Bluetooth is a low-cost wireless
communications technology that links devices such as mobile phones,
laptop computers, PDAs, and printers to a short-range wireless network, often
referred to as a personal area network. Bluetooth technology operates on 2.4GHz,
the same bandwith as WiFi. Bluetooth wireless can transmit data up to a rate of 1
Mbps, or 2 Mbps in the second generation of the technology.
According to Frost & Sullivan, shipments in 2003 for bluetooth devices (such as bluetooth headsets) will double to 70 million units. Apple's new G5 computers will come equipped with two types of wireless networking: bluetooth technology as well as Airport Extreme, which uses WiFi. HP recently launched a new wireless printing platform based on bluetooth technology specially designed for mobile phones. After Audi rolled out the first bluetooth enabled car to come with a bluetooth phone and Bluetooth headset through a partnership with CSR, Acura jumped on the bluetooth bandwagon and announced a bluetooth package designed to allow cell phone calls to be played through the car's audio system. Sony Ericsson has led the way in releasing Bluetooth headsets and other electronic devices with Bluetooth wireless technology.
There has been talk of bluetooth technology losing momentum as WiFi, Ultrawideband (UWB), and other networking technologies take off. But even though bluetooth has interfered with some of these networks’ operation, companies like Mobilian have solved the problem by allowing multiple wireless frequencies to work simultaneously. (Mobilian Bluetooth Whitepapers) We, along with Bluetooth SIG, believe the technologies serve different functions and ultimately will work together.
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