Intel launches high-speed cable

24 February 2011, Last updated at 18: 25 GMT Thunderbolt will use Future versions of fiber Chip manufacturer Intel announced to roll out a new technology for connecting computers and peripherals.

The system, known as Thunderbolt, promises of fast transfer speed twice as USB 3.0.

However it does not reach its maximum theoretical why Intel chose to use cables copper instead of fibre optic cables.

The company stated that it would gradually switch to higher speeds over time.

Apple will become the first manufacturer to use Thunderbolt, on his Macbook Pro.

The company of Cupertino is said to have been an important factor of development, although it remains to be seen as can other manufacturers will adopt the new standard.

Light peak

Intel has been working on the technology for several years.

It was first announced, under the codename peak light in 2009.

At launch, its top speed is limited to 10 gigabits per second-twice as fast as USB 3.0, but still much below the maximum theoretical using optical cables.

Continue reading the main story of all methods for connecting computer to external devices have a theoretical maximum speed of transfer dataUSB 2.0-480 Mb/secondFirewire Mb/800 800 secondUSB 3.0-4.8 Gb/10 Gb copper-secondThunderbolt/secondThunderbolt fibre channel-100 Gb/secondIntel claims that future versions will be able to reach 100 Gb/sec.

The data transfer rate may be welcomed by those consumers who use high definition video, said Sarah Rottman Epps, an analyst at Forrester Research.

"This is not an innovation that consumers have been asking for, but is the one who will appreciate," she said.

"Especially when transferring video, which is when [USB] begins to feel slow."

The system also promises to reduce the number of cables that a user has their computer configuration for the connection.

Is able to transport multiple types of signal at the same time, letting you power, display devices and use a single cable.

However, in the short term, users may need to invest in special adapters to connect their older devices Thunderbolt socket.

His arrival on the market of consumers also questions about the future of other standard connector, such as USB and Firewire.

Most high-profile supporter of Thunderbolt, Apple, should gradually move to a single connector, according to Karen Haslam, editor of Macworld UK.

"In the long run there will be no need for Apple to support these multiple formats with individual ports-existing products can run through an adaptor," he said.

Not everyone is convinced that Thunderbolt will become the standard.

Ian Chiu, Publisher of the site that everythingusb.com told BBC News that the cost of components might put off some manufacturers.

"I don't know how Intel will Thunderbolt attractive for all other PC manufacturers," he said.

"HP, Sony, Dell, Acer, Asus make most of their money from low-end notebook and media-end.

"On the other hand, Apple Macbook Pro line-up has turned the prosumer, professionals and other persons who are not as price conscious," Mr Chiu said.

Comcast, Time Warner Cable Sign-on for 24 hours of test IPv6

Illustration: Jack GallagherComcast and Time Warner Cable have joined the multitude of vendors that are participating in the IPv6 world, a 24-hour Internet protocol next-generation next June 8.

BACKGROUND: Facebook, Google, Yahoo, commit to IPv6 Day trial worlds

Participants in the world day of IPv6 are needed to support native IPv6 traffic on their websites in front of the public along with the current standard, known as IPv4.

"IPv6 Day-Worldwide-who is going to be a very important day," says John Brzozowski, Chief Architect for IPv6 and distinguished engineer at Comcast, which has an ongoing process at national level of IPv6. "Anybody participating will test before the world day of IPv6, which will help awareness and availability of unity".

Other notable participants in the world day of IPv6 include Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Akamai, Limelight Networks, Cisco, Juniper Research service and Microsoft Bing. Hosting service providers and Rackspace have SoftLayer technologies signed for testing IPv6, Mozilla browser maker and DNS appliance vendor BlueCat Networks.

Verizon Business and Blue Coat Systems say they will participate in the world officially IPv6 but have not yet signed up yet.

The growing list of participants of the world day of IPv6 is another sign of the market momentum around IPv6, which suddenly became the network update for carriers and enterprises more significant over the years.

Network providers are jumping on the bandwagon world day of IPv6 because they are anxious to demonstrate to their clients--especially the u.s. military--they don't just "talk talk", but are willing to "walk the walk" when it comes to distribute their IPv6 products.

IPv6 is a required update because the Internet is running out of IP addresses using the standard 40-year-old IPv4.

BY THE numbers: The evolution of the Internet

The free pool of IPv4 addresses not assigned was sold out two weeks ago, when the regional Internet registries that receives their final assignment by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). The records shall be kept at dole most of the remaining IPv4 address for the next three to six months.

The Internet is running out of IPv4 addresses as IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses and can support only 4.3 billion devices connected directly to the Internet. However, IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses and supports a virtually unlimited number of devices--2 to power its 128th.

Politicians say network operators must upgrade to IPv6 in order to support the billions of other people in the world who want to connect to the Internet through mobile phones, PCs, game consoles or other devices. Today, the Internet has around 2 billion people, compared to a total world population topping 6 billion.

The goal of the world day of IPv6 is to encourage the creation of IPv6-based content, and to check availability of the new standard for use at high volume. Test participants wish to find out how common it is for network equipment to end-users be misconfigured and unable to support IPv6, an issue of industry calls IPv6 brokenness.

"The most important thing is for companies to allow their public facing IPv6 to the Web Server," says John Curran, President and CEO of the American Registry for Internet numbers. "Once you've done that, you can provide the same connectivity to your customers if they have an IPv4 address or an IPv6 address. Until you've done, your customers will see unknown IPv6 to your site. If you can do so by June 8, you can participate in all the tests on the operation of IPv6. "

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