Finalized speedy USB 3.0 spec debuts

25GB in 70 seconds. That's the torrid transfer rate consumers can expect with devices based on the USB 3.0 specification, which debuted Monday.

USB 3.0 SuperSpeed logo as shown at WinHEC 2008.

(Credit: Brooke Crothers)

As reported previously, the USB Promoter Group finalized the "SuperSpeed" USB 3.0 specification today and is doing a "comprehensive review" of the technology at a conference in San Jose, Calif.

Intel, Microsoft, Texas Instruments, and NEC are the leading players in the group.

Among the initial devices, external solid-state (flash) drives and hard drives are expected to be popular. "The first SuperSpeed USB devices will likely include data storage devices such as flash (solid-state drives), external hard drives, digital music players, and digitial cameras," the group said.

Products aren't coming until 2010, however. "It is anticipated that initial SuperSpeed USB discrete controllers will appear in the second half of 2009 and consumer products will appear in 2010," according to the group.

"The USB 3.0 Promoter Group is now accepting adopters of the USB 3.0 specification, which has been finalized at the 1.0 level," the group added.

As its name (SuperSpeed) implies, USB 3.0 is all about speed. About 10 times more speed, to be exact, than the 2.0 specification.

Here's data from a slide that Microsoft showed at WinHEC 2008 on November 6:

Transfer of a 25GB HD movie:

• USB 1.0: 9.3 hours
  
• USB 2.0: 13.9 minutes
  
• USB 3.0: 70 seconds
  

But the new specification is a long time in coming. USB 2.0 was launched almost eight years ago. At WinHEC, Microsoft expressed caution about USB 3.0 because finalization has taken so long. Because of delays, "we're challenged and we won't have support for USB 3.0 in Windows 7 at RTM (release to manufacturing)," Lars Giusti of Microsoft said earlier this month.

"If you look at the USB 3.0 industry timelines and checkpoints, it really has been a very long, difficult and challenging three-year effort," he added.

Currently, Microsoft is trying to figure out whether it should support USB 3.0 in Vista or just later operating systems.

[Mr. Dee]

You brought up the same topic I was gonna comment about in the last paragraph about Windows 7 RTM and USB 3.0. Microsoft's issue centered around availability of a final spec. With USB 3.0 at that stage now, its up to the Industry partners to start implementing support. Windows 7 is at a stage of development where its ripe for that type of implementation, the code isn't even at beta 1 so nothing is frozen. USB 2.0 was missed for Windows XP because the OS was in its final phases of development so the Company would have to do that through an SP which they did.

But its different now, so I don't see why Microsoft would have to repeat history, if anything, Windows Vista should be the one to wait it out for support through a Service Pack, then again SP2 is coming sometime in mid 2009, so I don't see why it should not also support it.

[gsmiller88]

I will not be buying a new computer until Apple's consumer line has USB 3.0, take note Steve!

[dadsgravy]

Steve Jobs doesn't read cnet, he's not a peasant. And he sure as hell doesn't take notes.

[js.matrix]

Agreed. Windows sucks. OS-X is not only a superior operating system, it continually gets improved year after year. It was two events which were catalytic in converting me to OS-X after years of Windows: (1) Windows release of an OS called, Vista, and (2) Apple's adoption of the Intel core processor. OS-X is here and now, and is true 64-bit bit and is smooth-running like hand-in-glove. No missing DLLs. No error message: 4573 (what's that??) With Windows7, you 'hope' (not know) whether it will be an improvement over Windows Vista. Then, one must sit and twiddle their thumbs to find out whether or not this will be the case rather then 'might' be the case for Windows7. And the fact they can not make a decision now whether or not Windows7 can / will accommodate USB3 when the USB3 spec is now officially out, is all the more entertaining and amusing. I think that Steve Jobs and the visionaries at Apple already see the handwriting on the wall about the future of USB. They've already dropped firewire on their lower end Macbook models. Also, most modern day camcorders incorporate mini-USB ports. It's almost a no-brainer to see the trend. It does not even taken a visionary. Surprisingly Microsoft cannot see that too though and must dabble whether or not Microsoft has the capability to incorporate USB3.0 specification into a future tense release of an OS which is not even in beta yet. And further, it's over a year away at least (conservative estimate) before one can see the final product. Hmmm..... interesting and amusing. Again, thanks Steve and the good guys over at Apple, for making a system rooted in Linux is truly 64-bit with an intuitive interface and one that, well, simply works. (and, oh yeah, in the same vein of progressive and visionary thinking, every new Macbook and Macbook Pro just released already incorporates the new DisplayPort technology. It is faster, open source and will potentially put to rest the variety of existing display connectivity options like VGA, DVI, and yes, even proprietary HDMI. I don't see a single notebook in the Windows world yet even incorporating the port. ) (Ref. http://www.displayport.org/simpler-setup/default.htm. Mark my words, a couple years down the road. It will be Apple's leadership here, other vendors will start taking note of this new open standard, and will start adopting it.)

[Get_Bent]

@js.matrix : "Agreed. Windows sucks."

Troll. They said nothing about Windows, only that they want USB 3.0 support from Apple.

"Again, thanks Steve and the good guys over at Apple, for making a system rooted in Linux"

Ignorant troll. OS X is rooted in BSD, not Linux.

[ajnauron]

25GB in a little over a minute? Now I can actually back up my hard drive in a few minutes rather than overnight.

[slecalvez]

Won't this speed be limited by the write speed of your hard drive? I don't think mains stream HD are able to write that fast... There will be some kind of bottleneck... Either the OS or the end storage device.

[js.matrix]

You are absolutely right. You ultimate maximum performance will only be as good as the weakest link in the chain. You have a 100Mbps fiber optic line speed, you connect to a server which only has a 5Mbps line speed connection to the internet, you are not going to get a 100Mbps throughput.

[epross]

Forgive me I haven't kept up on these things, why USB 3.0 hard-drives, what's wrong with eSata? Is USB 3.0 faster. I'd like to see a comparison chart of how USB 3 compares to others such as SATA, Firewire, etc. It inevitable that newer, faster, better would come along. Hopefully we won't all need to buy new computers to take advantage - but I bet we will !

[MadLyb]

A couple of points.

First, you really should make it clear that these numbers are based upon the theoretical max throughput for the spec, so actual performance *will* be slower.

Second, the real news is how they have rearchitected the interface and completed two major things.

First, they have disconnected the physical model from the logical model. So, now USB can go over optical or wireless or whatever the next medium is.

Next, and the most important thing to me is how much of the spec was based on PCI Express 2.0, which means USB has the ability (as well as the performance) to handle things like external graphics adapters, or even memory. I think the second one will be a game changer in terms of system design since it will allow computers to become modular even at the lower system levels without using proprietary interfaces and protocols. Could make for some cool system designs in the future.

[AppleSuxLeo]

Windows 7 , Superspeed USB , Nehalem , DDR3. Man...`09 is going to be great. Fry`s , here I come !

[shellcodes_coder]

Windows 7, USB 3 COOL