Bluetooth On The Road

Bluetooth promises to let you leave the cables behind, move more freely, and travel more safely and conveniently. The market is exploding with new technologies to deliver on this promise.

What Is Bluetooth?

Bluetooth, named for a renowned Viking and king that united Denmark and Norway in the 10th century, is aimed at connecting the various pieces of technology in our wired world.

Bluetooth is a radio technology that makes it possible to transmit signals wirelessly over short distances. The short-range, low power consumption characteristics of Bluetooth make it an ideal choice for connecting battery-operated mobile technologies without the cables and wires.

Don't mistake Bluetooth for WiFi (802.11b), the standard designed to replace wired networks. Think of Bluetooth as WiFi's shorter sibling that doesn't reach as far or carry nearly as much data, but is certainly an important part of the wireless family.

Bluetooth On The Road

Here are a few of the connections that are readily available if you're willing to pay the price:

• Hands-free headsets - Stay moving while you're listening to conference calls with a Bluetooth enabled headset that enables you to move within 33 feet of your mobile phone.
• Voice to GPS and Phone - Get directions, look up numbers, and make phone calls without ever taking your hands off the wheel.
• Laptop to PDA - Leave the cradle behind and get seamless wireless synching between your laptop and PDA.
• Laptop to Web - Can't find a hotspot? Make your mobile phone a mobile modem with a Bluetooth connection between your laptop and phone.
• Peripheral to Peripheral - Send files to print from your PDA with a Bluetooth enabled printer connection.

Bluetooth Past, Present, And Future

• 1994: Bluetooth is invented by Ericcson.
• 1998: Ericcson, IBM, Intel, Nokia, and Toshiba formed a trade association known as Bluetooth SIG (Special Interest Group) to publish and promote the Bluetooth standard. The Bluetooth SIG currently has more than 2,000 member companies.
• 1999: The first Bluetooth consumer product, a hands-free mobile headset, was released at Comdex.
• 2003: According to the Bluetooth SIG, more than 1 million Bluetooth-enabled products began shipping each week.
• 2008 (estimated): A recent study by In-Stat/MDR predicts sales of more than 700 million Bluetooth units.

Intriguing Innovations

Not surprisingly, this innovative technology is being integrated into our business and personal lives in more ways than one. These recent highlights provide a taste of what's in store for the future:

• An Illinois elementary school has enabled every teacher and student in grades 4-8 with Bluetooth-enabled PDAs and keyboards that connect to PDA enabled printers. Students use the tools to stay more organized and do their homework electronically without needing to visit the computer lab.
• Auto manufacturers are equipping new models with hands-free functionality using Bluetooth, enabling incoming call details to appear in a built in display, among other things.
• Nike and Phillips have combined entertainment and exercise with a MP3/pedometer combination that monitors footsteps while you move to the music and allows for easy uploads to a fitness monitoring site.