WHAT IS Bluetooth???

10 Benefits Of Bluetooth

Below, are 10 benefits and reasons to use Bluetooth
technology.

1. Wireless
As you probably already know, there are many benefits
and advantages to using wireless devices. Along with
improving safety as a result of eliminating wires
you don't need, wireless also offers you plenty of
other advantages. When traveling with your laptop
or other wireless devices, you'll no longer have to
worry about bringing connection cables.

2. Bluetooth is actually inexpensive
The technology of Bluetooth is cheap for companies
to implement, which results in lower costs for the
company. These savings are then passed from the
company on to you.

3. Bluetooth is automatic
Bluetooth doesn't have you set up a connection or
push any buttons. When two or more devices enter
a range of up to 30 feet of each other, they will
automatically begin to communicate without you
having to do anything.

4. Standardized protocol
Bluetooth is standardized wireless, meaning that
a high level of compatibility among devices is
guaranteed. Bluetooth will connect devices to
each other, even if they aren't the same model.

5. Low interference
Bluetooth devices almost always avoid interference
from other wireless devices. Bluetooth uses a
technique known as frequency hopping, and also
low power wireless signals.

6. Low energy consumption
As a result of Bluetooth using low power signals,
the technology requires very little energy and will
use less battery or electrical power as a result.
This is an excellent benefit for mobile devices,
as Bluetooth won't drain the battery.

7. Sharing voice and data
The standard for Bluetooth will allow compatible
devices to share data and voice communications.
This is great for mobile phones and headsets, as
Bluetooth simplifies driving and talking on your
cell phone.

8. Instant PAN (Personal Area Network)
You can connect up to seven Bluetooth devices to
each other within a range of up to 30 feet, forming
a piconet or PAN. For a single room, you can
also set up multiple piconets.

9. Upgradeable
Upgradeable is the standard for Bluetooth. There
are newer versions of Bluetooth in the works,
which offer many new advantages and backward
compatible with older versions.

10. The technology stays
Bluetooth technology is a world wide, universal
wireless standard. With it being as popular as
it is, you can count on it being around for years
to come. As more and more devices start to use
Bluetooth technology, more manufacturers will be
eager to make their products compatible. A chain
reaction will occur, making Bluetooth the standard
for cutting edge wireless.

Advantages And Disadvantages

Bluetooth has a lot to offer with an increasingly
difficult market place. Bluetooth helps to bring
with it the promise of freedom from the cables and
simplicity in networking that has yet to be matched
by LAN (Local Area Network).

In the key marketplace, of wireless and handheld
devices, the closest competitor to Bluetooth is
infrared. Infrared holds many key features,
although the line of sight it provides doesn't go
through walls or through obstacles like that of the
Bluetooth technology.

Unlike infrared, Bluetooth isn't a line of sight and
it provides ranges of up to 100 meters. Bluetooth
is also low power and low processing with an
overhead protocol. What this means, is that it's
ideal for integration into small battery powered
devices. To put it short, the applications with
Bluetooth are virtually endless.

Disadvantages
Bluetooth has several positive features and one
would be extremely hard pressed to find downsides
when given the current competition. The only real
downsides are the data rate and security. Infrared
can have data rates of up to 4 MBps, which provides
very fast rates for data transfer, while Bluetooth
only offers 1 MBps.

For this very reason, infrared has yet to be
dispensed with completely and is considered by
many to be the complimentary technology to that
of Bluetooth. Infrared has inherent security due
to its line of sight.

The greater range and radio frequency (RF) of
Bluetooth make it much more open to interception and
attack. For this reason, security is a very key
aspect to the Bluetooth specification.

Although there are very few disadvantages, Bluetooth
still remains the best for short range wireless
technology. Those who have tried it love it, and
they know for a fact that Bluetooth will be
around for years to come.

Bluetooth Technical Operations

Bluetooth is a high speed, low powered wireless link
technology that's designed to connect phones or other
portable equipment together with little to no work
required by the user. Unlike infrared, Bluetooth
doesn't require line of site positioning to work.

Current prototype circuits are contained on a board
that is 0.9 cm square, with a much smaller circuit
board being developed.

