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  [Hardware]

My girlfriend recently picked up an iPod mini. One of the requirements on the box was USB 2.0 (or FireWire), so we also picked up a 4-port USB 2.0 card. Up until now, neither of us had any USB 2.0 ports on our desktop machines. In fact, the iPod is the first device I've run into that requires USB 2.0 over USB 1.x.

Most of our newer CPU designs at my workplace support USB. When I first started as a full time employee, I assumed the technology to be USB 2.0. Turns out that they are all USB 1.1. Our product line didn't support USB 2.0 until we came out with a dedicated peripheral card to support it.

So what's the fuss with 2.0? USB 2.0 supports three data rates: Low Speed, Full Speed, and High Speed. Before USB 2.0 came into existence, only Low Speed and Full Speed were supported. The corresponding transfer speeds are:

• Low Speed - 1.5 Mbit/s
• Full Speed - 12 Mbit/s
• High Speed - 480 Mbit/s

Fortunately, USB 2.0 supports USB 1.x devices, but you won't get 480 Mbit/s with an old 1.x USB card. If you get an iPod mini, chances are that it might still work with your old card, but transferring MP3s to it will be 48 times faster with USB 2.0. Better go upgrade.

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