MacBook Air Adds USB 3.0
Apple released their new MacBook Air product and we are very excited to hear USB 3.0 is now standard.
If you have concerns about USB 3.0 being a new technology without much compatibility, you are totally wrong. The great thing about USB is their backward compatible specification. What this means, is the USB-IF [the forum which governs the technology] requires that any new USB specification work will all legacy USB protocols.
So even using that ultra slow USB drive from 2004 will work in the new MacBook Air products. Not like you would, but it’s just an example. Another example is using slower USB products like USB keyboards or USB calculators or USB breast warmers will work from the Apple USB 3.0 socket.
The USB 3.0 specification has a maximum transfer speed of gigabits per second. That’s about 500MBs per second. You must keep in mind this is the theoretical maximum and you can never expect this type of performance from a USB device, but it’s nice to know the efficiency ratios are dramatically improved with the new USB 3.0 specification.
Rich Gates
Administator for GetUSB.info
GetUSB.info started in 2004 with the concept of providing USB information for everything USB related. At the time, USB was gaining momentum and every day new products, articles and news became published. Today, the site is focused on bringing technical information, tricks and hacks to USB related products. The site does publish off topic information as well, to keep the variety up. Please visit the footer area of any page if you or your company is interested in article or product placement via purchased advertising.