SuperSpeed USB 3.0 finalized, released

Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:18PM EST

See Comments (23)

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.

What does that mean? I'm not so sure, but it sounds fast, fast, fast. Kudos for the USB Implementers Forum for getting this spec finalized and out the door. After all, where would we be today without USB? Life would probably be a little bit more complicated... Remember serial and parallel connections? Yikes!

For more information and details on the new spec, head over to ZDnet and TG Daily.

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  • 6 Posted by quad.core4 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:24PM EDT Report Abuse

    Usb 3.0 will never replace Hard Drives A usb stick doesnt hold 1Tb or 2Tb of information or storage space

  • 7 Posted by quad.core4 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:24PM EDT Report Abuse

    Usb 3.0 will never replace Hard Drives A usb stick doesnt hold 1Tb or 2Tb of information or storage space

  • 8 Posted by quad.core4 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:24PM EDT Report Abuse

    Usb 3.0 will never replace Hard Disk Drives Minyoonthit very sorry but it would be really stupid HD can have like 2TB of space more then a usb stick -.-

  • 9 Posted by g_tagni on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:15PM EDT Report Abuse

    "After all, where would we be today without USB? Life would probably be a little bit more complicated... " No, we would have another similar device/protocol.

  • 10 Posted by gboess82 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:06PM EDT Report Abuse

    Are there external portable hard drives with enough RPM to take advantage of USB 3.0? Or (as far as data transferring between cpus) will this be limited to flash drives? This is good news for people that transfer hundreds of pictures from their digital camera or video camera to a computer also.

  • 11 Posted by g33kp0w3r on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:05PM EDT Report Abuse

    First, I wouldn't say we'll never get a couple terabytes on a USB stick - just not yet. Holographic memory can hold 10 TB in once cubic centimeter. Second, current flash technology will have to come a ways to take advantage of the USB 3.0 transfer rates, since USB 2.0 transfers at about 48 MBps and the fastest USB flash drives transfer at around 30-35 MBps. Maybe they can add a buffer like SSD drives have, but even SSD drives only get up to about 50 MBps over SATA, which are still faster than HDDs. At least USB 3.0 could be used for a GigE Adapter.

  • 12 Posted by p_rajmane on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:23PM EDT Report Abuse

    It means we will have pendrive with higher capicity then that of zip drive or any other hard disk. it means more marked for pendrive and other usb devices now.

  • 13 Posted by p_rajmane on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:23PM EDT Report Abuse

    USB device will make advance so that it can hold data in Tb for example in pendrive no mechanical parts so it will work fast with less power and thats what required today more compact and more effecient.

  • 16 Posted by five_o_engine on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:00PM EDT Report Abuse

    I thought USB 3.0 was going to be optical. What happened to that? BTW 4Gbit bandwidth is needed for things like HD movies. There will be 1TB flash drives (I know, I work in bleeding edge high tech). However that's about 5 years away. 32GB drives already exist, and 64GB flash drives should be out by this time next year. (in time for usb 3.0) There will also be movie kiosks in stores to grab a flick take it home and watch it. No one wants to wait 2 hours for their 50GB HD movie to load on their USB 2.0 drive. Oh you say what about just downloading the movie.. yeah.. right. Internet bandwidth restrictions from your ISP will limit monthly usage to maybe 25GB of data transfer, if your lucky. My guess is 2GB in the next few years. The last thing a cable company wants is you watching HDTV over the internet. This is why we invented USB 3.0, it's for HDTV, flash drives, HD camcorders, and hard drives.

  • 17 Posted by alan_r_cam on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    Where would we be without USB? We'd be using Firewire. Point to point, no master / slave confusion. An external hard drive would be able to talk to a video camera, without the need for a PC in the middle. As for USB 3.0 itself - where do I need that speed? Only for big data transfers. Unless someone is handing out free hardware, or free cash, this will have to sit on the sidelines for now.

  • 18 Posted by rum2ustefan on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:55PM EDT Report Abuse

    2010-2011 long long long time till we can buy it at regular PC store

  • 20 Posted by franmac1952@verizon.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:03PM EDT Report Abuse

    Sounds like a good thing. I get tired of waiting on transfers or when I'm downloading which I do a lot of.

  • 21 Posted by skillz4t on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:26PM EDT Report Abuse

    it will spread in late 2009 same time as microsoft prospects to release windows 7 hopefully they learned a thing or too

  • 22 Posted by juancr_1984 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:43PM EDT Report Abuse

    64gb flash drives are already out.Have been out for quite some time now.That will be awesome with Windows 7 coming out around the same time.Of course you will have to buy a new monitor to take advantage of windows 7 capabilities.Oh how will MAC compete.

  • 23 Posted by wittik on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:48PM EDT Report Abuse

    So - the real question is, is it faster than SATA? Can I use an external USB hard drive to play a access-intense game with this new standard?

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