Despite Microsoft's intention to provide USB 2.0 support only for Windows XP (apparently under the form of an out-of-box patch), Adaptec the worldwide storage solutions leader, issued in a recent press release the company is actually working on beta drivers that'll bring USB 2.0 support to the most important actual Microsoft operating systems: Windows 98, Windows Me & Windows 2000. Beta versions of the drivers are available now to major system and peripheral OEM customers. "Adaptec is enabling the growth of the USB 2.0 market by providing a complete customer solution," said Jeff Loebbaka, vice president and general manager of Adaptec's Desktop Solutions Group. Heavily supported by Intel, USB 2.0 sets a new level of performance for peripherals offering a transfer rate of 480MBits/second (40 times faster than the actual USB 1.1 norm). USB 2.0 is very interesting especially when used with Video & other Drives (like burners). If USB 2.0 is under heavy competition with FireWire (and the upcoming new FireWire revision) it offers several advantages: it's compliant with widespread existing USB 1.1 devices, fast and affordable. Indeed FireWire is more likely an high end connection while USB 2.0 is dedicated to the mainstream market. However Microsoft seems to remain quite cold supporting USB 2.0.