Intel says developer kits for Thunderbolt will be available this quarter, which could lead to the quick availability of a wider range of products based on the interconnect technology, says “IDG” (http://macte.ch/sO9Bs).

Thunderbolt was first announced on Feb. 24 and is currently being offered only by Apple in its new MacBook Pro laptops, which were launched on the same day. Thunderbolt is a new high-speed computer connection technology that brings together high-speed data transfer and high-definition (HD) display on to a single cable.

Running at 10Gbps, Thunderbolt technology can transfer a full-length HD movie in less than 30 seconds, according to Mooly Eden, general manager, PC Client Group, Intel. This Intel-developed technology is coming to market through a technical collaboration with Apple.

The vision for Thunderbolt technology (formerly codenamed “Light Peak”) is to move media faster, simplify connections between devices, and foster new and exciting ways to build and use computers, says Eden. Combining high-speed data and HD video connections together onto a single cable is instrumental to achieving that vision. Thunderbolt technology delivers this via two communications methods, or protocols — PCI Express for data transfer and DisplayPort for displays.