Microsoft Betas USB 2.0 Support

In collaboration with USB Implementers Forum, Microsoft has released USB 2.0 beta drivers for Windows XP. The next generation USB 2.0 specification touts performance boosts of up to 40 times current hardware capabilities. The drivers will be available via Windows Update, and a developer beta program has been established to test support on other platforms, including Windows 2000. This release marks a major milestone towards full USB 2.0 adoption.

The USB 2.0 specification went final in April 2000, and subsequent efforts to develop the technology have experienced repeated delays. Microsoft decided not to incorporate USB 2.0 directly into Windows XP due to a lack of supporting devices on which to test. Critics were quick to blast Redmond for its apparent lack of support, but the company has remained adamant that it is committed to the project.


"USB 2.0 support will not be included in the RTM version of Windows XP because there was not a sufficient array of production-quality USB 2.0-conforming devices to test against early enough in the product cycle. However, this is only a timing question;" Microsoft wrote on its developer Web site, promising it "will deliver final support around the time of the Windows XP launch."


USB 2.0 increases the available bandwidth for high-speed devices from 12Mbps to 480Mbps, making the technology perfect for video cameras and storage devices.

For more information, or to become a USB 2.0 Beta Member, visit usb.org.

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