Power Quotient International (PQI) released its newest USB flash-drive, the CoolDrive U368. Among a small, growing group, the U368 is USB 3.0 SuperSpeed compliant, and offers transfer-rates on par with hard drives, with access times comparable to those of SSDs. Its casing is typically-shaped, measuring 90.1 x 22 x 11.1 mm, and weighing 25 g. When connected using USB 3.0, the drive offers transfer speeds of around 105 MB/s, which can be improved with the bundled TurboFlash USB software. It is available in capacities ranging from 8 GB, all the way up to 128 GB. It is backwards-compatible with USB 2.0, albeit with lower transfer-rates. Pricing and availability are yet to be known.

Buffalo rolled out the SHD-PEHU3 series of portable solid state drives that are compatible with the new SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface. The new interface enables the portable SSD to work with transfer-speeds typical of PC SSDs - up to 244 MB/s, with the Turbo PC drivers. The drives measure 97 (W) x 57 (H) x 12 (D) mm, weighing just 66 g. They are backwards-compatible with USB 2.0 and USB 1.1. Buffalo bundles data encryption software with the drive. The SHD-PEHU3 is offered in capacities of 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB; priced at $282, $510 and $1,079, respectively, in the Japanese market. Availability is expected in late May.

Samsung Electronics, a world leader in digital consumer electronics and information technology, today announced the fastest external hard drive yet in its STORY Station product portfolio - the Samsung STORY Station 3.0 with the SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface. The top-of-line 3.5-inch external hard drive now offers 10 times faster speed compared to the previous USB 2.0 interface, making it the ideal storage solution for saving and retrieving crucial data in the blink of an eye.

"The Samsung STORY Station 3.0 has been built for advanced users who demand fast transfer speed and data security without sacrificing design," said H.S. Lee, vice president, storage marketing, Samsung Electronics. "The STORY Station creates a seamless user experience that allows users to move large chunks of high-quality multimedia content with minimal wait time."

Patriot Memory, a global pioneer in high-performance memory, NAND flash and computer technology, today announced it's new family of SuperSpeed USB products as a part of its peripheral product line. Available immediately are the first two Patriot products offering USB 3.0: the PCUSB3PCIE and PCUSB3EXP adapter cards. The PCUSB3PCIE is an adapter card for desktop PCs that adds two SuperSpeed USB ports and fast data transfers of up to 5Gbps data throughput. The PCUSB3EXP brings the same speed and USB 3.0 connectivity to notebook computers using the ExpressCard connection found on recent generation notebooks.

Additionally, Patriot will soon offer a SuperSpeed USB 2.5" enclosure, Gauntlet, for notebook Hard Disk Drives (HDD) or Solid State Drives (SSD). With a durable all aluminum design, quality craftsmanship and fast data transfer speeds provided by the USB 3.0 interface, Gauntlet is the perfect solution for portable storage: support for large capacity drives and blazing fast transfer speeds that make media sharing fast and easy.

Transcend Information, Inc., a worldwide leader in storage and multimedia products, today launched its StoreJet 25D3 2.5-inch shockproof portable hard drive, one of the first USB 3.0 compatible peripherals introduced to the market. The SuperSpeed USB 3.0 model offers much better performance than USB 2.0 external hard drives, with real-world transfer speeds of up to 90MB/s. Featuring its significantly improved transfer rates and advanced anti-shock design, the StoreJet 25D3 provides users with fast and durable solution to match today's increasingly sophisticated devices.

Across the globe, the technological revolution has spread far and wide. More and more people have made technology an integral part of their daily lives. Many of us turn to our computers as our primary source of entertainment, and some of us even rely on their machines every day for their livelihood. For people like us, we are proud to announce the rise of BitFenix.

BitFenix is a new kind of hardware designer. Comprised of both IT and gaming professionals, BitFenix merges the insights and experience of these two groups together to create never-before-seen gaming hardware and peripherals. The BitFenix Team's core design philosophy is to put the user in complete control of their hardware and this will be achieved through smart engineering, thoughtful design, and some very novel ideas.

In an industry that is filled with me-too products, BitFenix will strive to bring truly innovative products to the scene, and create products that blend seamlessly with the digital lifestyle. Traditional product development is very one-sided, with the company making all the decisions. BitFenix will connect directly with the community in order to bring the products enthusiasts want to life.

