Intel appeases haters, reveals USB 3.0 controller specification

What's with all the hate, guys? For months now, AMD, NVIDIA and a host of other caps-locked companies have been harshing on the chip maker for withholding critical information in relation to the USB 3.0 controller specification. At long last, Intel can finally throw up its left hand and ask those pundits to talk to it, as the outfit has finally unveiled the Extensible Host Controller Interface (xHCI) draft specification revision 0.9 in support of the USB 3.0 (SuperSpeed USB) architecture. The spec hopes to provide a "standardized method for USB 3.0 host controllers to communicate with the USB 3.0 software stack," and it's being made available under RAND-Z (royalty free) licensing terms "to all USB 3.0 Promoter Group and contributor companies that sign an xHCI contributor agreement." So, are we all happy now?

[notjoel @ Aug 14th 2008 9:29AM]

i've never been happy.

[Danny @ Aug 14th 2008 10:24AM]

Poor bugger..

[From My Cube @ Aug 14th 2008 9:29AM]

so it looks like throwing a tantrum like a two year old does get you somewhere in the business world

[Kris @ Aug 14th 2008 9:48AM]

Well USB is designed to be a universal plug. With Intel holding it closely, only Intel knew how it was being implemented and could easily take advantage of this by already incorporating it into chipsets.

Intel had an unfair advantage.

Then again, I believe Intel is putting more money into USB 3 than any other company so perhaps it's fair they get a jump? I don't know anymore.

[Flashpoint @ Aug 14th 2008 11:21AM]

Warning

USB2.0 product plugged into High Speed USB 3.0 port.

Please upgrade all hardware to meet high-speed specifications.

[Nomi @ Aug 14th 2008 9:34AM]

oh I am sure they will find something wrong with this too...

[engadgetier @ Aug 14th 2008 9:50AM]

its no fair Intel is now releasing the specs.....

[Jon Doe. @ Aug 14th 2008 9:35AM]

I'd love to know who this host of others are. From everything I've read it's been the douches at AMD and Nvidia who have been the throwing the temper tantrum. And as far as I can tell neither company has thrown any money behind developing the spec so both can go fuck themselves. I'm willing to be the final was probably rushed and it may come back to bite everyone down the road.

As for So, are we all happy now?......wait for it. They will complain about something.

[Tim @ Aug 14th 2008 10:09AM]

Not that I know details, but why would you invest development money in a standard you're not privy too? If, now that they know the info, they continue to be stingy, then bad on them. But lets at least give them a shot.

[gabe @ Aug 14th 2008 9:41AM]

Not happy that its wired.

[Dan Halen @ Aug 14th 2008 9:56AM]

Wireless will never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, EVER be as fast, hassle free, or reliable as a physical, wired connection.

Wires. F. T. W.

[srue @ Aug 14th 2008 2:01PM]

Don't ever say never.

[Juaquin @ Aug 14th 2008 3:17PM]

Then go cry in the corner while the rest of us transfer hundreds of gigs of ...uh...stuff... onto our USB 3.0 drives in a few minutes flat.

Main problem with Wireless USB? All USB drives, etc would have to provide their own power. And I don't want to have to charge my external drive and every other freaking USB device in addition to what I already have to charge.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Aug 14th 2008 9:41AM]

I LOVE CAPS-LOCKED COMPANIES!

[Xenoterranos @ Aug 14th 2008 9:48AM]

I thought USb3 was going to be optical with copper for power. Apparently, it's not, but it still gets 4+ gbps. Amazing.

[Phoenix @ Aug 14th 2008 1:32PM]

You've got to be freaking kidding me. 4 gigabits per second?!? (In six months that will be slow, but for now...) That's freaking awesome! Too bad I won't upgrade until I get a new computer with it installed stock... >_>

[curtisrutland @ Aug 14th 2008 9:56AM]

I wish they would have made it with a slightly different shape. I've had people ruin their usb ports trying to force a plug in upside down (yes they are stupid, but even so). If it wasn't a damn rectangle, there would be some visual indicator that you have the thing upside down.

[Ignatius @ Aug 14th 2008 10:07AM]

If people try to force it after it doesn't work the first time, they deserve to have a busted USB port.

[Kelmon @ Aug 14th 2008 10:40AM]

Usually the USB logo is printed on the top of the socket and should face upwards. I say usually because I have come across the odd renegade plug, and it doesn't help much with vertical sockets at all.

Oddly, Firewire had a nice plug design with the 400 specification but the 800 version appears to be almost square, which really isn't helping. That said, I haven't acquired a Firewire 800 drive yet so I'm simply going by the shape of the socket on my laptop.