When one Bluetooth device comes in contact with
another, they will automatically exchange addresses
and details of capability. Then, they can establish
a 1 MB link with security that they will use as
required. The protocols involved with handle both
data and voice, with a very flexible topography.

The technology achieves its goal by embedding tiny,
non expensive short range tranceivers into the
devices available today. The radio operates on the
2.45 GHz frequency band, and supports up to 721
KBps, along with three voice channels.

Each devices offers a unique 48 bit address from
the IEEE 802 standard, with the connections being
point to point or multipoint. The max range is
10 meters, although it can be extended to 100
meters by increasing the power. The devices are
also protected from radio interference by changing
their frequencies, also known as frequency hopping.

What's important, is the fact that Bluetooth
devices won't drain battery life. The specification
targets power consumption of the device, limiting
the drain on the battery. The radio chip will
consume only 0.3mA in stand by mode, which is less
than 5% of the power that standard phones use.

Bluetooth will also guarantee security at the bit
level. The authentification is controlled by the
user via a 128 bit key. The radio signals can
be coded with anything up to 128 bit. With the
frequency hopping, Bluetooth is already very
hard to listen into.

The baseband protocol is a combination of both
circuit and packet switches. Slots can be reserved
for synchronous packets as well. Each packet
will be transmitted in a different hop frequency.
Normally, a packet covers a single slot although
it can be extended to cover up to five slots.

Bluetooth can also support data channels of up to
three simultaneous voice channels. Therefore,
it's possible to transfer the data while you talk
at the same time. Each individual voice channel
will support 64 KB.

From a technical standpoint, Bluetooth is very
different indeed. It's the best wireless method
in the world, surpassing even infrared. For
communication on the go, Bluetooth is indeed
very hard to compete with.

Bluetooth And Apple

The new Apple powerbook G4 are among the first
computers to offer Bluetooth technology 2.0+EDR.
The 2.0+EDR technology, which still backwards
compatible with 1.0, is up to three times faster
than previous versions, offering maximum data rate
transfers of up to 3 MBps. Being the first company
to certify a system with 2.0+EDR, Apple continues
to make great use of the Bluetooth technology.

Full support
In addition to the powerbook G4 portables, there
are other Bluetooth enabled computers available
from Apple, including the iBook, iMac G5, eMac,
and the Power Mac G5.

Making life easier
When you turn the Bluetooth feature on, your Mac
can easily perform a file transfer or even a
synchronization. From the Bluetooth selection
menu, you can choose to either send a file or
browse devices, quickly and easily. Or, you can
click the sync button in iSync to update your
cell phone or Palm OS handheld.

The Mac and GSM/GPRS mobile phone with Bluetooth
work to make each other more useful. By using
iSync, you can keep your phone updated without
having to type any info, as you can keep the
information in the more manageable address book
on your Mac instead.

You can also use your Bluetooth enabled Mac to
print documents and digital images to select a
printer that also supports the technology of
Bluetooth. Or, you can also use a headset to
talk to your friends during an iChat session.

Your Mac also has the ability to use Bluetooth
technology to communicate with your Palm OS
handheld. This way, you can perform a HotSync
operation without using any cables. You can also
send your business card or calendar events directly
to someone else's handheld usingthe technology of
Bluetooth.

The implementation of Bluetooth by Apple is the
latest in a series of moves that have caused
great shift in the computer industry. Apple
established USB as the standard interface with
the launching of the first Mac back in 1998.

Since then, Apple established the 802.11 wireless
standard of networking with the launch of the
iBook and AirPort in 1999. During 2003, Apple
launched AirPort Extreme, which was based on
the new 802.11g high speed technology of wireless.

Now, Bluetooth helps to further strengthen the
dominant position of the Mac in wireless
communications, helping to preserve Apple's
reputation for being the first to market with
innovative technology that integrates right into
the operating system.

Bluetooth And Infared

With new electrical devices being produced every day,
the problem of connecting things is becoming more
and more complex in nature. The system that comprises
computers and other electronics makes use of varieties
of wires, cables, etc.

