USB Drivers

USB or Universal Serial Bus are a must for every computer user. Many of you already have them but are not familiar with the name.

These cords allow us to connect anywhere from 1 to 127 external items to our PC using an external hub. Years ago serial and parallel cables were the source of connecting our external items to our computers.

These cords were bulky, large and hard to maneuver. The connections were usually located in the back of your computer, making connecting difficult.

The connectors were made of small pins that were completely exposed , causing many of them to bend and break while trying to plug them in.

USB Today

These cables were designed to hook up only one external piece at a time. If you needed to hook up more, you would have to purchase and install a second internal serial port. This was not an easy process to execute.

Today USB's are made by Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Lucent or Alcatel-Lucent, Microsoft, NEC, and Phillips.

They have all made USB very easy and reliable to use. The cords are small, and have a protective covering with sturdier connections.

USB 2.0

The USB 2.0 released in 2000 is capable of up to 480 Mbit/s (60 MB/s) transfer speeds. You can use it for cameras, printers, disk drives, and joysticks.

The previous cord USB 1.0 did not have nearly as many capabilities and is not longer in use. In 2010 USB 3.0 is going to be out.

This cord will be compatible with 2.0, so all devices will still work with this new cable. It will have faster connectivity and have a speedy rate of 4.8 Gbit/s (600 MB/s). This is a far more powerful USB.