Just read this, finally getting rid of proprietry connectors (I am aware the article is about Apple specifically, but it mentions others).

Whoo!

This can only be a good thing. Always hate having to rush around to find a specific connector to charge / connect a phone or PDA or mp3.

My only regret is that modern tech uses USB instead of FireWire, FW is so much faster, though I do admit USB is easier to use day to day.

USB2.0 is faster than FW400, AFAIK. FW800 is faster, but quite rare. Also, a lot of computers don't have FW ports, neither my laptop or desktop do.

Technically yes but, USB 2.0 is 480Mbps accross all peripherals connected to the bus (at least that's what I remember reading somewhere), FW400 is 400 per peripheral. So if you only have a HDD say connected to FW400 it will operate faster than putting on a USB port with anything else.

I may be wrong on that, I just remember reading it somewhere when 2.0 came out.

Hmm, does sound plausible. Worth considering that most devices don't really need that speed, though.

Considering USB3 in the mix

Very true skillers and Si. Only things I can think of that would make use of FW400 speed are DV cameras and external hi-speed HDD drives but with the advent of eSATA it kind of puts pay to FW HDDs.

I used my camera on USB and FW400, the FW400 was far faster but with USB3 on the way...well....bb FW I think