Data Recovery Services Specialist Shares Insight On USBs

Irvine, California based Hard Drive Recovery Associates is reaching out to the community with a new blog post where they talk about what USBs are, the different variants they come in and their overall function.

"This is the age of connectivity. Transferring data is almost second nature to the majority of us. Three letters prevail in the field as the main ingredient holding it all together: the USB," explains Jack Edwards, a representative of the company. He continues, "Whether you know what they are or not, the Universal Serial Buses (Or as most people know it, USB), are at the core of modern technology, whether they be connectors or cables. Knowing just how important they are, you may want to consider learning a thing or two about USBs as it can only make your life easier."

Edwards explains that people tend to be confused and shy away from learning about USBs due to the sheer amount of information that is related to them. These can prove to be quite overwhelming for people who are not technically proficient, and naming the different types of connectors may already seem like a challenge to most. He claims that understanding these devices is not as complicated as it may seem at first, however, and it all makes sense in its own way.

Through their blog, the company shares, "The first thing to know about USBs is their types and how to identify them. There’s USB-A, B, C, mini-USB, micro-USB and then USB 1, 2 and 3. Each of these refers to a different type of cable or connector. Numbers are for cable types (and their speeds) and letters for connector types. When it comes to cables, the higher the number, the faster the speed of data transfer. USB connectors are a little more complicated, as they come in different shapes and sizes."

Most of the versions of USB connectors, including the standard USB, Mini USB and Micro USB, have two or more variations of connectors. Most people are familiar with the standard USB connector as well as the micro USB connector (Commonly used by phone chargers). Other connectors (Such as type B and C) are far less common and most will not have heard about them or know what they do unless they are involved in the technology field.

Thunderbolt connectors are also an example of this. For most of their history, Thunderbolt connectors were distinct from USB. That is, until Thunderbolt 3 happened, which uses a USB Type-C connector. So now, with the widespread use of Thunderbolt 3, the divide between Thunderbolt and USB may not be as obvious as before. This connector was designed in a collaboration between Apple and Intel, brought to the market in 2011. At the moment, it was seen as an alternative to USBs. Unlike USBs, however, Thunderbolt aimed to offer considerable benefits, including multiplexing data lanes for PCIe and DisplayPort hardware together, namely mixing data with video and even a fast data rate of 10Gbps for each of two channels (20Gbps in total).

When it comes to compatibility between cables and connectors, Hard Drive Recovery Associates explains that this should not be a topic of concern for users, as all cables are compatible with any USB connector and technology. The limiting factor is the connector and ports available on the device, as it is not possible to connect different types to each other.

Edwards explains, "You want to be more careful about this than anything else, especially when you are looking to buy a new cable to connect your devices. You can end up with a cable that is completely useless to you due to its connector not being supported by your device, so you always want to make sure not to mix up their different types, and always double-check before making a purchase."

The company's website offers more details on Hard Drive Recovery Associates and their services. Interested parties may also reach out to Jack Edwards to follow up on any inquiries via email or phone as well. They may also visit the company's social media pages or blog to stay up to date on their latest news and announcements.