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The iLuv Speaker Dock ($149.99) is a docking speaker designed for playing and charging the iPad, Apple's popular tablet computer. The dock can also be used with iPods, iPhones, and, with the aid of the auxiliary line input, any audio device with a 3.5-millimeter jack. The speakers put out a big, bold sound with powerful bass. Includes AC power cord and USB cable. Info: iLuv , (866) 807-5946.

Tired of tangled wires on your portable electronics? The folks at Black Box are on the case — specifically, a 7-inch-square by 2-inch-deep faux-leather case. The case unzips to reveal five mobile accessories with retractable cables: a USB optical mouse, a USB cable, a cable for wired networking, stereo ear buds, and a notebook AC power cable. Each item in the Deluxe Retractable Cable Kit ($38.95) pops into and out of its own slot. Extension ranges from 2 feet (for the mouse)

Verizon Wireless said Wednesday that it would turn on its 4G wireless network Sunday in 38 U.S. cities, though the new network will not support smart phones until the first half of 2011. Instead, the 4G network ? which the company says is up to 10 times faster than the current 3G network ? will initially be accessible only with USB modems from LG Electronics Inc. and Pantech Corp. The devices, which users can plug into their laptops to tap into 4G speeds on the go, will cost $99 after a $50 rebate and a two-year data contract.

Blue Microphones got its start building high-end studio microphones for the recording industry, making a name for itself as a niche player. But niche no more. With a nudge from Apple Inc., the Westlake Village company built a low-cost microphone for use with music recording software. That mic, called the Snowball, has become a hit with aspiring pro musicians and dedicated hobbyists who make demo recordings on their laptops instead of shelling out $50 an hour or more for studio time.

Apple Inc. advised iPhone 3G users in many countries to replace the device's power adapter after it received reports that metal prongs broke off and stuck in power outlets, creating a risk of electric shock. Apple said it would exchange the ultra-compact USB adapters for a redesigned model, without charge, in retail stores and online beginning Oct. 10. In the meantime, iPhone 3G users who received the tiny USB adapter with their phone or who bought it separately should stop using it. Apple said iPhone 3G owners should use its standard USB power adapter, which has fold-up prongs, or charge the device by plugging it into a computer.

Until about four years ago, the only way to attach a peripheral to a PC was either to install a card in one of the expansion slots or to plug the device into the serial or parallel port. The advent of Universal Serial Bus ports made it a lot easier to connect scanners, printers, keyboards and digital cameras. Unlike serial and parallel ports, USB allows a virtually limitless number of devices to connect to a PC. Optional hubs allow users to add as many as 127 devices to a single PC.

Thousand Oaks businessman Dirk Gates walked into a Fry's Electronics store recently in search of a product that would increase the number of ports on his PC. The device would enable him to connect his computer with a printer, a modem and other peripherals with ease. It wasn't long before Gates spotted a line of multi-port hubs manufactured by Entrega Technologies of Lake Forest. Apparently Gates--president, chairman and chief executive of Xircom Inc. of Thousand Oaks--liked what he found.