Lightpeak May Replace USB 3.0 in 2011

Electronista
PCWorld

^^This quote is why I want Lightpeak ASAP!

In time for 22nm Ivy Bridge.

 

Lightpeak wouldn't be the first innovation with wishful thinking. After all, the U.S. has one of the slowest mobile telecommunications networks in the world and it has nothing to do with the lack of technology.

And I won't even mention the dismal failure of software manufacturers the have virtually snubbed quad-core making 8-core and beyond a relative technological advancement without a purpose.

Getting it to work is one thing, but getting people to adapt and use it, is something altogether different.

Good luck!

 

i wouldn't say it wishful thinking.. it is possible but u would need to upgrade the communications systems... It might work but the cost might not be practical..

 

It won't replace USB. It will have the same kind of marketshare esata has...

 

or firewire

 

What's firewire? I think I vaguely remember hearing about it once.

 

Think about it this way....
a webcam
a mouse
a mic
a keyboard
a coffee mug warmer...etc
lightpeak is over kill...so because of this and the fact it can still use usb 3.0 those devices will use whatever is most popular, and whatever is cheaper. Do you really think that Lightpeak will be the cheapest to implement. I won't be surprised that in 2-3 years from now all mice and keyboards still use usb...it will only be external harddrives, monitors, docking stations, tv tuners...etc that use lightpeak (aka high-bandwidth devices).

 

Lightpeak has nothing to do with mobile telecommuniciations. It's a standardized port for connecting your computer's peripherals akin to USB.

Good, because you would be fighting a losing battle. The ability to process multiple tasks inside a single process in parallel is a tool just like any other. In 99% of applications there is either not enough happenning to fill up even a single core's worth of processing power, or more the tasks are dependent on being executed serially.

Making that argument would be akin to reproaching construction workers for not using a hammer with 8 heads to drive a single nail.

 

I'm thinking you were attempting to counter my point, but if fact, you are substantiating it.

 

Intel demonstrates LP

 

It's a nice concept but it won't replace USB for another 5-10 years, if ever. Once it gets in play it'll work out well and be just as cheap as USB, but getting both manufacturers and consumers to adopt a new standard takes time. Hell, desktops still come with the standard PS2 ports, and lappys still have VGA (instead of making DVI or HDMI standard).

Also 2011 being a release date means that only cutting edge desktop stuff will see or support it, and lappy's will lag behind :/

 

i doubt we'll see this in 2011.. the tech needs to be devloped further so u don't need extra stuff to convert all the data etc... its going to be 5-10 years easily before being widely used... if its properly developed...

 

granted that its fast but how much does it cost to produce these things.

 

exactly, we don't have devices that can consume the 480mbits of USB2.0, we already have 5gb USB3, so we need a 10GBit cable why? The only logical use is for networking, and we already have a solution for that..


The only exceptions to the rule are back up devices, but until Hard drives surpass 625mbytes/second, we don't have much to worry about.

 

I think light peak will replace USB3 in say 6 years... USB3 is crazy fast and there is no need for faster yet once SSD become as cheap as Hard drives and exceed 600MB/s then intel should release this.

 

We shall see. I think Lightpeak will take off due to its ability to work from USB 3.0 ports, and the fact that Intel is dragging its feet by not including it into Sandy Bridge chipsets, and AMD has only one notebook chipset this year that will include USB 3.0.

 

^^ this is true but what is the cost of the fiber cabling relative to USB3? USB3 is cheap... I'll bet light peak will be like HDMI it's been around for years but it's only recently seen mass adoption in notebooks. if USB3 devices work with light peak that will also help a lot.

maybe it will but I don't think so quite yet. I'm still betting on USB3 becoming the next standard for at least 3-5years.

 

In my opinion, a couple things point to LightPeak taking off faster than the naysayers here are predicting.

1) Intel dragging it's feet on USB3.0 tells me that they want to leapfrog to LightPeak relatively quickly and only use USB3.0 as an interim format. Especially since they can do LightPeak through a USB3.0 port (thus they can maintain backwards compatibility with the USB3.0 ecosystem while supporting LightPeak)

2) I don't see apple adopting USB3.0 as a standalone input. They already have firewire 800 on their desktops and highest end laptops. Since USB3.0 will be inferior tech once LightPeak comes out next year, it seems very un-Apple for them to add support for a something that will be outdated shortly. I only see them adopting USB3.0 in the guise of USB3.0/Lightpeak combo ports if that is how Intel chooses to do the initial launch of Lighpeak.

3) Apple likes to push the boundary these days in certain I/O respects (dropped floppy drive from iMac, then dropped disc drive in the macbook air). They will be one of the first to launch LightPeak (they were involved in the first demo of the technology, which was on a hackintosh). Probably next summer desktops and hopefully laptops (perhaps in time for back to school) will be unveiled that support LightPeak (and perhaps also USB3.0). One of the benefits of LightPeak is the small form-factor (hint: future iPhone/iPad of 2011/2012)

4) As far as USB3.0 goes, there is very little incentive to upgrade to it. Forget about average users at this point and look at techies. USB3.0 is only really useful for external hard drives right now* and we already have eSATA which offers speeds faster than all mechanical hard drives and the vast majority of SSDs**. With the SATA3.0 (6Gb/s) spec that limit will be raised. So there is little reason for the installed base of eSATA users to switch to USB3.0 because we have to replace hardware for no gain in speed (in 90% of cases). LightPeak offers support for all kinds of I/O (displays, networking, data transfer, etc.) and even higher speeds than USB3.0 and eSATA, which gives it more longevity.

