Forget Dr. Phil.

When it comes to computer questions, the place to go is Dr. Bott.

Dr. Bott, you should know, is a sort of clearing house for all things computer. That is, in the 3rd party peripheral or accessory field, especially Mac-based. Dr. Bott not only has items for the computer itself, he has what you need for your iPod, iPhone, game station, etc.

You could go directly to any one of a number of companies who manufacture such items, but you can find them altogether at Drbott.com. Thus, if you want to see the latest from Belkin, Griffin, xtrememac, iHome or even Inland Empire-based Macally, you’ll find what they have in Dr. Bott’s catalog. But with so much to offer it is often hard to tell which item to choose. I got lucky when Dr. Bott recommended the Marware police quality nylon belt clip with a clear Mylar holder and a Velcro closure for my 4th generation iPod. It has stood up to great abuse and gets used regularly even today.

As new toys are coming out of Cupertino almost daily, I put a few questions to the Dr. Bott people about today’s latest goodies.

I began with the earpieces. You should know that the iPod’s greatest, and least respected contribution to contemporary American society has been the elimination of the boom box. Today the person next to you can burn out his inner ear at a decibel level comparable to the effect of water boarding with anything from Wagner’s Ring cycle to the latest CD from Snoop Dogg without bothering you in the least. We have Apple’s earbuds to thank for that.

But now any number of people are making earbuds, or earphones or even in-channel earpieces. Some are as good as Apple’s original. Some are almost headset quality. Some are tinny junk that are given away at expos and some cost $200.

The good Doctor recommends the JBL Reference 220 earphone system ($99).

The earpieces themselves have several little plastic covers to accommodate your ears. They also come with a foldable headband that will hold the earpieces. It does not go over your hair like a set of headphones. It dangles under your chin like a stethoscope. You still have to push the plugs into your ear. Unlike the iPod earbuds, they need to get in close to get the impact of the sound. (Playing around with the EQ function on your iPod doesn’t hurt either.)

These buds are not designed for sound suppression, but they do a good job of keeping outside noises out.

If you don’t like the headband, there is also a pair of ear cuffs that let you attach the plugs to each ear independently. Again, you will want to adjust things to your satisfaction. These are not as good as an expensive set of “cans” but their sound reproduction is impressive.

The entire package comes in a small solid zip-open carrying case that should fit nicely into your carry-on luggage.

Speaking of real headphones or headsets, some years ago Dr. Bott sent me an inexpensive set of Koss sports phones. They served me well, with decent quality and they packed easily for flight, but alas, their days have ended. I have a great, if expensive, pair of Bose Quiet Comfort 2 phones, which I field tested on a Southwest Airlines flight to Las Vegas with impressive results some time ago, but not everyone can pop for the $300 cost of these.

Does Dr. Bott recommend anything quite that good for a better price?

Indeed. They carry the JBL 420 series. Like the Bose QC 2 phones, these fit around the ear, not over it, as the QC3 phones do. Like the Bose phones, the JBL’s come with a carrying case. Unlike Bose, the JBL headset does not require a battery to operate the sound suppression system. It does, however, have an airline adapter, so you can plug into the plane’s audio system.

I did not field test the JBL’s under the same conditions that I did the Bose, but I can tell you that you would have to be a serious audiophile with very sensitive ears to notice any difference for the money.

Note that the JBL 420 headphones are half the price of the Bose.

Many of us, both Mac and PC users, have plugged speaker systems into our desktops in order to get greater sound from our music libraries or even the guy on AOL who tells us we’ve got mail. I bought an inexpensive Altec system some years ago that serves me well.

But does Dr. Bott have anything better?

Their people recommend the Harmon Kardon Sound Sticks II. Like the original Sticks I, these have a sort of Sci-Fi look to them with their odd shape and their clear plastic surfaces. The sub-woofer, the big thing that goes under the table, glows blue. As Dr. Bott told me, “They have been around for a while, but they continue to be a very popular product with good sound.”

They don’t look like they would be very strong, but the sound is almost as good as the sound from studio or theater speakers. Please note that the Sound Sticks could also be connected straight to your iPod or a TV outlet.

Unlike the first series of Sound Sticks, these are analog, which means that you will find them to be more compatible with your music sources.

One last thing that I had to wonder about was the ball of wiring in back of the computer that has all of those USB plugs connected. Again, Mac or PC, this is a mess that has to be dealt with on a regular basis as you connect or unplug various attachments. It turns out that Dr. Bott has two options. The Belkin cable-free USB 4 port hub and their own Dr. Bott gHub 2.0.

Dr. Bott has nothing but good things to say about the Belkin wireless hub, which they carry. That being said, they are rightly proud of their own gHub, which they describe as a “great non-wire alternative at about one tenth the price.”

Considering the number of attachments that I plug into my computer, including the printer, two flash sticks, an external hard drive, a digital camera, two digital recorders, and other miscellaneous items, the convenience of a cordless USB center like the gHub is a blessing.

It is important to remember that there is no such person as Dr. Bott. Like Betty Crocker and Tony the Tiger---he is simply a personification of what his company represents. And what his company represents is a one-stop place to shop for all of that stuff you wish your computer could accommodate.

Remember what the Macally people told me last year. Lots of things that third party companies think up become part of the basic computer very soon. In the meantime, Dr. Bott has the answers.