From: "mihalco" <mihalco@yahoo.com>

Date: June 11, 2012 3:18:30 PM MDT

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: VT and USB 3

Well, looks like the new Macbook Pros do indeed support USB3.  They also introduced a nice model without an optical drive (and with a retina display, 2880 x 1800), but unfortunately for Firewire camera owners, it doesn't come with a FW port.  Instead 2 thunderbolt ports and 2 USB3 ports.  They did announce a thunderbolt to FW800 adapter (coming in July). They also upgraded the existing style Macbook 13 & 15's (with optical drive) to support both USB3 (they keep FW800 support).  See:

http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/

Kurt

--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, Milton Aupperle <milton@...> wrote:

Hi Kurt and Dave;

On 9-Jun-12, at 7:54 AM, mihalco wrote:

In the last few iterations of the MacBook Pro, Apple has been using  

Intel mobile chipsets.  The last update, the HM77 Express chipset,  

incorporates USB3, so hopefully, Apple will support it. But based on  

their past history, they might see it as competing with their  

thunderbolt port ...

I'd have to agree, especially on a cost basis.

Both Apple and Intel have been dragging their feet on USB 3. I suspect  

it's because both don't generate royalties or have such tight control   

for USB 3 like they do for Thunderbolt.

That was one of the main issue with FireWire too - purchasing  

documentation was (still is - the 1.3.2 IIDC specification costs $300  

USD for about 1 page of changes from the IIDC 1.3.1 revision) and the  

per port royalties drove the cost up dramatically compared to USB.

And I have read and had a few customers tell me that Thunderbolt to  

Express card is not a good user experience at all. Flaky performance,  

odd quirks in what cards are or aren't supported  and stability issues  

seem to be the norm rather than the exception.

Milton J. Aupperle

Kurt

--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, Dave Goodyear <dave@> wrote:

Us 15" MBP users are SOL for USB 3.0 unless I get a thunderbolt to  

expresscard adapter.. but then I lose my thunderbolt/displayport  

for my external monitor...  sigh..

Dave Goodyear