I always welcome faster speeds and better power efficiency, USB 3.0 promises 4.8 Gbps. I probably won’t need that kind of speed, but it still kinda excites me anyhow.
USB 3.0 - 10 Times Faster - In the Works for 2009
Well, USB fans, things are going to get even more interesting and soon. USB 2.0 may be fast enough right now, but with more high-definition video products arriving and bigger and bigger files being transferred, that won’t be the case forever. Enter USB 3.0, which moves the bandwidth needle from 480Mbps to roughly 4.8Gbps, 10 times faster than the current version.
The new standard, which was recently demonstrated using a new optical cable (but the same connector), will be backward compatible with older USB formats and promises better power efficiency, too, in order to decrease the load on portable devices. Possibly in the works: Better ability to charge devices over USB, some of which still require an A/C adapter or two USB connections to draw enough juice.
Specs are planned to be delivered early next year with commercial availability for 2009.
Source: Yahoo! Tech
However, power efficiency improvements are always great.
Tags: computers, environment, news, technology
the whole USB standard has been the best thing to happen to computers since electricity!
by pketh (Nov 21, 2007 at 12 PM)Just to be nitpicky, that’s actually ten times as fast, not ten times faster, no?
by cactusbeetroot (Nov 22, 2007 at 1 AM)Way faster than you need for video - USB 3.0, which raises the bandwidth from 480Mbps to roughly 4.8Gbps. I’m thinking why would MB manufactures upgrade - I can see faster disk drive and USB drive speeds, but what will the market bear for this increase? Not sure USB3.0 is backward compatible - USB3.0 uses fiber not wire?
I think most MB have trouble keeping up with 1Gbps.
by xtronics (Nov 25, 2007 at 6 AM)