Memory devices show up as drives. hybrid devices like 3G dongles that
have software needed to run in windows have to have that memory device
unmounted to work as 3G devices. Is the adapter something that has
built in software drivers for windows? You may have to switch off this
memory device to see the adapter.

I bought a WinTV USB dongle not to long ago. On the box nothing about
Linux, but the website said it was compatible. I have come to the
conclusion that if software is needed to communicate with the hardware
or is supplied for the windows system, the manufacturer will not state
it works on Linux even though Linux has the drivers for it. If the
hardware manufacturers simply stated what programs were needed for their
hardware to be useful, or needed a memory device to be turned off, all
would be good.

Let's cut to the chase. Linux users don't trust proprietary software,
so why ask the proprietary software house to produce something that
won't be used? Most problems can be traced to faulty configuration, not
the hardware. Hardware manufacturers could help by documenting settings
needed to make the hardware work with their devices. Connecting to video
devices are done with v4l software. When connecting to these devices I
have fought configuration many times with nothing wrong with the device.
Maybe some Dumbed down instructions for setting up the interfaces for
all these trouble devices, in a heading called "device troubleshooting
documents". What do you think?