Bluetooth Technology

The technology of Bluetooth is nothing new, but in many respects it can still seem like more of a buzz word rather than an accepted technology.  You may see the ads for Bluetooth enabled devices, although you still may be wondering what it is.

Capabilities
The Bluetooth definition is a wireless technology that is a worldwide specification for a small form factor, low cost solution that will provide link between mobile devices and other electronic  devices.

Similiar to 802.11 b/g wireless and many cordless telephone systems, Bluetooth operates on 2.4 GHz radio signals.  The 2.4 GHz band seems to be a bit crowded, with interferences between the devices a bit hard to avoid.  Telephones are now being offered at the 5.8 GHz frequency band, which will help to remedy this.

The technical specifications of Bluetooth will indicate a maximum transfer rate of 723 kbps with a range of 65 - 328 feet, all depending on the  class of that particular device.  The speed is a  fraction of what is offered by wireless standards, so it's obvious that Bluetooth doesn't really  pose a threat to replacing your wireless network.

Applications
There are numerous products that will take advantage of Bluetooth capabilities, such as laptops, PDAs, headphones, and even wireless printer adapters. A lot of laptops out there will include an onboard Bluetooth adapter which allows the system to  connect to any Bluetooth device right out of the box.  For computers that don't have an adaptor built right in, there are several USB adaptors available for Bluetooth.

For an awesome technology, Bluetooth is actually hard to compete with.  For short range wireless, Bluetooth is easily one of the best.  The standard for Bluetooth keeps getting better and better,  making it a wireless technology that will be around for years and years to come.