Gigabyte is readying a new motherboard in the mini-ITX form-factor which is bound to surprise some with its feature-set. The GA-H55N-USB3 is a socket LGA1156 motherboard based on the Intel H55 chipset, supporting the entire range of LGA1156 processors with a powerful 4+2 phase VRM. The socket is wired to two DDR3 DIMM slots for dual-channel memory, which is powered by its own 2-phase circuit. Gigabyte was able to accommodate five SATA channels by the chipset, making space for one eSATA, and four internal SATA 3 Gb/s ports with RAID support.

Its lone expansion slot is a full-bandwidth PCI-Express 2.0 x16, while being based on the H55 chipset, it also supports Intel Flexible Display Interface for processors with embedded graphics. On its connectivity front it doesn't make many compromises either, with 8+2 channel HD audio with optical SPDIF connector, a two-port USB 3.0 controller giving out two USB SuperSpeed ports, gigabit Ethernet, Keyboard/Mouse combo PS/2, four USB 2.0 ports on the rear-panel + four by internal headers, and display connectivity which includes DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI. The GA-H55N-USB3 is expected to be out in April.

OCZ Technology has been working on a storage solution that takes advantage of the USB 3.0 SuperSpeed interface for a while. It's just got a little closer to seeing the light of the day at CeBIT. The OCZ Enyo is a device that's roughly the size of a compact portable HDD that you can carry in your pocket, except that it's a flash-based device, and uses USB 3.0. The Enyo offers data storage in three capacities (variants): 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB. It measures 56 x 120 x 10 mm, and relies on the USB 3.0 interface for power and connectivity. Being a flash-based solid state storage device, it is expected to have high transfer speeds, and inherently, the incentive of low access times and higher durability since it lacks moving parts. Back in January, on the occasion of CES, in a preview by LegitReviews, working prototypes the device was found to offer read-write speeds of 188.2 MB/s (read) and 130 MB/s (write). CAD drawings of the Enyo with its logo emerged.

In ASUS' latest entry into its EeeBox series of nettops, the company adds support for USB 3.0, with the unit featuring two SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports. The EeeBox EB1501U is about the shape and size of any variant in its series. It uses first-generation NVIDIA ION platform, with Intel Atom 330 dual-core processor, 2 GB of DDR2 memory, GeForce 9400M graphics, 320 GB hard drive, slot-in DVD writer, gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, and a USB 3.0 controller. Other connectivity features include eSATA, USB 2.0, and display connectivity including HDMI and D-Sub.

Vantec Thermal Technologies, a worldwide leader specializing in computer accessories announces the expansion of the SuperSpeed USB 3.0 product lineup. Featuring the NexStar SuperSpeed Hard Drive Dock, available in both black and white and the NexStar SATA to USB 3.0 Adapter.

The NexStar Hard Drive Dock gives users a quick and easy way to access their SATA hard drives. By simply sliding either a 2.5" or 3.5" into the dock, users can begin reading and writing data from the attached hard drive. On the other hand, the NexStar SATA to USB 3.0 Adapter is extremely portable and is the perfect tool for a technician to have in their bag.

Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) launches the latest AMD 890GX chipsets based motherboard family supporting AMD next generation 6-Core CPU with the best visual experience for users. ECS A890GXM-AU and A890GXM-A are powered by ATI Radeon HD 4290 IGP with "ECS 4most Display Design" providing HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI and D-Sub connectors on the rear panel providing great convenience to meet both home entertainment and gaming requirement. For home entertainment, A890GXM-AU and A890GXM-A motherboards bring Full HD 1080P video experience.

For gamers, A890GXM-AU and A890GXM-A support Microsoft DirectX 10.1 with stunning 3D effects. The on-board SidePort DDR3 1333 memory is a great plus on graphics for gamers. It enhances the gaming experience by ATI Hybrid Graphics technology with no doubt. In addition, A890GXM-AU and A890GXM-A assist with ATI CrossFireX technology giving hardcore gamers magnified gaming performance.

RaidSonic is ready with three new external storage solutions that make use of USB 3.0 SuperSpeed interface, in its Icy Box series. To begin with, the Icy Box IB-230StU3 is a compact enclosure that makes for a portable, pocketable solution that can house a single 2.5 inch SATA HDD or SSD. It gets a healthy dose of brushed metal and aluminum overalls that keep it light and sturdy. It uses USB 3.0, and is backwards compatible with USB 2.0. It will ship next month for 27 EUR a piece.

Next up, is the Icy Box IB-330StU3 enclosure, which although portable, is fit for the desktop. It can house a single 3.5" HDD or SSD. It has silicone inserts for noise dampening. Again, it uses USB 3.0 for connectivity. This one is slated for an April 2010 release, and will be priced at 39 EUR.

