Yes, I was also fearing that this is an issue with the USB ports.
Now, I have created an ubuntu-12.04.2-desktop-amd64 live USB (not the alternate iso, because that one does not offer run without installing ubuntu first).
The TP-link adapter is working in this live ubuntu on my macbook air! Picture as proof: http://cl.ly/image/0n3D271g1y1M
