[Ken Gracey]

Forget Lightpeak, Apples marketing gurus have come up with a better name Thunderbolt And NO i am not kidding, even though i wish i was...


And Yes it will be part of the Macbook Pro update this week




TL

[gazza]

Yep, Apple sure comes up with some strange names regularly, but the controversy just helps to gain the (free) publicity in droves. Who can ever forget the iPad debut? Does anyone ever mention this so-called weird name anymore? The "furor" just helped the iPad along to be the most successful new product in Apple's history.

[BrianB]

I'm just amazed that even though Apple are including this new 'Thunderbolt' connection, the are sticking with USB 2.0 ports. Why not just include USB 3.0 ports as well. I guess it all comes down to marketing and they don't want the two different technologies to compete with each other and hence make more money out of Thunderbolt. They probably have shares in intel and want that technology to take off over and above USB 3.0....besides it being twice as fast as USB 3.0 and Apple love being on the forefront of innovation.

Thanks Apple... I just spent more money than I had to on an external USB 3.0 portable hard drive a few months ago, thinking that's what you would be including in your next gen MacBooks and iMacs...

[media-sorcerer]

i dont understand why they dont just do usb 3 with backward compatible for usb 2?come on!

[gazza]

Three weeks ago TUAW had an explanation of why Apple won't adopt USB 3. It's worth a quick read but it is now out of date in that Intel released yesterday a video of LightPeak/Thunderbolt in action - maybe not as far off as TUAW thought! The killer is that any USB device can just be daisy-chained into the Thunderbolt circuit so current USB 1, 2 or 3 will not be defunct and still be usable into the foreseeable future.

Thunderbolt looks to be very impressive with its ability to simultaneously transfer up to 10GP/s in either direction in the one cable!

[Some Random Bloke]

Remembering that actual speeds are only as fast as the slowest connection - USB 1 still only gives USB 1 speeds, even if connected to lightpeak.

[Islandhead]

True, but I guess it will mean at least you don't have to upgrade all your plug in accessories at the get go though

[BrianB]

So will a USB plug fit into the Lightpeak connection????

[gazza]

Yep! Have a look at the video I linked to above. They show a "black box" at one end of the LightPeak circuit into which USB devices can plug.

So once the USB stuff enters the LightPeak circuit it can then traverse at the Thunderbolt speed!

[BrianB]

Great, I was hoping the connection would be backwards compatible with USB 2.0, so we can plug our peripherals into the Thunderbolt connection.....obviously though not getting 'Thunderbolt' speed.

I feel like I'm writing about a comic book/ super hero character everytime I write 'Thunderbolt'...:-)

[BrianB]

If you look at this so-called leaked image of the new MacBook Pro with the Thunderbolt connection, it wouldn't fit a USB 2.0 plug:

New 13-Inch MacBook Pro Specs Leaked, Light Peak Arrives as Thunderbolt

[gazza]

Correct! Lightpeak connectors are not compatible with USB or other gear. But Intel has designed a component which is part of the Lightpeak daisy chain which does have USB sockets. So apparently USB users will need to purchase a Lightpeak cable and the "black box" to which other gear can be connected. The video does not indicate if other standards beside USB (Firewire?) can be plugged into the black box. One would hope that the basic gear is cheaper than replacing USB devices.

EDIT: I've just looked at the video again and what I am referring to as a black box is actually called the Light Peak docking station. The Intel guy only mentions that USB cab be plugged into it. This device needs to be between your USB equipment and your computer equipped with a Light Peak port.

[Ken Gracey]

Why not just stick with FireWire 800 ? It would have been a lot easier





Ken

[BrianB]

What a pain...having to buy a Light Peak docking station just so you can plug your USB peripherals.

Apple better not get rid of the USB ports on the MacBooks and iMacs for quite a few years.

If only they had adopted USB 3 and been done with it.....or if Intel had created the Lightpeak socket to be the same shape as USB and make it backwards compatible.

[klytia]

Ken Gracey, on 24 February 2011 - 02:15 PM, said:

Why not just stick with FireWire 800 ? It would have been a lot easier

Welcome to the forum Ken......



Mick

[klytia]

BrianB, on 24 February 2011 - 02:47 PM, said:

What a pain...having to buy a Light Peak docking station just so you can plug your USB peripherals.

Apple better not get rid of the USB ports on the MacBooks and iMacs for quite a few years.

If only they had adopted USB 3 and been done with it.....or if Intel had created the Lightpeak socket to be the same shape as USB and make it backwards compatible.

Well said Brian, it's a pity forethought has gone out the window, profit and speed for the ones who can just change all their gear over.....




Mick

[Ken Gracey]

Wake me up when they bring out Thunderstorm ( or what ever silly name they call it) hard drives, optical drives etc etc etc.


Between now and then, i am not interested in spending money on boxes and other gadgets, that make my desk, look like something hobbled together by some PC geek, trying to make everything talk to each other.





TL

[klytia]

I reckon "Thunderclap" sounds better....especially the clap bit....like we are going to clap our hands on your cash....

That's un-Australian! Use our name and clap us....


Mick

[Ken Gracey]

I think a better name for it would have been FLASH




TL

[klytia]

WOOOOOHOOOOOOO you said the bad word, you said the bad word, you said the bad word,

16 post to go and i have you in my sights.....you said the bad word, you said the bad word,