USB group now owns ExpressCard tech

The USB Implementers Forum this afternoon said it would buy the assets of the PCMCIA group. The deal gives the USB-IF control over testing, developing and managing all of the removable notebook card formats that the PCMCIA controls, including ExpressCard as well as the legacy CardBus and PC Card formats. Officials hope the move will simplify certifying devices and doesn't expect it to necessarily disrupt the existing process.

The handover should take place before the end of March and will result in the PCMCIA body dissolving entirely once the transfer is complete.

While seemingly a link between conflicting standards, ExpressCard is already seen as complementary to USB since many notebooks already use an internal USB connection to link the card slot to the rest of the system. It's not clear what will happen to those implementations that rely on PCI Express to attach Express Card, however.

By Electronista Staff