dannyo - there are multiple considerations, but if you look carefully at the cable, it is a PLAIN USB extension cable. It says "micro", but it really standard A male to standard A female.

First, the cable. If it is indeed micro-a, it will automatically put a stock n810 into host mode. If it doesn't, you need to run scripts (see the wiki or search to fora) to force it into host mode, or put it back into OTG/peripheral mode.

Second, the disk. If it uses something less than 200ma for the USB interface (part of the USB protocol is current requirements), it will work with just the micro to USB female cable. If it SAYS it uses more than that, you will need a powered hub in between. Note disks usually ask for maximum possible, so unless it is a battery powered case it will usually ask for much more. The 2nd generation iPod charged via firewire so works stock, but the newer models ask for "recharge battery" levels of power. Some flash drives and card adapters don't need hubs, others do.

Third, the disk needs to be formatted vanilla FAT (or ext2), and more importantly have a standard Windows/DOS Master boot record for partitioning.

So, if the n810 is in the host mode - via cable sense or scripts, and if the USB interface on the disk doesn't draw too much power OR you have a powered hub, and if the disk is normal format, it will appear in the file manager and even launch it if it isn't opened and you can access your files. I constantly use my micro to mini host mode with a mini b to female A with microSD keychain drives because it is faster than shuffling adapters into the miniSD slot.

sparkling - the neostart cable APPEARS to be exactly what we all need, but I would call or otherwise confirm that the male end has the sense line shorted to ground to be truly an A cable.

I could also use a mini-b with the sense line shorted - the micro-mini adapter I have is 5 wires.

Hi all.

I've just done my cable yesterday, and will post details as soon as I have some time (next week I suppose). My USB flashdrives work without additional power, and my Lacie 120Gb harddisk works with its own external power (although it's a bit slow to browse my 60+ root folders and 2000+ files ;-).

But... how to _cleanly_ unmount a partition ? (from the file manager, without being root) Right now, I turn the N810 off before I unplug my devices (paranoid ?).

thx,
X

Maybe I'm blind, but I can't seem to find the Female A/A adapter on DealExtreme. Can someone link me, please? I'm loving their prices!

You can see "USB Icon" in the Task Tray. When you tap the icon, you will see a menu to disable the USB device.

Yeah, I had the same problem, their search engine is as bad as here.
That's why I gave up and went to directron and ordered them with a DVD drive I needed for a system build to get the shipping down to reasonable.
I figured the extra $1.50 each was worth it to me to get them quickly.

I don't think you actually umount things - If I understand right, the system may do a "sync" every few seconds so detaching will occur cleanly (at least with FAT which don't have a "unclean dismount" bit or journal file).

Raynman: Is this what you are looking for?

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2646

Other USB connectors that might also be useful:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2704
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.4860

Thanks, darethehair! That's exactly what I was looking for. I think DealExtreme has some search engine revamping to do. Searching for "USB" in the category "Computers -- Cables & Adapters" returns 15 results (and NOT the "USB Cable Coupler Extension Connector" (who dreamt up that name? )), while searching for "USB cable" returns 21 results (including that F-F connector). I won't ask if they have a black version.

Complaining aside, I now find myself $33 deep in a shopping cart full of USB cables/connectors, mostly in the name of "just in case".

Thanks again.

To reduce the number of cables I'd have to carry around, a gender changer which also grounded the correct pin stuck on the end of the stock cable would be fantastic. Of course, since in the UK we can't seem to find the Micro USB-A male cable to anything (let alone USB-A female) this may be somewhat wishful thinking.

Also, very interested in reading the next blog post of kate in which she'll discuss Ethernet USB dongles: having just been in a hotel with free Internet access over RJ45, but no WLAN, this'd've been very handy for video calling my wife's N810.