[Ryan Trevisol @ Aug 14th 2008 10:43AM]

Yeah, I would've appreciated a new design too. unless this is going to be backward compatible, a little help would've been nice, since it seems each manufacturer has a different idea bout which way to face the dang plugs. You reach around to plug it in and 9 times out of ten, you've got it the wrong way.

[Knives_Out @ Aug 14th 2008 1:10PM]

yea .. the logo should be facing upwards .. which is fine for ports that are horizontal.

.. but what really annoys me are the vertical aligned ports on the back of desktops. grrr.

[Kevin @ Aug 14th 2008 9:59AM]

"xHCI" looks like extreme hydrochloric acid.

[Kizorblade @ Aug 14th 2008 12:07PM]

XTREME burns.

[Joe Anstine @ Aug 14th 2008 10:01AM]

'sighs'

I'm never happy

[ShadowKain @ Aug 14th 2008 10:01AM]

Didn't like that last bit, "xHCI contributor agreement." You know how they get you in the contracts :)

[KazO @ Aug 14th 2008 10:05AM]

But we all know that 90% of the stuff made for this is still going to be 12mbps 'full speed' junk...

[Kizorblade @ Aug 14th 2008 12:10PM]

Like mice and keyboards, who don't really need OMFGWTFBBQ speed. Unless if you're needing a very fast porn infusion. In which case, I think I'd be worried about other things.

[Fernando @ Aug 14th 2008 10:07AM]

So this means faster stuff for me in the future? yay!

[Rick @ Aug 14th 2008 10:52AM]

Is it faster than FW 800?

[Skyride @ Aug 14th 2008 11:19AM]

It wont be. And if it is you will need a 100billion GHz Quad core CPU to get it to run at 4gbps.

My biggest gripe with the USB standard is that it uses the CPU. Which is also why firewire is soo much better. Why couldn't the world have just simply stuck with firewire? And left USB for k/bs and mouses.

[Amerist @ Aug 14th 2008 12:24PM]

IEEE 1394 Forever!

[Macro @ Aug 14th 2008 11:22AM]

What ever happened to wireless USB? They should make usb 3.0 and sata use the same port since they are getting up to speed.

[Jonathon @ Aug 14th 2008 1:51PM]

Do you think before you comment? First of all, there is no way a wireless connection will ever (as others have said on here) be as simple and reliable as a wired one. There is too much overhead in having a wireless connection. If you want wireless USB, go buy a wireless USB hub.

Secondly USB != SATA. They are two extremely different interfaces, with different scope, and totally different implementations. Notice there is no SATA software stack, and a RAID card doesn't need drivers on it to talk to a SATA drive.

[Amerist @ Aug 14th 2008 12:21PM]

"This device can perform faster.

This USB device can perform faster if you connect it to a Hi-Speed USB 3.0 port.

For a list of available ports, click here."

[Andrew @ Aug 14th 2008 12:41PM]

Yeah, so will this USB 3 standard finally solve issues with USB hubs? I don't know how many times over years I ran into some kind of trouble with most of motherboards. Either BIOS does not recognize keyboards plugged into a HUB (at post time or boot loader time) or a USB webcam doesn't work when plugged in a hub or a memory card reader works only intermittently... I've had mice stutter (hub or not)... the list goes on and on. It's been what, 8, 9 years, can they finally get their act together and make something RELIABLE?

[cribaby90210 @ Aug 14th 2008 1:31PM]

now i want more! and i want it NOW! *throws temper tantrum* i dont care how fast it is, i just want what i want when i want it!!!! wah wah! wah!! i have a poopie in my diaper and i want someone else to clean it! WAH!

[GETYOID @ Aug 14th 2008 2:52PM]

3.0? Hah. I cant even get 1.0 to work properly. I put it into the PDF and Java category........ keep developing it and maybe someday it wont crash our PCs.

[strang @ Aug 14th 2008 3:21PM]

How do you live without USB?

[Juaquin @ Aug 14th 2008 3:23PM]

If you can't get USB 1.0 to work, I'm surprised you figured out how to comment.

[waterboy99troop @ Aug 14th 2008 9:19PM]

methinks it's time for you to get a computer that's not 10 years old...

[craig @ Aug 14th 2008 6:35PM]

Wouldn't it be nice if you could plug it in upside down and it would still work? I hate feeling around the back of my computer to plug in a USB cable, only to figure out I have it oriented wrong.

[Tim @ Aug 15th 2008 8:21AM]

The comment box has changed!

I don't understand, Will I have to buy like a PCI card for my PC to get USB3?

[joe blow @ Aug 14th 2008 9:40PM]

Will this work on an iPhone?