USB: Everything You Need to Know

 

USB, short for Universal Serial Bus, is a standard type of connection for many different kinds of devices.

Generally, USB refers to the types of cables and connectors used to connect these many types of external devices to computers.

More About USB

The Universal Serial Bus standard has been extremely successful. USB ports and cables are used to connect hardware such as printers, scanners, keyboards, mice, flash drives, external hard drives, joysticks, cameras, and more to computers of all kinds, including desktops, tablets, laptops, netbooks, etc.  In fact, USB has become so common that you'll find the connection available on nearly any computer-like device such as video game consoles, home audio/visual equipment, and even in many automobiles.

Many portable devices, like smartphones, ebook readers, and small tablets, use USB primarily for charging. USB charging has become so common that it's now easy to find replacement electrical outlets at home improvement stores with USB ports built it, negating the need for a USB power adapter.

USB Versions

There have been three major USB standards, 3.1 being the newest:

Most USB devices and cables today adhere to USB 2.0, and a growing number to USB 3.0.

The parts of a USB-connected system, including the host (like a computer), the cable, and the device, can all support different USB standards so long as they are physically compatible. However, all parts must support the same standard if you want it to achieve the maximum data rate possible.

USB Connectors

A number of different USB connectors exist, all of which we describe below.

The male connector on the cable or flash drive is typically called the plug. The female connector on the device, computer, or extension cable is typically called the receptacle.