Apple "pushed Intel" to replace USB with Light Peak

Power?

This technology sounds great to some degree, but what about power... lots of USB products also take their power from the bus, so Light Peak may not be the all in solution Apple and intel hope; although it could definitely have uses.

By DaWillo on 28 Sep 2009

According to an Intel source "bundling the optical fiber with copper wire so Light Peak can be used to power devices plugged into the PC".

Here's hoping.

By Lacrobat on 28 Sep 2009

Premium

Expect to see: "professional" gold plated ones in pcworld for ten times the price.
"audiophile" versions for £1000 per meter will be reviewed in magazines "..the bassline was so much fuller with a crushing midrange"

oh how the 1's and 0's acn be sharpened and smoothed out...

By darkhairedlord on 28 Sep 2009

Charging

How does this fit with handset manufacturers wanting to use the usb port as a universal charger port?
Or is apples way of avoiding it?

By darkhairedlord on 28 Sep 2009

for Apple only?

This reminds me of the firewire verses the USB. Apple backed firewire early on as it was quicker. PC mainly used USBs and now due to the larger market everything uses USB (there are some exceptions). Now Apple will back light Peak and PCs will have USB3. The market will follow USB2/3 except a small group who can afford Light Peak. Good idea but if it comes from Apple it will be expensive $$$$.

By M_Hamer on 28 Sep 2009

Is this somehow linked to Panasonics Wireless TV sets which intel happens to be linked to in the following consortium
http://www.panasonic.net/avc/viera/us/product/z_pl
asma.html#en
Though I don't see apples name there.

I actually don't care who came up with the idea, if it helps remove wires or improves speed - then its progress and the sooner we see it in action the better for all.

By nicomo on 28 Sep 2009

M_Hamer

Don't forget that Apple popularised USB with the first iMac by not having any legacy ports.

Should be interesting to see if Apple + Intel can make a success of Light Peek.

By CSprout on 29 Sep 2009

Legacy ports

It would be interesting to see how Apple presents Light Peak. The iMac was fantastic for USB because it was a completely new concept of computer for a market that hadn't really been sold to before. It was also surprisingly cheap.

Is there really a gap in the market that can be plugged by a Light Peak only computer?

nicomo: It's not wireless. It's optical fibre.

By steviesteveo on 29 Sep 2009

MacBook Air?

I think it's the main driver behind this.

By Penguat on 2 Oct 2009