Apple may be steadily trimming physical media readers out of its Mac computers, but the need for those readers isn’t going away quite yet. For the foreseeable future, you’re going to have to use memory cards to transfer photos from your favorite digital camera into your Mac photo library and editing apps. That’s why we’re digging Moshi’s Universal Media Reader ($35). It’s especially handy if you have an 11” MacBook Air without any sort of card reading capabilities, but the CompactFlash slot is useful on any Mac computer.
The three slots support all memory card types, including newer ones such as SDXC and CompactFlash UDMA, as well as Memory Sticks. It’s also a dual-port USB hub, which means you end up with an extra port. We really like that the USB cable is built in and hidden under a sliding panel, making travel a piece of cake. And if you need more distance than the short cable gives you, the company throws in an extender. It’s more affordable than many options out there, and looks a lot nicer too, matching the aluminum looks of most Macs.