Why no USB 3.0?

[LarryC]

I know that Apple just refreshed the MacBook Pros and everyone knows that these machines are not cheap. Why wouldn't Apple equip these machines with the newest and most advanced hardware possible? I know it/they have Thunderbolt, but they also have USB so why not the latest and greatest USB? I mean how much more would that really cost them? I like having choices and it seems to me that Apple is too controlling at times. I have my own brain and I don't need SJ or anybody else telling me what I need. It's like when they fought forever against offering USB period! And eventually they ended up having to do it. And for a long time, we had USB 1.1 when almost everybody else was using USB 2.0. I mean let go of the friggin' control issues already! If Apple is going to create and sell a top of the line machine then they need to make sure that it has the top of the line as far as components. It needs to be more than just pretty. I know that the new MBP has some incredible specs and I would love to actually have one. I just don't get why they drag their feet for so looooong when it comes to something like this.

 

[kappaknight]

If you want choices, why not just choose a PC? They're configurable and can offer what you're looking for.

 

[C01E]

Because apple seems to HATE usb... Be glad they even have 2.0...

Side note: thunderbolt (hate that name, I think they should have kept light Peak) is the future, the sooner it kills off USB the better (and firewire for that matter...) 10GB/S data both ways... Its like someone listened to me saying HDMI connections should be used for everything 2 years ago and made my dream come true!

 

[alust2013]

I don't think that intel includes USB 3.0 with their mobile chipsets yet, so that wasn't really an option.

 

[LarryC]

I don't think that intel includes USB 3.0 with their mobile chipsets yet, so that wasn't really an option.

Actually they do. I saw these specs on a Sony Laptop.

Ports
Card Slot 1 x Express Card/34
USB 2 x USB 3.0 1 x USB 2.0
Video Port 1 x VGA
HDMI 1 x HDMI
Other port 1 x eSATA
Audio Ports

If you want choices, why not just choose a PC? They're configurable and can offer what you're looking for.

Yes, I could do that, but that is not what I was asking.

Because apple seems to HATE usb... Be glad they even have 2.0...

Side note: thunderbolt (hate that name, I think they should have kept light Peak) is the future, the sooner it kills off USB the better (and firewire for that matter...) 10GB/S data both ways... Its like someone listened to me saying HDMI connections should be used for everything 2 years ago and made my dream come true!

It really does seem that way. When I bought my 500MHz G3 iMac, it had USB 1.1 when my friends PC's had 2.0. I had a coupe friends I was going to school with at the time who were long time Mac people and they told me that my little iMac was one of the first to actually have USB at all. It was like they did it, but they really didn't want to. I just like having choices. I was kind of excited when I first heard about USB 3.0 and Firewire 1600. Change is good I agree with you that Thunderbolt is not as good a name as Light Peak.

 

[magbarn]

Actually they do. I saw these specs on a Sony Laptop.

Ports
Card Slot 1 x Express Card/34
USB 2 x USB 3.0 1 x USB 2.0
Video Port 1 x VGA
HDMI 1 x HDMI
Other port 1 x eSATA
Audio Ports

Not true, if you tear apart that laptop you will find a non-intel USB 3.0 pci-e controller chip. No native Intel USB 3.0 until Ivy Bridge.

 

[LarryC]

Not true, if you tear apart that laptop you will find a non-intel USB 3.0 pci-e controller chip. No native Intel USB 3.0 until Ivy Bridge.

I did not know that. I did a google search a little while ago with USB 3.0 + Apple. One of the sights that came up had a video where a guy was saying that 3.0 uses less electricity? Is that actually true? I have no idea. I would think that would be a really good thing for a laptop.

I just googled Ivy Bridge. They had what looked like an impressive table of information on these processors. I would probably be even more impressed if I actually understood more of what I was reading Jeez, looking at those information tables made me feel like a first grader listening to a college level theoretical physicist lecture!!!!! Any yes, I can admit to absolute ignorance about things like that without any embarrassment or shame. But from what I could tell, it looks like 2011 and 2012 are going to be very exciting in the world of personal computing.

 

[richard.mac]

the Sandy Bridge chipset doesn't currently support USB 3.0 (PCs have NEC USB 3.0 chipsets). Intel probably wants Light Peek "Thundebolt" to take over and this is obviously Apple's thoughts as well, as they both did co-develop it. i dont like it as most new PC's now have it and not compatible with new Macs, hopefully Light Peek will become more mainstream.

"There’s no native USB 3.0 support on these chipsets, but most motherboard makers are looking to third party solutions to enable USB 3 on Sandy Bridge boards." via AnandTech http://www.anandtech.com/show/3871/the-sandy-bridge-preview-three-wins-in-a-row/3

 

[LarryC]

the Sandy Bridge chipset doesn't currently support USB 3.0 (PCs have NEC USB 3.0 chipsets). Intel probably wants Light Peek "Thundebolt" to take over and this is obviously Apple's thoughts as well, as they both did co-develop it.

"There’s no native USB 3.0 support on these chipsets, but most motherboard makers are looking to third party solutions to enable USB 3 on Sandy Bridge boards." via AnandTech http://www.anandtech.com/show/3871/the-sandy-bridge-preview-three-wins-in-a-row/3

I had no idea that Apple was a co-developer. I wonder if the PC manufacturers will drag their heels to adopt it the way they seemed to turn up their collective noses at Firewire. I remember going into a PC component store with a friend years ago. He was building himself a new PC and wanted to pick something up that he had ordered. The salesman wanted to show my friend some fancy new motherboard and when I asked if it supported Firewire they both started laughing at me and making fun of Apple. I got absolute silence from both of them when I told them that what Sony called IEEE 1394 was Firewire That felt good!

