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USB 2.0 to Challenge FireWire

The USB 2.0 Promoter Group announced (“USB 2.0 speed got a boost!“) that the 2.0 implementation of USB will be 30 to 40 times faster than the current 1.1 implementation. Here’s some more details:

A group of PC industry leaders announced today that the speed target of Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 is two to three times faster than what was disclosed at the Intel Developer Forum in February.

Earlier this year, the USB 2.0 Promoter Group, consisting of Compaq, HP, Intel, Lucent, Microsoft, NEC and Philips, announced an early speed estimate of USB 2.0 being 120 to 240 Megabits per second (Mbs), or 10 to 20 times faster than USB 1.1. This latest increase in the speed target puts the rate now at 360-480 Mbs, or 30 to 40 times faster than USB 1.1.

Absolutely kickin! USB 2.0 will be fully backwards-compatible and forwards-compatible with USB 1.1 stuff. Expect to start seeing USB 2.0 hardware and systems shipping in the second half of next year.

By Jason O'Grady

Founded the PowerPage in 1995.