Bluetooth Wireless Explained
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2006-05-02 14:30:00-04:00
You probably heard a lot of talk lately about wireless networks and wireless Internet. As always in the computer world, some of these technologies are hard to decipher. Understanding wireless connectivity is complicated by the fact that there are two types of wireless connections and each is very different. WiFi signals can travel fairy long distances, whereas Bluetooth is used for short distances usually less than 30 feet.
The Bluetooth technology is embedded in computer chips that are built into devices like computers, PDAs, headphones, cell phones, printers, and cameras. A Bluetooth headset lets you talk on a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone while the phone is in your pocket or briefcase with no wires connecting the two devices. A Bluetooth camera can automatically send pictures to a Bluetooth printer even if the two are not connected by wires.
Unlike a WiFi connection that a user initiates, two Bluetooth devices can hook up to each other automatically. The user doesn't have to press a button or give a command. This has profound implications. Using Bluetooth, your laptop can be programmed to synchronize files with your desktop when you bring it into the room. Pictures from your camera can be automatically sent to your computer. Your cell phone could even notify your Bluetooth coffee maker to start making coffee when you walk in the front door. As a matter of fact, since Bluetooth devices can simultaneously connect with up to seven devices, your cell phone could also transfer your calls to your house phone and start your bath, although I've not yet heard of a Bluetooth bathtub.
More and more bluetooth devices are becoming available everyday and new applications are constantly being developed. Today many cell phones have Bluetooth capabilities, and some laptops have both WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity built-in. Most desktop computers do not have Bluetooth built in, but it can be easily added with an inexpensive USB Bluetooth adapter.
Technically, Bluetooth operates on a 2.4 GHz ISM band that is available globally, so it can be used everywhere. This technology does not require an open line of site like many current infrared devices, including television remote controls. Its radio waves can pass through objects, making connecting easier. Bluetooth also has built-in encryption. Bluetooth 1.0 standard has a maximum transfer speed of 1 megabit per second (Mbps), while Bluetooth 2.0 can manage up to 3 Mbps. Bluetooth 2.0 is backward compatible with 1.0 devices. Since Bluetooth requires only small amounts of power, it is extremely useful in mobile devices.
Bluetooth has several security modes. The manufacturer of the Bluetooth-enabled device determines which mode to include in their gadget. In most cases, the device owner can establish each of the Bluetooth gadgets they own as "trusted devices" that will hook up to each other automatically. Other devices have to get the owners permission to be able to connect to their devices. More technical explanations and research can be found at the official Bluetooth Web site and The Official Bluetooth Membership Site.
Just in case you are wondering, several Scandinavian companies were pivotal in creating the Bluetooth standard. It was named for a Danish king, Harald Bluetooth who united parts of Denmark and Norway in the 900s. You can expect to see Bluetooth uniting many devices in the future.
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