Attach storage, Ethernet, and more to your USB Type-C Windows phone with an iClever hub

While Windows 10 Mobile brought USB OTG (on-the-go) support out of the box, the USB Type-C arrived at the same time to ruin your party. Essentially, this meant that you couldn't use your microUSB flash drives or those cheap microUSB-to-USB adapters to move data to-and-from your phone, or add some extra storage as and when you need.

You can, of course, buy one of the newer flash drives that come with Type-C connectors or pick up a USB hub that works with all Type-C devices (that includes Android smartphones and MacBook as well). I used these two hubs from iClever for a week with my Lumia 950 XL (and HTC 10) with a variety of flash drives, and this is how my experience was. I often used them to transfer photos from my DSLR camera by plugging a card reader to the hub – it might sound complex, but when you're out and about and need to get work done, sometimes all you need is the right accessory to move things along.

First up, there's the iClever IC-TCH001 hub that packs in Gigabit Ethernet as well. It sports three USB 3.0 ports (backwards compatible with USB 2.0/1.1/1.0) enclosed in an aluminum shell with silver finish. It looks nice, and is quite light for the obvious portability. The construction is solid, so it can take a bit of a rolling in your backpack.

Note that this hub does not transfer power thought the post. While the Ethernet network throughput for the hub is decent, and similar to most mid-range hubs/docks, it is limited with a USB device in parallel. The more USB devices you plug in, the slower the networking performance.

At $12.99, the iClever IC-TCH001 hub is a handy accessory to have in your backpack to augment your network speed instead of being wireless or add extra storage on need basis.

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Then there's the iClever 3-Port USB 3.1 Type-C Hub with Power Delivery 24W Charging Port. Apart from the three USB 3.0 outputs, this USB hub also packs in a USB Type-C input (DC 14.5V/2A) for super-fast charging. It's handy when you need to transfer data but your device is on low battery — plug in with this hub attached to your USB Type-C charger and you'll be able to recharge and sling files at the same time.

This iClever hub is compact and slim, and the unibody aluminum construction is sleek and looks durable. At $21.99, this one is more expensive than its Ethernet-equipped sibling above, although I prefer this one between the two. It's stylish, and fits well in the sleeve of my bag without making a lump.

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