB 2.0 Card Reader & Hub Combo to BigBruin.com for review!
Please drop by the BigBruin.com forum and feel free to discuss this review.
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