Tell me all about Bluetooth.

[Realist]

Bluetooth is gaining popularity at moment, and is on almost all new phones available. Bluetooth devices like wireless headsets are popping out in shops everywhere. What is bluetooth and what is it capable of? Read all about it.

Connective Convenience
A tiny microchip, incorporating a radio transceiver, is built into digital devices. The Bluetooth technology makes all connections instantly and without an inch of cable. It facilitates fast and secure transmissions of both voice and data, even when the devices are not within line-of-sight. The radio operates in a globally available frequency band, ensuring compatibility worldwide.

Connecting Inner Space
The Bluetooth technology makes personal area, wireless connections as simple as switching on the lights. All you digital devices will communicate spontaneously, to offer three major advantages:

Voice/data access point
The Bluetooth technology simplifies access other networks. This is done by recognizing and connecting to different types of networks through a Bluetooth connection. For instance, you can just as easily and instantly connect to the Internet via a mobile phone as via any Bluetooth-enabled wire-bound connection.

Cable replacement
The Bluetooth technology eliminates the need for troublesome cable attachments. You can, for instance, send and receive e-mail on your mobile computer via your mobile phone, even when the devices are not within line-of-sight.

Personal ad-hoc networks
All your Bluetooth-enabled devices can be set up so that when they automaticxally exchange information and synchronise with one another. For instance, if you accept an appointment on your handheld device, the appointment is automatically accepted in your desktop PC as soon as the two devices are within range of each other.

Speed and Security
The Bluetooth technology is designed to be fully functional even in very noisy radio environments, and its voice transmissions are audible under severe conditions. The technology provides a very high transmission rate and all data are protected by advanced error-correction methods, as well as encryption and authentication routines for the user's privacy.

Future reality
The Bluetooth technology is the result of the joint achievements of five leading companies within the telecommunication and computer industries (Ericsson, Intel, IBM, Nokia and Toshiba). More than 2000 other manufacturers, from all parts of the world and various fields of business, have now also joined the Bluetooth family. This makes it by far the fastest growing industry standard ever. Before year 2002, the Bluetooth technology will be built into hundreds of millions of electronic devices.

Mobile phone - Your gateway to the world
In the Bluetooth world your mobile phone is automatically connected to other digital devices. You can, for instance, connect your mobile computer to the Internet and send and receive e-mail, even when the linked devices aren't within line-of-sight. The mobile phone becomes your gateway to the world.

Same phonebook everywhere
For practical reasons, we tend to have one phonebook in our mobile phone, one in our mobile computer and/or desktop computer at our office and one in our handheld device. With the Bluetooth technology, all of these phonebooks can be instantly and automatically synchronized each time the devices come into range. This makes it possible, for instance, to key all phonebook updates into your computer and then easily and swiftly transfer them to your mobile phone - or vice versa.

Same phone for all needs
By making your office intercom system Bluetooth-enabled and adding a Bluetooth-compatible base station at home, you can use the same phone wherever you are. At the office, your phone functions as an intercom, with no telephony charge. At home, it functions as a portable phone, with a fixed line charge. And when you're on the move, the same phone functions as a mobile phone, with a cellular charge. The switches will be made automatically depending on what network is available within reach.