The End of FireWire? USB 3.0 Announced With Blazing Fast Transfer Speed

Posted by Daniel Shain

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With the dawning of USB 3.0, the computing world will be able to run much faster... and probably without any FireWire.

In the first major update to the USB specification in eight years, the USB Implementers Forum is slated to announce on Monday that USB 3.0 is approximately 10 times faster than USB 2.0. For a point of reference, you should be able to transfer an entire Blu-ray disc in about a minute. This update makes USB 3.0, with a 4.8 Gbps transfer rate, 6 times faster than FireWire 800, 10 times faster than USB 2.0, and about 400 times faster than the ancient USB 1.0. USB 3.0 also boasts greater power efficiency (so it shouldn't be as harmful to run USB hardware on your laptop anymore) and better power output, so that you can charge your electronic devices even faster. Just like USB 2.0 was to USB 1.0, it will also be backwards compatable so that you can still run USB 3.0 cable into your older ports (albeit at the older port's speed). With Apple seeming to take a step away from FireWire and USB 3.0 slated to hit the markets in the next year or two, this could mean the end for FireWire supported devices. Via wired

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  • By: Daniel Shain Nov 19, 2008 2:20 AM

    Thanks for the comment. I did some research and I find it equally interesting that you left out the fact that USB 3.0's transfer rate of 4.8Gbps actually blows FireWire 3200's 3.2Gbps out of the water ;). Of course, I did also read claims that FireWire tends to deliver a higher percentage of its advertised transfer rate than USB, so I'll admit it's not so clear cut as that.

    In any case, USB 3.0 is probably still the death of FireWire 3200 spreading any further than FireWire 800 is now. But it's good to know the specification won't be going quietly into the night... competition is good.

  • By: foobar macfoo Nov 17, 2008 4:49 PM

    There appear to be several hit pieces on the web today claiming the imminent release (within the next year or two) of USB 3.0 and the death of Firewire. How interesting.

    Interesting that the comparisons are USB 3.0 to Firewire 400/800, which conveniently leaves out the fact that Firewire 1600 and Firewire 3200, both in the works, completely blow USB 3.0 out of the water.

    Methinks someone's trying to put Firewire to bed. Intel, is that you?

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