5) With the publicity that Apple generates these days for new product launches and the likelihood that they will adopt LightPeak as soon as they can, and the fact that it is destined for the iPhone/iPad as soon as is technically possible, LightPeak will be promoted and marketed much better and thus has a good chance of taking off much faster than USB3.0 (which is anemic at this point, given lack of Intel support) and will eclipse USB3.0 faster than people think.


*It would naturally be nice to sync mp3 players, smartphones, etc. over USB3.0 but as far as I know that isn't possible right now and I haven't heard of plans for it any time soon (this is because the hardware manufacturers have to build in support for USB 3.0 into those devices).

**I believe there are a few SSDs that are limited by the SATA2.0 (3Gb/s) spec. But in the context of our discussion here we are referring to external drives, and SSDs are not commonly used as external drives due to their high cost per GB. You can use external RAID arrays to saturate SATA2.0, but this is a minute segment of the market, and as I mentioned above SATA3.0 raises the bandwidth limit to match USB3.0

 

USB 3.0 IS DEAD, expect Light Peak on Sandy Bridge notebooks at CES?

 

I doubt Apple will jump on Lightpeak. They haven't even got e-SATA on their notebooks, just FW800.

 

My biggest problem here is no serial type interface. While this looks great for one port to one device who is going to want A bunch of those big black boxes to split the signal to multple other devices into the various device interfaces. If devices cary this direct port to use more than one a networking solution of the signal must be developed and a way to possibly split and amplify the light signal.

another idea would be to do a device to a spectral signal but this could end up being expensive and complicated. There also is then the vendor support.

Without devices that the port can interface too it becomes useless. That is unless Intel is planning a bunch of interface devices and then convince the consumers they need to fork out for one or more of these. It is just too iffy for a quick addoption but as a longer term solution to slowly hit the market may be another story.

In the end unless implimentation will be way cheaper than USB 3.0 don't expect to see it too soon unless we start getting devices that become hindered by USB 3.0 bandwidth. This is why for the mass market esata devices are not comon place. it isn't way cheaper nor do we have many devices the average consumer thinks of the lower bandwidth of USB 2.0 being a deal breaker.

So why piggy back it to USB 3.0, because Intel needs to also cary some type of power supply down the line for portable stand alone devices. It isn't so much for backwards compatability. Intel would want it to be off USB 3.0 too because of the increased available power from the port.

In all it looks like Intel really needs USB 3.0 to succeed and become a standard for Lightpeak to then advance upon it...........

 

I have to disagree here. Apple is all about simplicity and lightpeak offers the ability to replace all the various ports with lightpeak ports (protocols like USB2.0, USB3.0, Ethernet, Display, SATA, etc. can all run on lightpeak connections).

Apple also like to be the first to take big steps forward with technology. For example, they were first to dump serial and PS2 ports and push USB for peripherals, they were the first to drop floppy drives, and they are doing their best to obsolete the optical drive with their MacBook Air line. A less successful example is their advocacy and use of Firewire.

So I would bet Apple is going to be all over LightPeak as soon as they possibly can.

 

Yet they are still using Firewire and not e-SATA? I believe Apple users would benefit if they had e-Sata as their target market does a ton of data transfer. And if LightPeak ends up being a flop? I guess we'll see in a few months won't we?

 

I'll just be happy with anything faster than USB 2.0 on my next Macbook Pro. Heck, I was planning on compromising and grabbing a FireWire 800 external HDD.

 

New April 2011 MBP's first to get LightPeak.

 

Forget Lightpeak. I'm boycotting it (and close to boycotting Intel in general). I'm ticked at Intel for not supporting USB 3.0.

 

This is great news!

USB 3.0 is so passe (I've never warmed to it) already.

 

I believe firewire is in reference to an wire that once lit on fire.
-drum rolls-
-cymbals-
-epic fail-

 

wow this is news.

I just got 2 USB 3.0 expansion cards for my desktop luckily it was only $25.00 for the pair so not a big investment.

USB 3.0 is great for not just speed but more power. I wonder how lightpeak will stand up and how well it will be supported.

USB 3.0 has USB 2.0 backwards compatibility. Thats why its a smooth natural move forward.

I look at LightPeak much more like E-SATA where its nice to have and great if you have it but cant replace USB because you need your USB devices.

 

Lightpeak will replace all serial port device connection options currently out.

 

No light for Intel's initial Light Peak tech

 

They could use usb or network cable to connect anything .. if they wanted ..
Standardization is not the target .. every company want to get their share by making something that only they sell and ppl have to buy ..
(atm. mini usb3 connection on external wd drivers .. bye bye usb2 cables)

Optical connection is there for .. don't know since when ... no1 else jumped on other then sound and even then they prefer copper.

