What impressed and depressed us during the show
V3.co.uk, 26 Sep 2009
The exhibition halls are being packed up, delegates are checking out of their hotels and another Intel Developer Forum (IDF) has come to an end.
IDF is Intel's main forum for new releases and updates on the older products and, as such, is key to understanding the company's direction. It is also a chance for developers, manufacturers and academics to meet and exchange ideas that will shape the direction of computing in the next decade.
While we have lots of stories and video from the show, there is a lot to process in the three days. Visitors are bombarded with new information about what is coming down the line and strategy for the future.
So I have selected my top five highs and lows of the show, so you can get an idea of what is important and what is not.
HIGHS
5.
USB 3.0
USB is not tied to any one vendor, but Jeff Ravencraft, the president
of the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), is an Intel technology strategist in the
Digital Enterprise Group and was on the show floor floor showing off the first
USB
3.0 products.
Rather confusingly, the USB-IF is calling the technology USB Superspeed (one wonders what USB 4.0 will be called) but whatever the marketing bods do to create confusion will not do too much harm, because the speed of the technology will ensure it is a huge seller.
The new system increases the speed of data transmission tenfold, to a cracking 4Gbit/s, although in the real world it will probably only give around 75 per cent of that. It is stunningly fast, and pretty much means game over for FireWire.
USB 3.0 requires a new USB hub, which NEC was displaying, along with a new cable and receiver, but crucially the rectangular form-factor of the ports remains exactly the same and it will be backwards compatible with USB 2.0 devices.
By keeping ports the same, customers will not have to bin their old hardware, manufacturers won't have to redesign systems too much and everyone benefits. It is a textbook case of how to develop and implement a new standard.
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