Lastly, there's the Icy Box IB-RD4320StU3-B desktop enclosure. It can house two 3.5" SATA drives with RAID 0, 1, 0+1, and JBOD support, and USB 3.0 interface to let you make use of the transfer speeds. Its release date and price are not known at the moment.

Sharkoon SATA QuickPort Duo USB3.0: Dual docking station for SATA Hard Drives with USB 3.0 ports / direct PC connection for two external supported SATA hard drives in 2.5" and 3.5" format / MSRP 59.90 Euros.

USB 3.0 has seized the market. Since Sharkoon was the first provider to introduce a USB3.0 controller and equip the Sharkoon SATA QuickPort USB 3.0 hard drive docking station with this terminal as a standard port, the accessory specialist now introduces a USB 3.0 variant model to its popular QuickPort series:

Active Media Products, manufacturer of SSDs and innovative USB drives, today launched the new Aviator-2 SuperSpeed USB 3.0 external 2.5-inch SSDs, which offer a 400% performance gain compared to USB 2.0 external HDDs.

SuperSpeed USB 3.0 supports transfer speeds up to 4.8Gbits/sec -- ten times faster than USB 2.0. Aviator-2 SuperSpeed USB 3.0 external SSDs take advantage of USB 3.0's massive bandwidth, delivering unprecedented performance in a mobile flash storage device. Measuring just over 3 x 5 inches, the Aviator-2 is slim enough to slip into a jacket pocket.

World renowned mainboard and graphic card manufacturer, Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. again presents its P55-GD85 mainboard, and is officially supporting the Intel latest 32nm process and LGA1156 packaged Core i3 / i5 / i7 series CPU. In addition, the mainboard is built-in with SATA 6Gb/s and SuperSpeed USB 3.0 protocols and each has 2X and 10X ultra-high data transmission bandwidths respectively than their predecessors. OC Genie, SuperPipe and DrMOS, the 3 excellent design inherited from Xtreme Speed P55 series mainboard, are incorporated providing P55-GD85 mainboard with best compatibility and can offer outstanding performance.

Active Media Products, manufacturer of SSDs and innovative USB drives, today launched a pair of SuperSpeed USB 3.0 adapters designed to upgrade desktop and laptop computers to USB 3.0.

Atomix PX is a two port USB 3.0 adapter card with a PCI Express (PCIe) interface that works in virtually any desktop PC with an available PCIe slot. Atomix EC is a two port USB 3.0 adapter card with an Express Card interface that works in most laptops that have an Express Card slot. "These adapters were designed to facilitate the migration to USB 3.0 by offering a quick and easy upgrade path for most existing desktops and laptops", Active Media Products' VP of Sales, Jerry Thomson said in a statement.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co., Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards and other computing hardware solutions is pleased to announce their latest generation H55/H57 series motherboards, based on the Intel H55 and Intel H57 chipset and leveraging the success of the GIGABYTE Ultra Durable 3 design featuring 2x copper PCB and delivering a host of cutting-edge features including innovative Smart6 PC management tools, Dynamic Energy Saver 2 power saving utilities, DualBIOS and support for Energy Using Products Directive (EuP), for a powerful, yet power efficient multimedia platform.

"GIGABYTE once again leads the motherboard industry and sets the standard for delivering high speed data transfer and richer video playback capabilities for HD multimedia home entertainment devices," commented Tim Handley, Deputy Director of Motherboard Marketing at GIGABYTE Technology Co. Ltd. "Featuring next generation storage capabilities including USB 3.0 and high performance digital DisplayPort connectivity, as well as GIGABYTE's own unique 3x USB Power Boost, the GIGABYTE GA-H57M-USB3 and GA-H55M-USB3 provide a compelling solution for users wanting the ultimate multimedia system."

VIA Technologies, Inc., a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today launched the VIA VL700 USB 3.0-SATA Controller, a highly integrated single chip solution that allows users to connect SATA hard disk drive (HDD), solid state drive (SSD), and optical disc drive (ODD) devices to their PC via new USB 3.0 specification ports.

With data transfer rates of up to 5Gbps, USB 3.0 (also known as SuperSpeed USB) offers ten times the throughput available to USB 2.0 based devices, meaning large amounts of information stored on a SATA device can be effortlessly transferred to a PC in a fraction of the time it would usually take.

