Useful USB Devices to Plug-in to Your Mac

Your Mac has 2-3 USB ports. USB ports are commonly used to connect a keyboard and mouse to a Mac, and to connect an iPod, iPhone and iPad to sync it. Yet a USB port is a very versatile way to connect many kinds of devices - useful and fun.

Thumb Drive
Very common for shuttling files from one computer to another, thumb drives (also known as USB flash drives) are available in various capacities and designs.

Mimoco offers fun and whimsical-looking thumb drives called, "Mimobots." At first glance, they look like toys, but they are fully-functional thumb drives, as well. Mimobots come in mainstream designs, for example: Star Wars and Hello Kitty. And, there are designs created by talented artists like Gary Baseman and Bubi Au Yeung. Another thing that sets Mimobots apart from other USB flash drives is the preloaded digital content that comes on the Mimobot: themed desktop wallpapers, icons, avatars, and screensavers.

Card Reader
A card reader is a thumb drive-like device that, instead of having built-in storage, let's you plug-in in memory cards (like the ones used in a digital camera). Instead of connecting your camera to your Mac, you can take the memory card from your camera and insert it into a card reader. Then, insert the card reader into a Mac to transfer photos.

Some card readers are compatible with different kinds (and shapes) of memory cards. So, if you have a number of old (or new) memory cards, a card reader can let you use them as thumb drives to store and transfer files between computers.

Fan
A USB-powered fan can be a wonderful amenity, especially if you have a MacBook. Keep cool in a warm lecture hall, on a patio on a hot summer day, or in a stuffy meeting room. Just plug-in a USB fan for instant relief.

The Kensington FlyFan is a nice portable USB fan. It has a flexible neck that can be bent into just the right position. The blades won't pinch or cut, and the fan motor is very quiet.

Lamp
For MacBook users, a USB lamp can come in handy in dim or no light situations where you don't want to turn on a light, like on a plane or in bed (because it's comfy, not because we're workoholics).

The RiteLite LED Computer Light gives you a bright light (surprisingly bright, actually) to read a paper document you are referencing, and keep the keyboard nicely lit, too (for those who don't have or prefer the backlit keyboard).

Speakers
USB speakers are available in all shapes and sizes. Portable speakers are often powered by the USB port itself.  Bigger speakers need to be plugged into a wall outlet. In general, the bigger the speaker, the better the quality and fidelity you'll hear. So, it's often a trade-off of portability versus audio quality.

The TRITTON Sound Bite speaker system offers pretty big sound for such a small package (4-inches round by 2-inches high, when closed). The built-in subwoofer is what separates the TRITTON speakers from other portables, giving a bass boost that rivals desktop speakers.

Additional Display
Need a little more screen space? The Mimo Mini USB Monitor gives you a 7-inch display totally powered by a USB port - no additional power or video card needed. Use it for chat windows, tool palettes, or anything else you'd like moved to the side as you work on a document on your main screen. (Note: The Mimo monitor works with Intel-powered Macs only.)

TV Tuner
Turn your Mac into a digital TV. One of the coolest TV Tuners is from Elgato. The EyeTV Hybrid is a super-small TV tuner that let's you watch basic (unscrambled) cable channels and TV stations that are broadcast over-the-air. The EyeTV software gives you DVR features so you can pause and rewind live TV. Plus, it works with Front Row making it easy to navigate to your favorite TV shows using an Apple Remote.

Cellphone Signal Booster
We have no idea how these things work, but apparently all you have to do is plug one into your computer's USB port and your cell phone signal (within five feet of the antenna) becomes much stronger. ThinkGeek.com (our favorite geek gadget site) has one, the "USB Cellphone Booster".

Webcam
While most Macs come with a built-in iSight camera, you may want the flexibility of an external camera can give you. When you shop for a webcam, make sure that it is compatible with the Mac, like the Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro for Mac and Blue Microphones Eyeball 2.0 HD. You can use a digital video camera as a webcam, too, if it can be connected to your Mac with a FireWire cable.

3G USB Modem
Enjoy Internet always-connectedness with a 3G USB Modem. Just like an iPhone, your Mac will be able to access email and favorite web sites almost anywhere you go. The major carriers offer various models. For example, AT&T has the USBConnect Lighting. There are unlocked versions available, as well (not dedicated to any one carrier). Using a 3G USB Modem usually requires that you commit to a 1- or 2-year contract for service. So, like a cell phone, you'll want to be fairly sure you'll be happy with the service for a long while.