These parts will communicate through light beams,
lasers, radio signals, and infrared. The problem
however, is the devices and technology is often the
connection between each component. Therefore, most
electronic systems aren't used to their full extent
due to the problems and imperfections.

To help simplify things, a solution was created -
the solution of Bluetooth. Bluetooth is wireless
and automatic, offering users a variety of features
that have simplified the art of connection. Bluetooth
has revolutionized the standard methods of connecting
things to enabling almost anything to be connected
to a single system.

Aside from Bluetooth, there are other ways of
connecting wireless devices. One example of such
is the IR or infrared. Infrared allows low frequency
light waves to transmit signals to another component.
This technology is easy to create and the cost of
putting the IR device into a system is rather low.

Infrared technology is a one to one process. Due
to the limitation, you may only send signals from one
device to another, similar to a television set and
remote control. You can only transmit signals
between the two although not with a seperate system.

Aside from the fact that these two natures of
infrared are obstacles to acquiring results, these
same qualities have worked in advantage to the
connection. Infrared devices need to be lined up
directly, meaning too little interference can occur
between the transmitters and receivers.

The technology behind Bluetooth works by transmitting
signals through low frequency radio signals. The
path of communication is working on 2.45 GHz, which
is the same frequency band used in ISM devices.

Bluetooth Applications

With Bluetooth being very popular with wireless, it's
no wonder there are many applications available for
the technology. Below, you'll find the applications
for Bluetooth.

1. Wireless networking between laptops and desktop
computers, or desktops that are in a confined space
and little bandwidth is needed.

2. Peripherals such as mice, keyboards, and printers.

3. Cell phones with Bluetooth technology have been
sold in large numbers, as they are able to connect to
computers, PDAs (Personal Data Assistant), and various
other devices. The standard also includes the
support for more powerful and longer range devices.

4. The transfer of files, images and MP3, between
mobile phones.

5. Certain MP3 players and digital cameras to
transfer files to and from computers.

6. Bluetooth technology headsets for smart phones
and cell phones.

7. Data logging equipment that transmits data to
a computer via Bluetooth technology.

8. Sony Playstation 3 and Nintendo Revolution will
both use Bluetooth technology for their wireless
controllers.

For Bluetooth, there are literally hundreds of
different applications and devices available for you
to use or purchase. As you may already know,
Bluetooth is the most popular wireless technology
in the world. It's very reliable, very dependable,
and very hard to crack into.

There are many other applications for Bluetooth in
development now, many of which plan to take the
wireless age to the next level. Video game systems
are using Bluetooth technology as well, for their
wireless controllers. This is great news for gaming
fans, as Bluetooth offers the best in wireless
data transmission.

If your curious about applications for Bluetooth
that are still in development, you can search on
the internet. You can find all sorts of information,
especially when it comes to Bluetooth. As the
future arrives, you can expect Bluetooth to bring
bigger and better things.

Bluetooth Basics

The technology of Bluetooth wireless is a short
range communications method intended to replace
the cables that connect portable or fixed devices
while maintaining the highest levels of security.

The key features offered by Bluetooth include
low power and low cost. The specification in
Bluetooth defines a uniform structure for a wide
range of devices to communicate and connect with
one another.

The technology behind Bluetooth has achieved
global satisfaction such as enabled devices, almost
everywhere in the world. Bluetooth devices will
connect and communicate without wires through
short range and networks known as piconets.

Each device will simultaneously communicate with
up to seven other devices within a single piconet,
meaning that each device can also belong to
several piconets simultaneously. The piconets
are dynamically established as Bluetooth enabled
devices enter and leave the proximity of radio.

A fundamental to Bluetooth strength is the
ability to handle both data and voice transmissions
simultaneously. This will enable users to enjoy
varieties of innovative solutions such as hands
free talking, printing and fax capabilities,
and other applications.

Specifications
Unlike other standards of wireless, the Bluetooth
specification gives product developers both a
link layer and application layer definitions,
which will help support data and voice applications.

Spectrum
The Bluetooth technology operates in the industrial
and scientific band at 2.4 to 2.485 GHz, using a
spread spectrum, frequency hopping signal.

