Mac ThunderBolt vs USB 3 : Apple and Orange Wars
Intel and Apple's new LightPeak-aka-ThunderBolt port on the recent MacBook Pro laptops is NOT a death-knell for USB 3.0 peripherals. In fact, both speak well of the inevitable transition to next-generation, ultra-fast computer peripheral interfaces on both Mac and PC platforms.
It isn't just about 10Gbps vs 5Gbps data speeds where ThunderBolt appears the technical 'winner'. It's about consumer acceptance and adoption that drives the marketplace. Not only does USB3 have the lead there - but backward compatibility with tens of millions of legacy USB 2 devices assures USB 3.0 is unstoppable and compelling to consumers in itself. And ThunderBolt backup drives in particular - as well as other high-speed video and display accessories will succeed in other market segments for other reasons.
