Bluetooth headsets, bluetooth accessories for cell phones and smartphones

The networking standards of Bluetooth will transmit data via low power radio frequency. Bluetooth communicates on a 2.45 GHz frequency. This very band of frequency has been set aside by international agreement for the use of industrial and medical devices.

Many devices that you already known and use take advantage of this frequency band. Garage door openers, baby monitors, and the next generation of mobile phones all use this frequency within the ISM band. Ensuring that Bluetooth and the other devices don’t interfere with each other is a crucial part of the design process.

One of the ways Bluetooth will avoid interfering with other electronic devices is by sending out weak signals of around 1 mw. In comparison, even the most powerful of cell phones can transmit a signal of 3 watts.

The low power signals will limit the range of a Bluetooth device to around 32 feet, which cut the chances of interference between your computer and other electronic devices. Even though it has low power, Bluetooth doesn’t require a line of sight between the communicating devices. The walls in your home won’t stop the signal, making it great for rooms throughout the house.

Bluetooth can connect 8 devices at the same time. With each of those devices on the same radius, you may think they would interfere with each other, although it’s very unlikely. Bluetooth utilizes a technique known as low frequency hopping, which makes it harder for more than one device to transmit on the same frequency at the same time.

With this technique, a device will use 79 individual, randomly chosen frequencies within a designated range, which change from one another on a regular basis.

In the case of Bluetooth, the transmitters will change frequency 1,600 times or more every second, meaning that more devices can make full use of the radio spectrum. Since every transmitter of Bluetooth will use spread spectrum automatically, it’s very unlikely that two transmitters will be on the same frequency at the
exact same time.

When the Bluetooth devices come within close range of each other, an electronic conversation will occur to determine whether or not they have data to share or whether one needs to take total control. The user doesn’t have any buttons to press or commands to give - as the conversation will occur automatically.

Once the conversation has occured, the devices will form a network. Bluetooth devices will create a PAN (Personal Area Network) or piconet that may fill a room. Once the piconet has been established, the devices will randomly hop in frequencies.

In the United States, Bluetooth gets absolutely no respect. It is however, becoming more and more common in notebooks, PDAs, and especially cell phones. Bluetooth will provide wireless users a way to transmit small amounts of data over short distances.

Now, Bluetooth is facing stiff competition from new wireless technology. Referred to as UWB or Ultra Wideband, it promises data transfer of up to 480 MB a second - while most current Bluetooth devices transfer data up to 721 KB a second.

For the time being, Bluetooth devices are surely cropping up. Below, we will look at some of the accessories offered with Bluetooth technology.

Talking to the dashboard

When pairing it with a cell phone, the CCM Blue Warrior car kit becomes a great speaker phone that plugs into the power adapter of your vehicle. The noise cancelling microphone will reduce background noise efficiently, with the large buttons making adjusting the speaker volume a snap. Although the Blue Warrior is far from sexy or sleek, it’s very practical.

Tiny tuning box

Part MP3 player and part hands free phone, the compact and lightweight Sony HBM-30 is an attractive gadget that lets you accept calls with minimal interruption of your tunes. When you get an incoming call it will automatically pause your music, then you speak into the built in microphone that you can wear around your neck or clip to your clothes.

The pen

With Nokia’s SU-1B digital pen, you can doodle and make hand written notes in ink on a special pad then transmit them from the pad to your Bluetooth phone. Being an alternative to typing on a cell phone keypad, the pen is very handy, although a pricey tool from MMS fans.

Snapshots

If you want to make slide shows with your camera photos, the Nokia SU-2 image viewer will let you disply your pictures on a TV or projector. Simply hook this square gray device to your TV’s input with the built in cable, then beam the pictures to the SU-2 from your Bluetooth enabled phone and the photo fest will begin.

This device is a snap to set up and use, although it displays resolutions of up to 640 by 480. If you have a newer phone that takes high resolution photos, you won’t be able to use the Nokia SU-2 image viewer.

Keep in mind, the 640 by 480 pixel photos will appear blocky on TV screens, no matter what you do. If your phone can send batches of photos, you can create a slide show - although Nokia claims you can use sequentially beamed shots as well.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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 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.