USB support organization, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF)--a group made up of such notables as Apple, Intel, Microsoft, and HP--announced today that it was making available the Compliance and Certification Program for USB 3.0 or SuperSpeed USB.

Interested companies can register for testing by filling out the Platform Interoperability Lab certification request form on USB-IF's site. Those products that pass the testing will be included on the organization's Integrators List of certified SuperSpeed USB products, itself available trhough the USB.org site. Licensing rights will then be made available to the official SuperSpeed USB logo.

According to the organization, USB 3.0 is expected to grab 30 percent of the USB market share by 2013. Says USB-IF president Jeff Ravencraft:

The availability of the Compliance and Certification program is a significant milestone, and means consumers are one step closer to seeing certified SuperSpeed USB products on store shelves. When consumers see the SuperSpeed USB logo, they will have the assurance that the product interoperates with existing USB 2.0 products and provides all the speed and power efficiency enhancements that SuperSpeed USB offers, while continuing the ease-of-use consumers have come to expect from USB.