Data exchange with your computer getting faster

Three speedier new ways to exchange data with your computer have been in the news lately.

One is here already, another is just emerging and the third is in the future: A new, faster WiFi standard was approved in September. The first USB 3.0 certified devices have begun to emerge. And Intel announced this month that it is working on a new connection scheme that could download a Blu-Ray movie in 30 seconds.

First, the present.

The new 802.11n WiFi standard, now available on routers and other wireless devices, is designed to make data move faster and give networks more reach.

How much?

Although both range and speed involve a number of variables, a real-world estimate would be up to five times as fast and twice as far or more than before. Actual mileage may vary.

The new standard also should be better able to deal with interference since it can send and receive on at least two different spots on the radio spectrum. You'll need a dual-band router to take advantage of this.

By the way, 802.11n may sound familiar -- you have been able to buy 802.11 draft n routers for quite a while, waiting final approval by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standards Board. N and draft n are compatible with the older a, b and g standards, although a slower component can put a drag on the whole network and defeat some of the purpose of an n router. Prices of n routers range from $50 to $250.

If the device you are communicating with is not n compatible, you will need a receiver card, which is an additional $50 to $100. Apple laptops have been n-friendly for a while.

So is switching to n worth it? Yes, if you have a big house and your current WiFi doesn't cover the whole area, or if you want to transfer large files faster.

No, if you are happy with the range and speed of your current network or if you think you will get faster Internet speeds. The bottleneck is your Internet connection, not your WiFi network.

You are no doubt familiar with the term USB (Universal Serial Bus). It is that squarish connector that hooks your computer up to a growing number of devices, including cameras, external hard drives and music players.

USB also hews to a standard, a blueprint for how these connectors function. And a new standard, USB 3.0, is emerging.

Although the standard has been out for almost a year, devices capable of using it are just now appearing. Several companies have announced hard drives using 3.0, and more products, probably hard drives, video cameras and flash drives at first, will be appearing.

Again, speed is the difference. USB 3.0 is capable of data transfer 10 times as fast as its predecessor. It is compatible with USB 2.0 but at the slower speed. So if you buy a USB 3.0 device and plug it into a USB 2.0 port, you are wasting your time and money.

It will take awhile for USB 3.0 to become mainstream. At this point none of the major operating systems support it, although Windows 7 plans to add support in a future service pack. So hold on to your USB 2.0 devices. They will be good for quite awhile.

Now for the future.

Monster chipmaker Intel recently announced that it is working on a technology that would use fiber optic cable to move data between your computer and other devices. This is the same stuff that brings high-speed Internet and TV into your home and carries phone calls under the ocean.

Called Light Peak, Intel's technology will have speeds of about 20 times current USB 2.0. Intel estimates that, in the next decade, Light Peak speeds will increase by a factor of 10.

But the biggest advantage may not be the speed. If everyone would switch to Light Speed, all devices could have the same cables and connectors. Just think, one cable to rule them all.

But don't hold your breath. Hardware manufacturers cooperating for the good of the consumer? Right.