Sunday, November 30, 2008

USB 3.0 - SuperSpeed

The spec for USB 3.0 has been finalized and should begin showing up in devices in late 2009. The standard, also called SuperSpeed will provide 4.8 Gb/s of data transfer. Compare that to USB 2.0 (480 Mb/s), Firewire 400 (400 Mb/s), and Firewire 800 (800 Mb/s). This kind of speed will really change how we work - particularly backup. Most people don't backup their computers as often as they should, although tools like TimeMachine and external drives with dedicated backup-buttons are making it easier. One of the problems still remains the time required to backup a large hard disk - USB 3.0 will dramtically shorten that time. SuperSpeed USB 3.0 finalized, released
The new USB 3.0 spec, which can handle data transfers of up to 4.8 Gbps, is the successor to USB 2.0 and should be appearing in devices in late 2009, according to ZDnet.

The USB 3.0, which is also dubbed "SuperSpeed", is up to 10 times faster than USB 2.0 is predicted to be more power-efficient.

"SuperSpeed USB is the next advancement in ubiquitous technology," Jeff Ravencraft, the president of the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), the industry group that promotes USB technology, said in a statement on Monday. "Today's consumers are using rich media and large digital files that need to be easily and quickly transferred from PCs to devices and vice versa. SuperSpeed USB meets the needs of everyone, from the tech-savvy executive to the average home user."

As for backwards compatibility: (from TG Daily)

USB 3.0 will remain backwards compatible with USB 2.0 as far as the Type A connector is concerned. While USB 2.0 is based on uni-directional data flow with negotiated directional bus transitions, USB 3.0 supports simultaneous bi-directional data flows through the use of dual-simplex four-wire differential signal wiring as compared to half-duplex two wire differential wiring in USB 2.0.

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