The USB 2.0 device requires more power because it's a higher-power chipset in it to handle both the faster USB 2.0 interface and the full 100mbps ethernet link. In the end I haven't been able to get the USB 2.0 device working yet to confirm but I would be strong money that it's a mute argument simply because I doubt the tablet has the horsepower itself to sustain 100mbps transfers (I've got older PCs with PCI NICs that max out their CPU transferring at about 70mbps...); you have to remember that doing a network transfer requires CPU power unlike just doing a direct read/write to the memory card from a host PC. If you're thinking about using the wired networking as high-speed alternative to the wifi you've got the wrong idea... it's more for places where you cannot get wifi but have a wired connection available (hotel rooms, for example).

toby.c13, yes that's correct, the first link is for the USB 2.0 adapter, the second is for the USB 1.1 version which is capable of being powered from the tablet directly. The USB 1.1 version would be what I'd supply so that you did not need an externally powered USB Hub to use it. There is no way to have an adapter simply "split into two", I'd have to integrate a small hub into a dongle-type of cable somehow to make it work; I'm still doing some research on that type of possibility.

The PS/2 adapter is doable, just keep in mind that there's no mouse cursor in Maemo yet so it'd really only be useful for remote desktops/VNC. The crazy thumb keyboard thing is cool but I'll have to see, I've never seen anything like that before... and rs232 should be possible, will require additional software install though.

Thanks,
-Rob