if youÆre thinking of adding a new peripheral to your PC, consider one that uses a Universal Serial Bus connection. USB is faster and easier to use than parallel, serial, or PS/2 connections, and it lets you plug in and unplug devices without rebooting or reconfiguring your PC.

Though USB ports have been standard on most PCs for well over two years, many users have shunned the new technology. Two factors account for their diffidence: Some early USB systems suffered from compatibility problems, and until recently stores stocked relatively few USB products.

Over the last year, however, many new USB peripherals, hubs, and converters have reached the market, helping cement USBÆs reputation as the PC connector of the future.