Following our blog yesterday about Lindy's sharable USB hub, which can be switched between two PCs, we got a press release from the Taiwanese company Pilotech about a networkable four-port USB 2.0 hub. According to Pilotech, devices attached to the  USB-over-IP hub (model number O1P001) appear to be local to the computer using them and provide the same plug-and-play features.

We have seen networkable hubs at trade shows but they are thin on the ground in shops, so one suspects there must be a snag with them. Pilotech says the hub supports storage devices as well as printers, human-interface devices such as mice and keyboards, and media streaming. But there is no information on whether the system can cope with multiple users, and if so how. It may be that the primary use is as a cable extender, allowing devices to be sited beyond USB's five-metre limit.

There are no details of UK pricing or availability.