USB overseer ready to certify SuperSpeed kit

Paves way for release of USB 3.0 devices

The USB Implementers Forum - the body behind the bus standard - has said it will now start testing devices to ensure they comply with the USB 3.0 - aka SuperSpeed USB - standard.

Compliance means manufacturers are allowed to stamp their offering with the SuperSpeed logo.

The USB IF founded its SuperSpeed USB Platform Interoperability Lab in March. The organisation said suppliers have already begun using the facility for preliminary product testing. Now they will be able to follow those tests with a final certification run.

SuperSpeed uses new ports to deliver a bandwidth of up to 5Gb/s - ten times that of USB 2.0. But they're designed to be backwards compatible with full-size USB 1.1 and 2.0 ports.

Devices that support USB 3.0 aren't expected to appear until Christmas at the earliest, with volume roll-outs in 2010. ®

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