 

[richard.mac]

maybe the term "co-developed" isn't complete true, im not sure, but they sure did help design it.

haha yeah Firewire is awesome! most PC boards have Firewire 400 atm, but 800 is very scarce i have an 800 PCIe card. Firewire is used a lot in camcorders and the multimedia industry.

 

[LarryC]

maybe the term "co-developed" isn't complete true, im not sure, but they sure did help design it.

haha yeah Firewire is awesome! most PC boards have Firewire 400 atm, but 800 is very scarce i have an 800 PCIe card. Firewire is used a lot in camcorders and the multimedia industry.

I love Firewire. Like I said earlier, I thought it was exciting news when I heard about Firewire 1600. I really thought that we would at least see it already on the Mac Pro. Oh well, I guess Apple will probably be phasing it out now for Light Peak. When I say I like choices, I do, but I also like having the ability to attach just about any type of peripheral to my computer if I want to. I know that Light Peak is fantastic and all of that, but I don't want to see them discontinue both USB and Firewire. And yes, I know that I probably sound like the guy who complained about the demise of the floppy-disc

 

[bigjobby]

...And yes, I know that I probably sound like the guy who complained about the demise of the floppy-disc

not really. There'll probably be a Thunderbolt FW/USB hub/adaptor that you can daisy-chain with all your other Thunderbolt devices. Can't remember where I saw that Intel demo of Thunderbolt but it looked well impressive!

 

[mehanika]

There are threats within Lightpeak. Huge ones When using a USB (2/3), the USB-device is a slave to the computer (master),
so the USB-device can not harm the computer, without the user allowing it (Malaware auto-running etc).

With Lightpeak, this is gone. Why? Because Intel didn't think of it. This means, you have to be 1000% sure, tha whatever you plugin, is "clean" - once is plugged in, its too late to redo it. If you e.g. borrow a external harddrive from a friend, it can be contained with sorts of crap. With todays USB's - this is not a issue, because neither can or will auto-run without permission.

 

[LarryC]

There are threats within Lightpeak. Huge ones When using a USB (2/3), the USB-device is a slave to the computer (master),
so the USB-device can not harm the computer, without the user allowing it (Malaware auto-running etc).

With Lightpeak, this is gone. Why? Because Intel didn't think of it. This means, you have to be 1000% sure, tha whatever you plugin, is "clean" - once is plugged in, its too late to redo it. If you e.g. borrow a external harddrive from a friend, it can be contained with sorts of crap. With todays USB's - this is not a issue, because neither can or will auto-run without permission.

I sure did not know that Thank you.

 

[eaf7s]

There are threats within Lightpeak. Huge ones When using a USB (2/3), the USB-device is a slave to the computer (master),
so the USB-device can not harm the computer, without the user allowing it (Malaware auto-running etc).

With Lightpeak, this is gone. Why? Because Intel didn't think of it. This means, you have to be 1000% sure, tha whatever you plugin, is "clean" - once is plugged in, its too late to redo it. If you e.g. borrow a external harddrive from a friend, it can be contained with sorts of crap. With todays USB's - this is not a issue, because neither can or will auto-run without permission.

Is there no software security fix for something like this? A gateway implemented in an OS update etc.?

 

[Eddyisgreat]

With Lightpeak, this is gone. Why? Because Intel didn't think of it. This means, you have to be 1000% sure, tha whatever you plugin, is "clean" - once is plugged in, its too late to redo it. If you e.g. borrow a external harddrive from a friend, it can be contained with sorts of crap. With todays USB's - this is not a issue, because neither can or will auto-run without permission.

o brother

FUD much?

Firewire and expresscard does the same thing. Mongrel hordes don't run up to peoples boxes and start uploading 'teh viris'. If you don't have physical security on your box, it's already compromised anyway.

U can have your master-slave architecture if you want; I want speedy, low latency transit.

 

[brentsg]

I will be careful never to plug into one of those public Thunderbolt ports at the mall.

 

[lilo777]

Not true, if you tear apart that laptop you will find a non-intel USB 3.0 pci-e controller chip. No native Intel USB 3.0 until Ivy Bridge.

You have to add that the non-Intel extra controller chip costs about $5 and this is the real reason Apple decided not to use it. It's all about money.

 

[STITCHES]

I had no idea that Apple was a co-developer. I wonder if the PC manufacturers will drag their heels to adopt it the way they seemed to turn up their collective noses at Firewire. I remember going into a PC component store with a friend years ago. He was building himself a new PC and wanted to pick something up that he had ordered. The salesman wanted to show my friend some fancy new motherboard and when I asked if it supported Firewire they both started laughing at me and making fun of Apple. I got absolute silence from both of them when I told them that what Sony called IEEE 1394 was Firewire That felt good!

Glad to report my FW 800 port on my MBP gets used daily hooked up to an external hd.

 

[steviem]

There are threats within Lightpeak. Huge ones When using a USB (2/3), the USB-device is a slave to the computer (master),
so the USB-device can not harm the computer, without the user allowing it (Malaware auto-running etc).

With Lightpeak, this is gone. Why? Because Intel didn't think of it. This means, you have to be 1000% sure, tha whatever you plugin, is "clean" - once is plugged in, its too late to redo it. If you e.g. borrow a external harddrive from a friend, it can be contained with sorts of crap. With todays USB's - this is not a issue, because neither can or will auto-run without permission.

Malware could autorun on Windows from a USB stick, so I don't see your argument.

To be honest, this USB host crap is really annoying, and I really look forward to seeing Thunderbolt devices come to market, iPhones and other mobile devices start to adopt it in place of USB.

 

[smallnshort247]

Either way you know Apple has their way of updating their tech kinda late..sometimes really late. There are other options out there.

 

[Hellhammer]

H61, Z68 and X68 seem to have native support for USB 3.0.