One of the most commonly used cable and connection technologies science has created is USB, which stands for Universal Serial Bus. It began development in 1994, and advanced to USB 2.0 in 2000, with a data transfer rate forty times faster than USB 1.0.

Two of the most common USB-attached peripherals are your standard keyboard and mouse. Switching to a USB keyboard or mouse from a PS/2 connector will bring you a much faster response time, as well as allowing you to plug and unplug the device even when your computer is on. With a PS/2 keyboard or mouse, the user would need to reboot their computer before the new peripheral could be acknowledged, but with USB, the computer immediately recognizes what needs to be changed and allows you to use your new keyboard or mouse almost instantly. Aside from this, being 'universal' means you can use them in most modern operating systems (windows, mac, linux) and in any hardware (laptops or desktop PCs) that comes with USB ports.

Both USB mice and USB keyboards are wireless or wired. If wireless, a small microwave transmitter would plug into your computer's USB port and receive the commands sent through the air from the registered device.

Modern keyboards also have the option of various multimedia keys, which are buttons on your keyboard that you can program to do whatever you like - open your email, change your sound volume, access the internet and more. There are also keyboards that have a lighter weight, more compact design, and are made of flexible/foldable materials, specifically made for travelling.

Many computer mice also come with extra buttons, which are programmable in a similar manner to the keyboard's multimedia keys. Mice come in a multitude of shapes and sizes, including several different styles of ergonomic design.

USB mice are optical or laser, as the mechanical mice used previously can be clunky, their rolling balls collecting dirt easily. Both optical and laser mice uses light to detect movement, however, optical mice are difficult to operate if its above shiny surfaces while laser mice will work virtually anywhere.