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Thunderbolt aims to replace nearly every kind of single-use connectors (HDMI, DisplayPort, eSATA, USB, Ethernet). Unifying the connector for displays, periphera

by rudiger 16y ago

Thunderbolt aims to replace nearly every kind of single-use connectors (HDMI, DisplayPort, eSATA, USB, Ethernet). Unifying the connector for displays, peripherals, network and power is a great idea, so I can't complain if they're going up against USB 3.0.

thematt 16y ago
If it's backwards compatible with USB then why do they still have USB ports on the side of that MacBook? Why not replace all the ports with this?
rorrr 16y ago
Ha. Good luck to them. Thunderbolt will be lucky to replace firewire. There's no way in the world it can replace USB, Ethernet or HDMI. Just think of the number of devices out there with these ports. It might replace SATA eventually, but it will have to fight against USB.
- VMG 16y ago
  It this a qualified statement or are you just guessing?
- zefhous 16y ago
  Thunderbolt will replace them. And it will itself be subsequently replaced for its own shortcomings.
- cwp 16y ago
  From the Apple page on Thunderbolt: "you can use existing USB and FireWire peripherals — even connect to Gigabit Ethernet and Fibre Channel networks — using simple adapters." So, twice as fast as USB 3.0 and compatible with existing devices. Doesn't seem like much of a fight. USB won't disappear overnight, but it's already obsolete.
  - nlogn 16y ago
    Thunderbolt may be technically superior in every single way, but unless other manufacturers use it for their laptops/motherboards, Apple's 10ish% market share is going to ensure that USB 3.0 "wins" ultimately. This will wind up being just like firewire where aside from Apple's stuff and a select few "Apple" manufacturers, nobody uses it and consumers either buy the more expensive Apple stuff, or use a dongle and see 0 benefit from the superior tech.
    - jimbokun 16y ago
      Apple also pioneered USB with the iMac. Because USB was the only way to connect anything to the iMac, it served as a catalyst for device makers to come out with USB devices, since they knew they had a captive market. Once the number of USB peripherals reached critical mass, the general PC market followed suit. So, will Thunderbolt adoption more closely resemble that of Firewire, or USB?
      - nlogn 16y ago
        I believe the new macs still have USB ports, no? So what incentive do peripherals manufacturers have to use Thunderbolt and target just the new macbooks vs USB 3.0 and targeting everything?
    - icarus_drowning 16y ago
      But we're not talking about Apple's marketshare. We're talking about Intel's influence. And that's quite a bit different.
fanf2 16y ago
Thunderbolt is a high end connector so it isn't going to displace USB in low end devices.

by rudiger 16y ago

thematt 16y ago

If it's backwards compatible with USB then why do they still have USB ports on the side of that MacBook? Why not replace all the ports with this?

rorrr 16y ago

Ha. Good luck to them. Thunderbolt will be lucky to replace firewire. There's no way in the world it can replace USB, Ethernet or HDMI. Just think of the number of devices out there with these ports. It might replace SATA eventually, but it will have to fight against USB.

VMG 16y ago
It this a qualified statement or are you just guessing?
zefhous 16y ago
Thunderbolt will replace them. And it will itself be subsequently replaced for its own shortcomings.
cwp 16y ago
From the Apple page on Thunderbolt: "you can use existing USB and FireWire peripherals — even connect to Gigabit Ethernet and Fibre Channel networks — using simple adapters." So, twice as fast as USB 3.0 and compatible with existing devices. Doesn't seem like much of a fight. USB won't disappear overnight, but it's already obsolete.
- nlogn 16y ago
  Thunderbolt may be technically superior in every single way, but unless other manufacturers use it for their laptops/motherboards, Apple's 10ish% market share is going to ensure that USB 3.0 "wins" ultimately. This will wind up being just like firewire where aside from Apple's stuff and a select few "Apple" manufacturers, nobody uses it and consumers either buy the more expensive Apple stuff, or use a dongle and see 0 benefit from the superior tech.
  - jimbokun 16y ago
    Apple also pioneered USB with the iMac. Because USB was the only way to connect anything to the iMac, it served as a catalyst for device makers to come out with USB devices, since they knew they had a captive market. Once the number of USB peripherals reached critical mass, the general PC market followed suit. So, will Thunderbolt adoption more closely resemble that of Firewire, or USB?
    - nlogn 16y ago
      I believe the new macs still have USB ports, no? So what incentive do peripherals manufacturers have to use Thunderbolt and target just the new macbooks vs USB 3.0 and targeting everything?
  - icarus_drowning 16y ago
    But we're not talking about Apple's marketshare. We're talking about Intel's influence. And that's quite a bit different.

fanf2 16y ago

Thunderbolt is a high end connector so it isn't going to displace USB in low end devices.