Though it sounds like a grave dental condition or an old pirate with bad breath, Bluetooth is actually one of technology's hottest trends. Despite its enigmatic name, Bluetooth–enabled devices promise to make life easier for business people and gadget users of all stripes.
Bluetooth — a standard for sharing data wirelessly
When data is sent from one electronic device to another (for instance, from a computer to a handheld), the two devices usually have to be connected by a cable. Making sure you have the right cable and compatible connecting ports, however, can be frustrating and confusing — and in some cases costly.
In an effort to untangle the hassles of cables and connectors, several thousand electronics manufacturers came together to develop a wireless equipment standard that would enable a range of devices (such as computers, digital cameras, handhelds, mobile phones and printers) to "talk to each" other without wires — and without brand compatibility worries. They named the new standard "Bluetooth".
The basics
Bluetooth–enabled devices have a very small chip installed in them. This chip communicates with other Bluetooth–enabled devices using low–frequency radio waves to transfer information normally carried through cables.
Remarkably, you don't have to do anything to get Bluetooth–enabled devices to "seek out" and communicate with each other. There are no additional devices to purchase, and Bluetooth works anywhere in the world.
Range of operation, speed
The radio–wave communication works at a range of 30 feet (about the length of two four–door sedans) and can operate through walls. This makes Bluetooth ideal for networking devices at home or in a small office. It also makes networking between devices easy while you're on the road.
The speed of Bluetooth varies from 64 Kbps to 1 Mbps. That's fast, much faster than dial–up Internet connection, and within the data–transfer speed range of cable and DSL Internet connections.
Interference from other devices?
No problem. Once Bluetooth–enabled devices start communicating, they synchronize and "jump frequencies" together, rapidly shifting their frequencies so they won't run into interference from nearby phones, baby–monitors — or even other Bluetooth networks.
Real world applications — a "personal area network"
The main benefit of Bluetooth is that it replaces cables. Users most commonly use it to send documents, presentations, addresses, contact information, and meeting updates between computers, handhelds, and mobile phones.
The most novel applications involve mobile phones. Bluetooth–enabled mobile phones can send SMS (short message service) texts to other devices. They can also serve as Internet modems. For instance, you can dial into an Internet connection using a Bluetooth–enabled mobile phone and then use a nearby Bluetooth–enabled handheld or computer to navigate the Web and send email.*
Can a device be "enabled" later?
You can purchase a PC card that can be easily installed on a computer (either a notebook or a desktop) to make it Bluetooth–enabled. There will also be Bluetooth easy–to–install transponders for mobile phones and handhelds in the near future.
How it is different than Wi-Fi
Wi–Fi is a separate wireless standard. It is faster than Bluetooth, and it works at a larger range — anywhere from 90 to 1,000 feet (from the length of six four–door sedans to the length of 3½ football fields). On the other hand, Wi–Fi requires the installation of wireless network cards and draws battery power at a rate roughly ten–times faster than Bluetooth. This makes Bluetooth a more affordable and practical wireless standard for handhelds, cameras, and mobile phones.
Another difference is that Wi–Fi has more public "hot spots" (in cafes, airports, and restaurants) that allow users to sign up for high–speed wireless Internet accounts. Click here to read a brief article and find out more about Wi–Fi.
You don't really have to choose one or the other. You can install a network card on a Bluetooth–enabled notebook computer and use it for both Wi–Fi and Bluetooth.
Is it secure?
Any device can be set in a "connectable" or "non–connectable" mode. If you're out and don't want your handheld to engage other Bluetooth devices, then you can simply set it to "non–connectable".
If you forget, your data will still be protected. The first time two devices communicate with Bluetooth, the user of each device must authorize the transmission. Once a transmission has started, you can stop it at any time.
What's with the name?
The electronics consortium that created Bluetooth named it after the Danish King Harald (nicknamed Bluetooth), who united Denmark and Norway in the 10th century. It definitely seems like an appropriate name for a project that united thousands of competitors to produce a customer–friendly hardware solution.
