One of the big news at CES – the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow held in Las Vegas in January – was the launch of the third generation USB. USB 3.0 will be up to ten times faster than USB 2.0 which will make a world of difference when you transfer data from your computer to removable media.

Sick of waiting for ages while your computer transfers data to removable media? You won’t have to wait much longer for a solution. At CES a number of USB 3.0 certified products were introduced, including hard drives, motherboards, host controllers and adapter cards…but as yet no other consumer electronics devices.

In theory USB 3.0 is ten times faster than USB 2.0. While USB 3.0 can handle up to 5Gbps, USB 2.0 max out at 480Mbps. However, applications (e.g. storage) will still be limited by the type of drive inside so the actual speed increase may be less. But it will still be like jumping on a motorcycle from a bicycle…

Data storage first
Data storage is where the greatest impact will be felt first. Eventually the interface will get into laptops and desktops but so far only HP and Fujitsu have announced limited USB 3.0 support on laptops. At next year’s CES, though, we are sure to see a lot more PC hardware with USB 3.0 integrated. We are also likely to see devices like digital cameras, camcorders and video cameras move to USB 3.0.

Compatible with USB 2.0
The introduction of USB 3.0 won’t require you to update anything. You can use a USB 3.0 device on a USB 2.0 port and achieve USB 2.0 performance. To achieve USB 3.0 performance, however, you will need a new cable and new host adapter or a motherboard that supports USB 3.0.

Look out for the certified SuperSpeed USB 3.0 logo if you are after a USB 3.0 product. The logo will guarantee that the device will deliver 5Gbps, there is no other way to get the certification. Expect to see USB 3.0 products without official certification, though. Time to market is vital in the consumer electronics industry and skipping the queue at the official certification testing labs saves time. But as a consumer you run a risk: how do you know if an uncertified product actually delivers USB 3.0 performance?