Two new emerging peripheral I/O standards are slugging it out in the computing peripheral and accessory marketplace: The next successor to USB 2.0 - SuperSpeed USB3, and Intel and Apple's new ThunderBolt ports.
Whether ThunderBolt and USB3 are competing or complimentary technologies is simply a matter of perspective. Both computer peripheral interface standards have their strengths and weaknesses, technical advantages and disadvantages that will determine the future of computer accessories, hard drive storage and tech gadgets for many years to come.
Intel plans an agressive rollout of ThunderBolt enabled PC motherboards in the year ahead. Combine with the recently shipping MacBook Pro laptops with a built-in ThunderBolt port - Apple is positioned to help establish Thunder-Bolt capabilities on millions of Mac's by years end. They need to be agressive - because they have several hurdles and disadvantages to overcome to deliver meaningful technology solutions that USB 3.0 can't or won't provide to professional and casual computer consumers.
5Gbps SuperSpeed USB 3.0 is only half as fast as ThunderBolt's 10Gbps specification. But it has a huge technical advantage on several fronts: Most notably, USB3's backward compatibility with existing legacy USB 2.0 ports (albeit at slower USB2 speeds), consumer familiarity with USB plugs and sockets, and 2 years of product development lead-time. A dozen different Laptop, NetBook and Desktop Windows PC's now ship with USB3 built-in. PCI and ExpressCard USB 3.0 adapter cards are available for both Windows 7 PC's and select Apple Mac computers giving existing computer users some potential USB3 upgrade options. And perhaps most importantly: Literally hundreds of USB 3.0 peripherals and accessories that are currently available to those who can take advantage of high-speed data transfer rates.