USB chip set is considerably cheaper than support chips for FireWire AFAIK.
Charlie

"Mark Leuck" <m..leuck@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:CEcIa.985014$OV.1092233@rwcrnsc54...
>
> "Howard McCollister" <hmac@emily.net> wrote in message
> news:3eedb176$0$87200$45beb828@newscene.com...
> > Theoretical numbers notwithstanding, USB 2.0 is actually quite a bit
> slower
> > than Firewire 400. Look at http://tinyurl.com/ef28 for some testing on
> that.
> >
> > Firewire 800 is now standard on Macs (at least some of them) and
Firewire
> > 800 PCI host controllers are available for PC and Macs for $89 or less.
> >
> > HMc
>
> I should think Firewire would be standard on Macs since they developed it,
> the biggest problem tho is Apple is charging a higher royalty for Firewire
> than Intel charges for USB which is why these days you see more USB.
>
>