USB 3.0 devices begin hitting the stores this week. What exactly is USB 3.0? Well, it’s an upgrade of USB 2.0. Currently most computers, external hard drives, Flash drives and video cameras use USB 2.0 ports. With USB 3.0, you gain considerable speed in transferring large files to and from your computer.
This speed increase can vary from device to device, with manufacturers claiming speed increases anywhere from 3x to 10x over USB 2.0
For example, a new USB 3.0 external hard drive from Seagate, the BlackArmor PS 100, claims you can transfer a 25GB HD video to the drive in just 4.2 minutes…compared to 13.9 minutes with a USB 2.0 external hard drive.
As with any new technology, USB 3.0 is starting with a trickle. The HP Envoy is currently the only laptop to ship with USB 3.0 ports. But by the end of the year this new technology should have a firm hold…and Firewire ports (the longtime standard for speed when it comes to external hard drives) will be on their way out.