What is 2.0 USB
Flash Memory?
2.0 USB Flash
Memory has been in existence since 2000.
The popularity of the 2.0 devices didn't catch
on until 2003. Up until 2003 the
1.1 USB Flash Memory compatible units
were in abundance and the price point
was considerably less than the 2.0.
The 2.0 USB Flash
Memory units are far faster in terms of
data transfer than the 1.1 units they
replaced. The maximum speed of
a 2.0 device is 480Mbits/s which is
substantially faster than a 1.1 compatible
device. 1.1 devices can transfer data at
1.5Mbits/s (MegaBits/Second).
This plug and play
2.0 USB Flash memory is still EEPROM,
and only requires the 5v of power
delivered from the USB port on the host
computer.
All 2.0 USB Flash
Memory devices are backwards compatible
to any 1.1 USB port. However if you plug
a 2.0 device into a 1.1 USB port your
transfer speed will be limited to a
maximum rate of 1.5 Mbits/s.
These 2.0 USB
Flash Memory devices are call
"Hi-Speed." The next generation units
labeled USB 3.0 have been created and can
transfer up to 5Gbits/s. These "Super
Speed" devices have been created but are
not ready for prime time quite yet.
Once the price of
the USB 3.0 drops to the current 2.0 USB
Flash Memory level you can then expect
computer manufacturers to make the ports
available. |