The Universal Serial Bus (USB) 3.0 Promoter Group is looking for additional contributors to its initial draft of the group's proposed specification with a goal to have it completed by the first half of 2008. SuperSpeed USB will create a backward-compatible standard with the same plug-and-play capabilities of previous USB computer connection technologies, ports and cabling. The personal USB interconnect is targeting to deliver over 10 times the speed of today's connection and will be optimized for lower power and improved protocol efficiency.

The USB 3.0 Promoter Group public Web site (www.usb.org/usb30) outlines the process to become a contributor to the specification. A company must be a USB Implementers Forum member in good standing and sign a USB 3.0 contributor agreement.

Once a company has joined, it will obtain access to the current draft of the specification. The site also includes a URL for Contributors to supply comments. The group plans to review the specification with contributors at a meeting in Las Vegas on Jan. 14-15.

The USB 3.0 Promoter Group includes companies such as HP, Intel, Microsoft, NEC, NXP Semiconductors and Texas Instruments.