gigawire and usb2

[AmbitiousLemon]

I havent been impressed by a macworld in a long time but this one sure surprised me. we all expected lcdimacs, but the lcd and the g4 truly caught me off guard. so thrilled was i with the new imac i just now remembered something i was expecting... gigawire and usb2. we were all talking about new faster connections. a firewire2 some were calling gigawire was a certain to many people. usb2 was thought to be further off than mwsf but it was a possibility.

so now i ask the question... when? the introduction of a new imac without these new connections seems to suggest that these will come out later rather than sooner. the best way to introduce a new connection protocol is to put it in the consumer line so although a premiere of these connections in a powermac line is possible im not sure how wise it would be. ok kids tell me why im wrong

 

[modyouup]

My guess is that these new ports will be on the g5. Besides, wasn't the imac always sort of behind the towers?

All new technology usually comes on the towers.

 

[zsvx]

What about the "digital hub"?

I thought the point of the iMac was to be the best digital hub for our digital lifestyle. Limiting the number of peripherals that it can connect to by not including such an emerging standard as USB2 seems stupid to me.

Of course this entire post relies on the assumption that you cannot use USB2 devices with a USB1 controller. I can't recall if this is actually the case or not.

 

[spikey]

If i remember correctly i think it is possible to connect a USB2 device to a USB1 controller. Although obviously you get the USB1 rate of transfer.

 

[MacUser1]

didn't the g4 tower have firewire before the iMac

 

[Durandal7]

The G3 tower had firewire before the iMac, the iMac did not get firewire until it caught on and there was an actual selection of devices using it. I expect gigawire to be backwards compatible so it won't be that big an issue for a while.

 

[Kid Red]

Re: What about the "digital hub"?

Originally posted by zsvx
I thought the point of the iMac was to be the best digital hub for our digital lifestyle. Limiting the number of peripherals that it can connect to by not including such an emerging standard as USB2 seems stupid to me.

Of course this entire post relies on the assumption that you cannot use USB2 devices with a USB1 controller. I can't recall if this is actually the case or not.

USB2 is too new and kinda competes with firewire. Firewire 2 is too new and firewire is still catching on.

Just 'cause USB2 exsists, doesn't mean Apple is stupid for not including it.

 

[spikey]

Possibly the average consumer finds a firewire port fast enough for what they want to do.
It is still fast enough for burning CDs etc.
so leaving out USB2 isnt really such a dumb idea.

But powermac users will want the latest controller card, they will need a faster transfer rate.

And besides, the imac is a bit on the pricey side for the consumer, adding USB2 would only increase it in price. Wait till their price drops, then maybe we will see it.

 

[stagemic]

Gigawire

From what I read at AtAT gigawire is not the successor to firewire... I hope this url works (it seems short to me considering the number of trademarks...)
http://tess.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=kskkhd.2.9

That should direct you to U.S. trademark search system... the description is a:: Telecommunication services; cellular telephone communication; Communication by computer terminals...etc.

and Firewire
http://tess.uspto.gov/bin/jumpto?f=doc&state=kskkhd.2.59

as a:computer utility software; computers; computer peripherals and consumer electronics, namely, scanners, smart monitors, modems, printers, disk drives, namely fixed, floppy, cartridge and tape drives etc...

I hope someone finds this useful

 

[evildead]

Re: What about the "digital hub"?

Originally posted by zsvx
I thought the point of the iMac was to be the best digital hub for our digital lifestyle. Limiting the number of peripherals that it can connect to by not including such an emerging standard as USB2 seems stupid to me.

Of course this entire post relies on the assumption that you cannot use USB2 devices with a USB1 controller. I can't recall if this is actually the case or not.

no.. you cannot. You USB 2 is backward commpatable and you can use a USB1.1 device with a USB 2.0 interface. I have a USB 2.0 PCI card in my Mac.... it works great. I dont even have any USB 2.0 devices... I just hate using hubs.

 

[evildead]

Re: Re: What about the "digital hub"?

Originally posted by Kid Red


USB2 is too new and kinda competes with firewire. Firewire 2 is too new and firewire is still catching on.

Just 'cause USB2 exsists, doesn't mean Apple is stupid for not including it.

very true... Apple invented fireWire... why would they put something that is faster than FrieWire on their bords before FireWire 2.0 comes out? FireWire2 will blow USB2.0 away. apple probably just wants to make sure of that. actly havent seen any computers come with USB 2.0 standard yet...but then again.. I dont shop much for WinBoxes.

 

[menoinjun]

No one seems to understand that USB 2.0 is an Intel sponsored technology, and Firewire competes directly with it. I don't think that Apple will ever include USB 2.0 unless they are forced to, and I don't believe that will ever happen.

-pete

 

[blackpeter]

No USB2? No Problem...

Come on... it's taken USB all this time to get a 10-20% increase on Firewire (at it's VERY best). I know people with USB2, and they all need hubs to connect to their USB1 ports - so they don't even get these minor increases that USB2 provides. It's a protocal that's going nowhere fast.

Firewire is the future... I'll wait for F2.

 

[scar_ace]

supposedly there was a firewire 2 consortium meeting which apple attended and stormed out of due to the fact that their idea of charging manufacturers the priviledge of using this I/O dubbed "gigawire", didn't go down too well.
Or was that Hypertransport? I dont remember, Doh! Either way I dont see Apple including it too soon.