Maotoam is a 13-in-1 hub and stand that elevates any laptop or tablet

Recent Apple kit has a paucity of ports, with the company having apparently decided plugging things in is so last century. Rivals, frustratingly, increasingly follow suit. Fortunately, Maotoam ($109) ‘thinks different’, providing an almost ludicrous 13 ports that’ll let you connect to pretty much anything, charge up to five devices at once, and reduce clutter on your desk. Want a full count? You get two USB-C, three USB-A, SD, micro SD, Ethernet, dual HDMI, DisplayPort and a headphone jack. We’re half surprised there isn’t a parallel port or a way to plug in a C64 joystick. What you do also get, though, is a flexible and fancy hinge, to put your device in the right position, whatever you happen to be working on. Like the idea but reckon 13 ports is overkill? The crowdfunder has a cheaper unit with ‘only’ ten ports – and one for iPad users who’ll settle for eight, versus the single port Apple provides.

Craig Grannell Contributor

About

I’m a regular contributor to Stuff magazine and Stuff.tv, covering apps, games, Apple kit, Android, Lego, retro gaming and other interesting oddities. I also pen opinion pieces when the editor lets me, getting all serious about accessibility and predicting when sentient AI smart cookware will take over the world, in a terrifying mix of Bake Off and Terminator.

Areas of expertise

Mobile apps and games, Macs, iOS and tvOS devices, Android, retro games, crowdfunding, design, how to fight off an enraged smart saucepan with a massive stick.