Since the release of the iMac and now the blue and white G3, hundreds of USB devices have hit the market. Many of these products are aimed especially at iMac owners with translucent external plastics to match the trendy machines. USB devices range from joysticks, gamepads, and wheels to scanners, modems, and printers. If your Power Mac didn't come with any USB ports, there's no need to drool over these products from the sideline. The 2-port USB PCI card from ADS Technologies is a great solution for owners of Power Macs with a PCI slot to spare and a lust for USB.
The card comes packaged in a small, lightweight box and includes the PCI card, a manual and Mac drivers included on a floppy disk. Neither the box nor documentation make mention that the card is Mac-compatible, but ADS Technologies' web site makes it clear that it will work great on a Mac. To use the card, simply install the drivers, shut down the Mac and pop in the PCI card (an easy task that even a novice can handle) and you're now ready for any USB device you can throw at it.
Once you have the USB card in, there's no need to shut down to add new devices to the chain. USB is completely plug-and-play and also hot-swappable, which means you can plug and unplug any device without restarting or loading new drivers. USB offers data transfer rates of up to 12 megabits per second, 50 times faster than serial and 1200 times faster than ADB. Each port can take up to 127 devices, although you'll definitely need several USB hubs, lots of space and a large budget to hit that hefty limit.
The ADS card worked like a charm with every device I threw at it. I plugged in and unplugged devices left and right while testing and the system never stuttered or hesitated a bit. Many USB gamepads and joysticks are InputSprocket-compatible, which means that any game that uses this standard API can easily work with that device. A third-party product called USB Overdrive can provide support for games and USB devices that don't offer InputSprocket compatibility by emulating keystrokes. This works well in most cases and ensures that you can use any USB device, regardless of whether it's Mac-compatible or not.
With easy installation, flawless performance and affordable price there isn't much to criticize about ADS Technologies' USB 2-port PCI card. The card is a must for any Mac gamer without USB and can be essential to the average consumer as well. If you have to have USB, the ADS card is a nice solution. 