WD, the world's leader in external storage solutions, today introduced its fastest My Book external hard drive ever -- the new My Book 3.0 desktop external drives are among the first devices certified with the SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface. With an interface that's up to 10 times faster than the previous-generation USB 2.0 interface, the high-performance My Book 3.0 drive significantly reduces the time it takes to open and save large files. Offered standalone, or in a kit that includes a USB 3.0 PCIe (gen2) adapter card, the 1 TB My Book 3.0 drive is available now at select retailers and shopwd.com. The 2 TB model is expected later this week.

The SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface on My Book 3.0 drives provides transfer rates of up to 5 gigabits-per-second, allowing users to open and save files up to 4.7 times faster than USB 2.0. The new My Book 3.0 drive is compliant with the USB-IF SuperSpeed USB 3.0 standard to provide compatibility with other USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 products. SuperSpeed USB 3.0 is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 and USB 1.1.

VIA Technologies, Inc., a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today unveiled the VIA VL810 SuperSpeed Hub Controller, the industry's first integrated single chip solution that supports the higher transfer rates of the new USB 3.0 specification.

USB 3.0 (also known as SuperSpeed USB) allows for a maximum data transfer rate of up to 5Gbps, or ten times the throughput available to USB 2.0 based devices. Other enhancements provide for improved interaction between device and host controller, including important advancements in power management.

A new adapter listed on online store usb.brando.com, the UNITEK USB 3.0 to SATA Adapter (Y-1034) promises to be an interesting accessory. The adapter connects to SATA HDDs/SSDs over a SATA 3 Gb/s interface, and to the host PC over USB 3.0 SuperSpeed. The new interface eliminates interface bottlenecks to provide speeds on-par with eSATA. The kit consists of the main unit which plugs into the the drive's SATA data+power connectors, and gives out a USB 3.0 cable. It takes in DC power input from its own power adapter. A quick HDTach run shows a conventional HDD to offer speeds on par with being connected to eSATA (effectively the system's own SATA interface). It is priced at US $49.

DisplayLink, the company behind USB-based display controllers has disclosed plans to release a display chip during the upcoming CES event next month, that runs on USB 3.0 SuperSpeed interface. The new chip will make use of the increased bandwidth (up to 4.8 Gbps vs. 480 Mbps of USB 2.0), to transmit higher-resolution videos. The current USB 2.0 based DisplayLink chips are able to transmit display of 3D games at 60 fps and HD video at 26~27 fps. The new USB 3.0 based chip will be able to do the same faster, without any flickering, said Dennis Crespo, executive vice-president of marketing and business development at DisplayLink. The DisplayLink technology involves using the system's graphics hardware to drive multiple display-heads, by transmitting display across USB.

WD, the world's leader in external storage solutions, and NEC Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723), a leading provider of semiconductor solutions, today announced that the companies have collaborated to promote the new SuperSpeed Universal Serial Bus (USB) 3.0 standard, a next-generation interface to be used in a wide range of electronic devices including PCs, PC peripherals, and digital appliances.

USB 3.0 is capable of supporting data transfer rates of up to 5 gigabits per second (Gbps), which is 10 times faster than the previous high-speed USB 2.0 transfer speeds. With its higher speeds and enhanced power efficiency, external hard disk drives are the first SuperSpeed USB 3.0 devices to appear on the market.

Vantec Thermal Technologies, a worldwide leader specializing in computer accessories announces four new products utilizing the new SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface including two hard drive enclosures-one for each form factor, a PCI-Express card and an ExpressCard/34 adapter.

SuperSpeed USB 3.0 is the next generation bus interface offering transfer speeds of up to 5Gbps (625Mbps) and it is fully backwards-compatible with USB 2.0 and USB 1.1. The new 2.5" and 3.5" enclosures will be based off of Vantec's popular NexStar 3 Hard Drive Enclosures and will be initially available in Onyx Black and boast a mirror finish.

OCZ Technology has perhaps the most diverse solid-state drive portfolio, which includes 1.8" and 2.5" internal SATA 3 Gb/s SSDs - with SLC, and MLC NAND flash technologies; 3.5" SSDs, bootable PCI-Express SSDs, and even eSATA based ones. While SSDs utilizing SATA 6 Gb/s are very predictable in the near future, the company already has plans to unveil an external, portable SSD that utilizes the USB 3.0 SuperSpeed interface, at the upcoming CES 2010 event. With over 4 Gb/s of interface bandwidth at its disposal, it can also be expected of the drive to be powered entirely by the USB port. A concept design is already in place.