Intel Press Release

USB Momentum Builds As Vendors Unleash New Wave of USB Products to Accompany Windows 98

New Crop of Self-Configuring Peripherals Promise Dramatic Step Forward in Usability

SAN FRANCISCO, June 25, 1998 -- Leveraging Windows 98's native support for the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard, the USB Implementers Forum (USB IF) today hailed the introduction of a wide variety of USB devices. USB was developed to make it easier for the average consumer to add a wide variety of peripherals to their PC systems through a one-size-fits-all plug and socket connection. Among the newly announced peripherals supporting the USB standard are cameras, modems, speakers and telephones. USB peripherals automatically self-configure, radically simplifying the user's process for expanding their PC systems. Today's release of Windows 98 (see "Microsoft Announces Worldwide Availability of Windows 98"), combined with USB's growing momentum, fulfills the promise of true plug and play and provides hardware peripheral vendors an opportunity to deliver consumers an exciting array of new peripherals and PC computing options.

"While USB ports have become standard fare on nearly 100 percent of new PC shipments over the past 18 months, Windows 98 and these new peripherals now complete the picture," said David Fair, technology initiative manager, Intel Corporation and chairman of the USB Implementers Forum. "All PC users with USB capability will benefit from an exciting choice of new, easily added peripherals as well as innovative devices such as digital conferencing cameras, portable scanners and fingerprint recognition devices amongst others."

Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a one-size-fits-all plug and socket connection for adding a wide variety of peripherals to desktop PCs and notebooks. With USB, users don't need to adjust system settings, insert add-in cards or restart the computer when adding peripherals, and can easily add or remove up to 127 devices on a single PC using USB hub peripherals like monitors and keyboards.

The following IF member companies have recently announced new USB-related products:

  • Aladdin Knowledge Systems – MacHasp-USB copy protection keys provide comprehensive, transparent and user-friendly anti-piracy protection via USB for the next generation of Macintosh computers.
  • Altec Lansing Technologies, Inc. – The ADA70 USB Speaker System is the market's first full digital audio streaming computer speaker system and includes a Graphical User Interface enabling a flexible, customized listening environment.
  • American Power Conversion (APC) – The APC USB Conversion Kit provides uninterruptible power supply that fully leverages the benefits of USB and APC's comprehensive power protection and management capabilities.
  • Aztech Systems Ltd. – The Aztech 56K USB Modem is a bus-powered, fast speed, external modem that supports both V.90 and K56flex and provides all the benefits of USB power management, such as hot-plug.
  • Belkin Components – The ExpressBus is a 4 port USB hub that can connect up to 127 devices. The USB Parallel Adapter is the easiest way to use multiple parallel printers while still communicating with a parallel scanner, camera or storage device through the computer's parallel port. The USB Serial Adapter will allow any Windows 95 or Windows 98 PC equipped with a USB port to use any serial device. The USB to USB Adapter is an economical, 2-station network solution for the small business or home office. It provides all the resource sharing of a 10-BaseT Ethernet network and enjoys the high multiple connectivity of the Serial Adapter. The USB Device Cable is an A-to-B type used to interface a USB device to a USB host or hub. The Dual Port USB Pro Series Motherboard Cable gives motherboard access to PCs that are USB-ready by providing two USB A ports and a mounting bracket. The USB Mouse has a 3-button replacement mouse for all IBM compatibles. The USB Keyboard is a 104-key enhanced keyboard.
  • Butterfly Communications – Monarch is a PC based wireless PBX for use in Small Office/Home Office.
  • Digital Persona – U.are.U is a compact and highly flexible fingerprint recognition device that capitalizes on USB's ease of use. U.are.U is able to read any finger at varying angles and degrees of pressure to provide secure user registration, administration and security settings.
  • Elo Touch Systems, Inc. – Plug-and-Touch USB compatible touchmonitors are the only touch input solution supported natively in Windows 98. Elo also makes a USB-compatible signature pad that enables signature capture in kiosks or retail systems.
  • FuturePlus Systems Corporation – The FS4100 USB Bus Analyzer allows users to debug bus transaction problems as well as hardware problems while designing a USB peripheral or motherboard.
  • Inside Out Networks, Inc. – Edgeport/4 is a USB to four port serial converter that lets 50+ million PCs equipped with Windows 95 connect all their existing devices to their current PC with a single upstream USB connector.
  • Microsoft Corporation – Windows 98 builds on the breakthrough features of the Windows 95 operating system including full support for USB peripherals and devices.
  • Mitel Corporation – The MITEL Personal Assistant combines the power of the two most important business tools—the telephone and the PC—and allows users to professionally manage all of their voice and data communications.
  • Nortel (Northern Telecom) – Designed to give SOHO workers greater control over their communications, the Nortel Meridian 9617 USB Telephone consists of two components: a fully featured two line telephone and CD-based call management software package called Personal Call Manager.
  • Samsung Electronics America – SyncMaster 700Up monitor contains a self-powered USB hub and supports a maximum resolution of 1600x1200 at 68Hz refresh rate.
  • Sand Microelectronics – TymeWare USB Host, Hub and Device cores and associated software speeds time-to-market for PC manufacturers who wish to integrate USB functionality into their next generation products.
  • Storm Technologies – PageScan USB is the world's first lightweight sheetfed scanner to take full advantage of the USB technology for the convenience of plug-and-play portability.
  • Telex Computer Audio Group – NexVoice.USB Computer Microphone is the first USB digital microphone that allows users to enable speech dictation, voice recognition, telephony, wireless and cellular communications.
  • Universal Access – Panache Lite is a USB-based ISDN basic rate interface device which allows high-speed Internet or remote LAN access over ISDN. Panache Pro is a USB-based ISDN terminal adapter. With two integrated analog ports, you can easily connect your analog phone or fax to the terminal adapter and obtain a powerful, yet easy to use, communication platform over the high-speed ISDN network. Panache Pro SE is a USB-based ISDN basic rate terminal adapter that shares all the characteristics and functionalities of Panache Pro, but also features an additional RS232 serial port.
  • Vision – Vision USB is a high performance, easy to use OEM desktop videoconferencing digital camera that offers up to 30 frames per second video in CIF mode.
  • Xirlink – C-it is a USB PC camera that turns your PC into a state of the art video media center.

USB Momentum Continues Unabated
A market study by research firm Dataquest Inc. released in April projects that 100 percent of PC shipments in 2001 will be USB-compatible units, and that the installed base of USB-compatible PCs will exceed 500 million by then. That represents nearly 300 percent growth over the 1998 figure of 136 million USB-equipped PCs, according to Dataquest.

In addition, the USB IF announced a record showing at the recent USB compliance workshop, or PlugFest, in San Jose in April, where more than 220 USB peripherals were tested for interoperability with other USB devices and systems. The turnout represented a 50 percent increase over January's PlugFest. The USB IF estimates that more than 100 USB devices will be on the market in 1998, with continued growth in early 1999.

Established in 1995 by Intel, Compaq, Digital Equipment Corp, IBM PC Co., Microsoft, NEC and Northern Telecom, the USB Implementers Forum mandate is to accelerate the adoption of the Universal Serial Bus and make it easier for companies to develop products compliant with the standard. More than 450 IF member companies are working together to develop products compliant with USB. For more information on USB, including new products and links to member company web sites, please visit the USB IF web site at http://www.usb.org.

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