 

In fact, it's one of the most reasonable update on the market. With that kind of update reputation, who would not support it?

Something lightpeak with all it's lickity split speed does not have.

And why it will continue to be around for many years to come. That's especially true when you consider people are already used to it.

That's a great analysis since even Intel admits it's not intended as a replacement for USB etc., rather, a supplement to already existing ports.

 

But if Intel is considering LP as a supplemental port to USB they sure are not treating it that way. They are flat out holding back widespread distribution of USB 3.0 by not supporting it natively so LP can "catch up".

I guessed right about Blu Ray beating HD-DVD and I will put my 1 for 1 on the line and say USB will win this war. LP won't die like HD-DVD but it will be niche like firewire. It is just too logical for manufacturers to keep a USB port, regardless of it being 2.0 or 3.0, on the machines they build. think of all the things we use on a daily basis that is USB:

1. Printers
2. Keyboards/Mice
3. Flash Drives/External Drives
4. Cellphones
5. Digital Cameras
6. Portable Multimedia Devices

The last 3 device categories are often overlooked. Let Intel drag its feet on USB 3.0. Anything that opens the door for AMD and increased competition is all good in my books.

 

No, they want it to replace USB 3.0, as well as every other port in existence:

Electronista
PC Pro

 

It's not a mistake. I simply stated what was said in the article I read.

 

Well most people think Intel is holding out on full USB 3.0 chipset integration because Lightpeak is coming out. Why integrated, which I believe Intel believes, an going to be obsolete technology into their chipset which LP will replace the entire serial bus? I think that would be going backwards integrating 3.0 into the chipset if they are going to release LP.

 

Production studios connect Mac Pros to storage servers with fiber channel cards.
These studios don't blink at spending $15k on a single workstation.

Unless you're thinking of the smaller studio pro photographers and small indy bands that use Macbook Pros or a spec'ed out iMac for their production, then heck yeah, those people probably wish they had eSATA since not everyone can afford a premier workstation.

 

Intel knows perfectly well if there is a 5gb connection widely adopted (USB 3), not a lot of folks are going to bother with LP. For most connections 5gb is vastly overkill, 10 won't even make any difference for 99% of connections.

So Intel sat on the USB 3 committee giving it lip service, all the while planning to undermine it with their own connection. Nice guys...

 

Oh I don't doubt it. I'm talking about like the MacBook Pro. We have 600 dollar Toshibas and Dells that have e-SATA/USB combo port. If a 600 dollar Windows based notebooks have e-SATA why can't a 1600 dollar Macbook Pro have 1 port?

And I'm assuming you can just add an e-SATA bracket to a Mac Pro and configure OS X to accept e-SATA?

 

Because Apple didn't develop it. Haven't you noticed by now Apple likes to keep everything (aka profit) in the family. Heck, they won't even let you change your own battery!? You can't get more corporate greedy than that.

 

agreed their EULA or whatever says you can't install mac OS on any computer that isn't theirs. So you have to spend 2g on an outdated core 2 lol. I did a peice comparasion of a mac book pro and a dell. Dells can be over priced and dell came up 600-800 bucsk cheaper and was equal or faster/better depending on what you chose...the desktop versions of macs are even worse. I did this just a few months ago after they finall added i core cpus....even though they have been out for a year(laptop) and couple of years for desktops lol. Their imac had core 2s in them in april....how long have core i's for desktops been out lol


EDIT: if lightpeak comes out in 2011 mac's wont use its for a year or 2 easy lol

 

There is a rumor that the April update to the Macbook Pro's will feature Light Peak along with Sandy Bridge.

 

I will be shocked if thats true...now don't get me wrong. Apple has come really far in the last few years. They have started using real processors and graphics cards and they have even been updating alot faster! But they still are alwyas far behind. Maybe this will be a new time period when Apple gets off their butts and updates when new tech comes out. I don't know but it will be interesting. Next all they need to do is sell reasonably prices hardware. I don't know how anyone can through away 2500 bucks for a comparable PC system costing 1000-1500!

 

Um, seeing people queue up for iPad, there seems to be lots of people that would do just that ;-)

 

Anyone purchasing the Macbook or 13" MBP is overpaying by hundreds already. But with Apple products, they are better designed for service, are better built than consumer models, and tech support is hella better. Am I saying the higher price is justified? It all depends on you.

If putting it like that, my i7 rig stomps on a 15" MBP but isn't portable, doesn't have its own screen, doesn't have warranty, doesn't have tech support.

 

Sadly.....

Yes but your's is upgradable...Macs can't even be upgraded without voiding their warrenty and are very limited....common that's just dumb

 

Yes! Just not in so many words.

Merry Christmas!

 

Via on Light Peak

 

If intel can make it run light peak and usb 3.0 in a single port i see light peak being adapted very quickly. It also helps that intel made it. They build so many motherboards and cpus that it makes it's chances of success is far greater.