I got this small box last year to use it with the laptop on which I run audio or VJ software and wanted to trigger it with MIDI controllers or my sequencer. It has 2 independent inputs and 4 independent outputs (32 midi channels in and 64 midi channels out) and is really small, light-weight and extra robust. Every output and input has its own status LED and 2 separated LEDs for the patch mode and USB-power status.

Simple way of adding midi to a laptop, this is a small plastic box with one midi input, one midi output and a usb connector. You connect it up, install the driver (win98, me, 2k, xp or mac with OMS) and away you go. it has some little lights that it flashes when it get excited (handy if you are having problems) they also do versions with more midi ports but you probably won't ever need more than one.
alll in all its the simplest way to get midi in to your laptop, and its a bit better than the roland UM1 (no annoying trailing leads)