Buyers of Apple's new iPhone 3G are complaining that, unlike the original version, the device can't be used with many of the pricey charging stations, sound docks, and other accessories they had bought previously for their iPods.

"My Monster car charger has always worked with the original iPhone and now it won't charge. Very annoying," wrote user "OkSurya", in a message posted Saturday on Apple's iPhone 3G support forum. Another user, "Aapl", reported being "bummed when my new Bose SoundDock didn't work."

The Bose SoundDock sells for $399, so users won't be pleased if they have to purchase a second unit exclusively for their iPhone 3G, should Bose eventually produce a model that's compatible with Apple's latest gadget.

For user "iMacOregon", the problem goes beyond a single device. "I also have 3 different iPod players. Bose SoundDock, Altec Lansing iPod player, and an iPod player dock in my truck. All of these devices worked in the original iPhone. What is the big idea taking away this functionality?"

A number of forum members speculated that the problem relates to the fact the iPhone 3G exclusively uses a USB connection to link to charging devices, whereas the original iPhone can use either USB or Firewire connections. Some users on the forum said they are hoping that Apple or third-party vendors like Bose will develop adapters that will enable them to connect the iPhone 3G to Firewire-based equipment.

The feedback on Apple's user forums indicates that the iPhone 3G is suffering from numerous other glitches, as well. Some are complaining that the Safari Web browser is prone to crashing on the new devices; others said they couldn't get the iPhone 3G's vaunted GPS feature to work properly.

The iPhone 3G officially debuted on Friday amid long lines at most Apple stores around the country. The cheapest model costs $199 and features download speeds that are more than twice as fast as the original version. AT&T is the exclusive network provider for the new phone.