Bluetooth Basics - Bluetooth Technology Tutorial

Bluetooth Basics

Bluetooth technology is nothing new, but in many respects it still seems to be more of a buzz word rather than a well understood, commonly accepted technology. You see advertisements for Bluetooth enabled cell phones, PDAs, and laptops, and a search of the Geeks.com website shows all sorts of different devices taking advantage of this wireless standard. But, what is it?

History

Before getting into the technology, the word Bluetooth is intriguing all on its own, and deserves a look. The term is far less high tech than you might imagine, and finds its roots in European history. The King of Denmark from 940 to 981 was renowned for his ability to help people communicate, his name (in English)... Harald Bluetooth. Perhaps a bit obscure, but the reference is appropriate for a wireless communications standard.

Another item worth investigating is the Bluetooth logo. Based on characters from the runic alphabet (used in ancient Denmark), it was chosen as it appears to be the combination of the English letter B and an asterisk.

Capabilities

The FAQ on the Bluetooth.org (https://www.bluetooth.org/) website offers a basic definition: "Bluetooth wireless technology is a worldwide specification for a small-form factor, low-cost radio solution that provides links between mobile computers, mobile phones, other portable handheld devices, and connectivity to the Internet."

Just like 802.11 b/g wireless networking systems and many cordless telephones, Bluetooth devices operate on 2.4 GHz radio signals. That band seems to be getting a bit crowded, and interference between devices may be difficult to avoid. Telephones are now being offered on the 5.8 GHz band to help remedy this, and Bluetooth has taken its own steps to reduce interference and improve transmission quality. Version 1.1 of the Bluetooth standard greatly reduces interference issues, but requires completely different hardware from the original 1.0C standard, thus eliminating any chance of backwards compatibility.

The typical specifications of Bluetooth indicate a maximum transfer rate of 723 kbps and a range of 20-100 meters (65 to 328 feet - depending on the class of the device). This speed is a fraction of that offered by 802.11 b or g wireless standards, so it is obvious that Bluetooth doesn't pose a threat to replace your wireless network. Although it is very similar to 802.11 in many ways, Bluetooth was never intended to be a networking standard, but does have many practical applications.

Practical Applications

There are a variety of products that take advantage of Bluetooth's capabilities, from laptops and PDAs, to headphones and input devices, and even wireless printer adapters.

Many Laptops include an onboard Bluetooth adaptor to allow the system to connect to any Bluetooth device right out of the box. For laptop or desktop systems that do not have an adaptor built in, there are many USB Bluetooth adaptors available.

Bluetooth enabled PDAs allow for convenient wireless synchronization and data transfer.

Headphones can take advantage of Bluetooth for two purposes? audio playback and mobile phone communications. Using something a mobile headset with a Bluetooth enabled mobile phone allows anyone to go hands free, as well as wire free.

Logitech, and other manufacturers, also produce input devices that eliminate wires thanks to Bluetooth. You can add a Bluetooth mouse to your system, or both a mouse and keyboard. One advantage that Bluetooth wireless keyboard/mouse combinations have over the standard RF wireless keyboard/mouse combinations is range. Where most standard RF keyboard/mouse combinations have a range up to 6 feet; a Bluetooth keyboard/mouse combination will usually have a range of up to 30 feet.

Bluetooth printer adaptors make sharing a printer extremely convenient by eliminating the need for any wires or special configurations on a typical network. Printing to any compatible HP printer from a PC, PDA or mobile phone can now be done easily from anywhere in the office.

Final Words

At this point the popularity of Bluetooth might not be as large as some proponents would have hoped, but many devices are available for those interested. The cost and competition from other standards have hindered the widespread acceptance, but Bluetooth does offer a viable solution to many devices that might not have wireless connectivity without it.

Computer Geeks tech tips and computer advice

---

What to Do Once You Are Infected with Spyware, Ad-ware or Viruses

What to do once your PC is infected with spyware,... Read More

Basics of RAID

A couple of the recent Tech Tips from www.geeks.com have... Read More

Build Your First Computer from Hardware Scratches

Wow- if you do it first time and have some... Read More

Alternatives to Tape Backup

You may ask, isn't tape an anachronism in the age... Read More

How to Read CRT Tube Part Numbers

All picture tubes, whether monochrome or color type are identified... Read More

How to Add or Remove an IDE ROM drive

CD ROMS - If you're adding or removing an internal... Read More

How To Buy The Perfect Student Laptop

If you are like most student's, money isn't exactly growing... Read More

Testing Flyback Transformer - How to Test and When to Replace It

Nowadays, more and more monitor comes in with flyback transformers... Read More

How To Refill Your Ink Cartridge

Forget about emptying your wallets every time you see the... Read More

Whats In An LCD Display?

Who needs an LCD display? Well, if you're like me,... Read More

The Printer Cartridge Game

Think you got a great deal on a printer? Like... Read More

All In One Printers ? Home Office Workhorses

All in one printers, also known as multifunction printers (MFPs),... Read More

The Benifits of Assembling Your Own Computer

Thinking about getting a new computer, but with all the... Read More

How to Get the Case Off Your PC!

This is the first step to servicing, upgrading or removing... Read More

Preventing Tape Drive Failure

Contrary to popular belief, tape drives are generally robust and... Read More

Dell Inspiron 600m Notebook Computer

After twelve years of owning desktop computers, I finally opted... Read More

Security Risks and Ways to Decrease Vulnerabilities in a 802.11b Wireless Environment

IntroductionThis document explains topics relating to wireless networks. The main... Read More

A Review of Refurbished Toshiba Laptops

Toshiba offers a few of their refurbished laptops in the... Read More

Blu-ray: A Primer

Blu-ray is an optical disc format which is set to... Read More

Motherboard Basics

A recent Tech Tip covered the basics of selecting a... Read More

How To Purchase A Quality Laptop Computers Case

So you finally have that new laptop you have been... Read More

Setting up a Tape Backup Strategy for your Business

So you know a little bit about tape backup, but... Read More

Selecting a Laptop

Small Can Be BeautifulWhen purchasing a new computer, you may... Read More

Adding USB 2.0

The process of adding USB 2.0 ports took no time... Read More

What is EEPROM ?

EEPROM stands for Electrical Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory and... Read More

Computer Hardware Preventive Maintenance Software

Computers often break down at the worst of all times.... Read More

Ten Tips to Safeguard Your Laptops

The following is a list of tips to help safeguard... Read More

Expert Guide to DVD Camcorders

Thinking about a mini DVD camcorder? You're not alone, it's... Read More

The Making of Energy Efficient Datacenters

The Crooked E: The Unshredded Truth About Enron is a... Read More

A Look Inside The Elusive Inkjet Industry

The Inkjet printer industry is booming. Office supply companies report... Read More

Where does technology come from?

Ever wonder where all the cool gadgets come from? Ever... Read More

10 Things to Ponder Before Moving Your Office Network

Moving the office network? How hard could it be? Anybody... Read More

Small Computers

Today, small form factor computers demolish the myth that bigger... Read More