Thunderbolt : Fastest I/O Ever

                 Thunderbolt is a revolutionary I/O technology  for connecting peripheral devices to a computer via an expansion bus .It supports high-resolution displays and high-performance data devices. And it is spreading fast!

WHO LET THE TECH OUT?

Developed by Intel, and brought to market with technical collaboration from Apple.Thunderbolt technology is a new, high-speed I/O technology designed for performance, simplicity, and flexibility.Intel co-invented USB and PCI Express while Apple invented FireWire and was instrumental in popularizing USB. Their collective experience has made Thunderbolt to deliver exceptional performance.

HOW IT WORKS ?

Intel Thunderbolt controller chips interconnect a PC and other devices, transmitting and receiving information for both PCI Express(PCIe) and DisplayPort protocols. The Thunderbolt controller chip switches between the two protocols to support communications over a single cable.

I/O PERFORMANCE

Thunderbolt I/O technology gives you two channels on the same connector with 10 Gbps of throughput in both directions.  You can move data to and from peripherals up to 20 times faster than with USB 2.0 and up to 12 times faster than with FireWire 800. You also have more than enough bandwidth to daisy-chain multiple high-speed devices without using a hub or switch.

WHAT IT DELIVERS ?

Dual-Channel 10Gbps per port: At 10 Gbps, Thunderbolt technology enables products that can

• Transfer a full-length HD movie in less than 30 seconds 

• Backup 1 year of continuous MP3 playback in just over 10 minutes 

THUNDERBOLT READY DEVICES

Several laptops,desktop computers ,motherboards,tablets,docks are now equipped with thunderbolt. In present most notable are 

• Intel Desktop Board DZ77RE-75K, Intel’s first Desktop Board with Thunderbolt 

• MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini,Thunderbolt display from Apple 

• Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock                                       

CONCLUSION

Thunderbolt Technology brings a balance of funtionality,simplicity,flexibility to end users as well as  designers. As the fastest PC I/O technology it opens new doors to entirely new product designs.