Interference
The adaptive frequency hopping of Bluetooth
technology was designed to reduce interference
between wireless technologies that share the 2.4
GHz spectrum. Adaptive frequency hopping (AFH)
works well within the spectrum to take full
advantage of the frequency available.

AFH hopping allows for more efficient transmission
within the spectrum, which provides users with
greater performance even if they are using other
technologies along with Bluetooth.

Bluetooth Definition

Bluetooth is a specification for the use of low
power radio communications to wireless phones,
computers, and other network wireless devices over
short distances. The name Bluetooth is actually
borrowed from Harald Bluetooth, a Denmark king
more than 1,000 years ago.

The technology of Bluetooth was primarily designed
to support simple wireless networking of devices
and peripherals, which includes cell phones, PDAs,
and wireless headsets. The wireless signals that
are transmitted by Bluetooth cover short distances
of up to 30 feet, generally communicating less
than 1 MPps (Mega Byte per second).

The networks of Bluetooth feature dynamic topology
called PAN or a piconet. The piconets contain a
minumum of two and a maximum of eight peer devices.
The devices will communicate using protocols that
are part of the specification.

Even though the Bluetooth standard will utilize
the same 2.4 GHz range as 802.11b and 802.11g,
the technology isn't suitable for a Wi-Fi
replacement. When compared to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
is much slower, limited in range, and actually
supports less devices.

For short range devices, Bluetooth is rapidly
becoming the best. The technology is more popular
with cell phones, as Bluetooth headsets are the
way to go these days. To use Bluetooth, your
cell phone will need to have it enabled, or an
infared device somewhere on the phone.

Upcoming devices are utilizing Bluetooth as well,
such as PS3 and the Nintendo Revolution. The
wireless controllers will be Bluetooth enabled,
which will give players the cutting edge.

If you own a cell phone or other wireless device,
you should look into Bluetooth. The technology
is nothing short of spectacular, making it
something that will be around for years and
years to come. As technology gets bigger and
bigger, you can expect Bluetooth to advance
as well.

Bluetooth Glossary

Below, you'll find a list of the most used terms in
Bluetooth technology. They can serve as a look up,
or to help you learn more about Bluetooth terms in
general.

2 in 1 handset
The situation where a subscriber's handset is acting
as a remote handset to a base unit that provides a
network connection.

3G
Third generation, referring to the next generation
of digital phone technology.

802.11 WLAN
A wireless LAN specification defined by the IEEE.

Access code
Each base band packet will start with an access code,
which can be one of 3 types - CAC, DAC, and IAC.

ACK
Acknowledge.

ACL
Asynchronous Connectionless Link. This is one of the
two types of data links that are defined for Bluetooth.

ACO
Authenticated Ciphering Offset.

Active mode
During the active mode, the unit will actively
participate on the channel. The master will schedule
the transmission based on traffic demands from the
different slaves.

AP
Access point.

Authentification
The process of verifying who is at the opposite end
of the link.

Authentification device
A device whose identity has been verified during the
lifetime of the current link based on the
authentification procedure.

Baseband
This describes the specification of the digital
signal processing aspect of the hardware - the
controller - which carries out the baseband
protocols.

BB
Abreviation of baseband.

BD
Bluetooth device.

BER
Bit Error Rate.

The above is more of an intro to the terms that are
used with Bluetooth. Bluetooth currently has hundreds
of devices, making it the best wireless solution in
the world. With more coming out every day, you can
bet that Bluetooth will be around for many years to
come.

If you are new to Bluetooth, the terms used can be
very helpful. There are hundreds of glossary terms
that apply to Bluetooth, many of which describe
shortcuts to common terms. You can learn a lot by
reading over the meanings, especially if you have
never used Bluetooth technology before.

Those of you who have experience with Bluetooth,
can look over the glossary of terms to brush up
on your knowledge or just check out what an unfamiliar
term actually means. Nothing is complicated with
the meanings, although they make take some getting
used to.

Once you have been around Bluetooth for a while,
you'll find yourself right at home with the terms
and meanings to the technology. All you need to do
is play around with it, and read books or manuals
whenever you get the chance. Before you know it,
you'll be a professional in the vast world of
Bluetooth wireless.