Can these be used for scrypt --litecoins, feathercoins?
There are plenty of SHA-256 Coins you can mine instead. For example freicoin has the same profitability like feathercoins have in the moment. So if you want to mine other coins you can.
Anyone know where I could find a cheap usb hub that will handle the increased (above spec.) power needs?
I would check out amazon and search for hubs with usb loading connectors that can deliver more ampere. Used for loading up smartphones and similar. For example something like this:
UNITEK Y-3181. Its usb 3 hub, thats probably not needed but it has loading ports. When you found a working hub you still can search on google shopping for lower priced units of this model.
Reserved for extension of contents.
The USB stick miner is going to bring BitCoin to the masses, beyond the geeks and hardcore or occasional miners. This will make it mainstream.
Make this THE toy to buy for Christmas!!!
Congrats on making history!
How good Christmas present it would be if you stick it t the back of your pc and and let it mine? Where is the fun in that? Are you going to stare at it all day long and wait for blue led blinks?
At the end of the day it is a tool to mine and it always will be. It cant be used for anything else. It will only make to mainstream if its priced right ($40-$50) a pop. How many people from outside bitcoin community will be willing to pay over $200 for it? Well not many as I have already spoken to people about it and reaction is almost the same.. to expensive.
Christmas presents are presented from others. And many miners got much money from mining bitcoins and can afford to give away such presents. Those persons doesnt have the profit in mind anymore but the safety of the network is more important. Because this safety on the other hand is protecting their bitcoins.
Anyway... there will be enough buyers so complaining about the price is pointless.