What is bluetooth??

[Green_Day_20]

Hey guys,
Can anyone explain to me what bluetooth is? I sorta have an idea but not really. I understand it hooks up to cell phones...but when they hook up to your pocket pc are you paying for the internet through the phone company?? like glorified cell phone internet OR does your phone dial up your ISP and you only pay for minutes used?
Also how much is a bluetooth Secure Digital card and a bluetooth enable phone?? Can you use "pay as you go" bluetooth enabled phones?
Is it worth the money??
Thanks everyone!

[Ed Hansberry]

Bluetooth is simply a cable replacement. So rather than getting on the internet by connecting a cable to your Pocket PC and cell phone, it is a wireless connection, or rather than having a wire running from your cellphone to an earpiece, it is a wireless connection.

They have also created "bluetooth wireless access points" which can plug into a network/internet and allow devices to connect to the internet without a cable, but those are a fad IMHO and will die out as WiFi becomes more commonplace.

http://www.bluetooth.com/tech/works.asp for more info.

[ECOslin]

The Bluetooth Wireless Specification is a royalty-free standard that fuels innovation in ideas and enables creative new products. Low-cost and power efficient, Bluetooth Wireless technology provides new business solutions and product capabilities worldwide.

Unlike many other wireless standards, the Bluetooth wireless specification includes both link layer and application layer definitions for product developers which supports data, voice, and content-centric applications. Radios that comply with the Bluetooth wireless specification operate in the unlicensed, 2.4 GHz radio spectrum ensuring communication compatibility worldwide. These radios use a spread spectrum, frequency hopping, full-duplex signal at up to 1600 hops/sec. The signal hops among 79 frequencies at 1 MHz intervals to give a high degree of interference immunity. Up to seven simultaneous connections can established and maintained.

The Bluetooth Specification contains the information necessary to ensure that diverse devices supporting the Bluetooth wireless technology can communicate with each other worldwide. The document is divided into two sections: a Core Specification (Volume I) and Profile Definitions (Volume II).
http://www.bluetooth.com/dev/specifications.asp

Typically with a PDA you can get a Compact Flash Bluetooth transciever for $70 or so and a PCI Bluetooth card($70 or so) for your desktop and be able to share files, printers or an internet connection locally between the two. I think it will have a smaller market, but it will be a 'home' market and I'm not convinced it's a fad. Cell phones and many other accessories are starting to use it.

[daS]

Hey guys,
Can anyone explain to me what bluetooth is? I sorta have an idea but not really. I understand it hooks up to cell phones...but when they hook up to your pocket pc are you paying for the internet through the phone company?? like glorified cell phone internet OR does your phone dial up your ISP and you only pay for minutes used?
Also how much is a bluetooth Secure Digital card and a bluetooth enable phone?? Can you use "pay as you go" bluetooth enabled phones?
Is it worth the money??
Thanks everyone!

Gee thanks for the great opening! :D You may want to read
www.bluetoothnews.com/basics.htm

Then, of course, you might want to visit the rest of the site. :wink:

[ECOslin]

Can anyone explain to me what bluetooth is? I sorta have an idea but not really. I understand it hooks up to cell phones...but when they hook up to your pocket pc are you paying for the internet through the phone company?? like glorified cell phone internet OR does your phone dial up your ISP and you only pay for minutes used?
Also how much is a bluetooth Secure Digital card and a bluetooth enable phone?? Can you use "pay as you go" bluetooth enabled phones?
Is it worth the money??

New round of Jeopardy, You still have to pay for your internet services. Typically you would be using a Dial-up ISP rather than your cell phone's wireless web. Neither the phone company or your ISP is going to turn down money, pick an unlimited plan and a fair amount of minutes for your cell phone.

I don't believe that a Secure Digital Bluetooth card exists yet, use the SD for storage and to install programs to.

Bluetooth is an option for phones, pdas and other things, the payment plan is between you and your cell company.

[daS]

You still have to pay for your internet services. Typically you would be using a Dial-up ISP rather than your cell phone's wireless web. Neither the phone company or your ISP is going to turn down money, pick an unlimited plan and a fair amount of minutes for your cell phone.

Yes, you are correct that Bluetooth doesn't get you Internet service - it's just for the very local connection between the devices. However, I disagree that you would typically be using dial-up services. I would highly recommend the higher speed packet-switched data services such as GPRS or 1xRTT. Not only are they much faster, they don't charge based on time, but on the amount of data transferred. Also, a number of carriers specifically block circuit switched data calls, or track them separately from your voice calls (Cingular actually charges $0.15/min for data calls regardless of the number of available voice minutes.)

Of course, currently the high-speed data connections are a bit pricey, but that seems to be changing rapidly. Given the small size of the Pocket PC screen, I find that I don’t really want to “surf” on it anyway. Instead, I use my Bluetooth connection to my GPRS phone mostly for email and then only on two of my 6 email accounts. I seem to safely remain under the 3Mbyte/Month limit of my current plan. In contrast, on my laptop I download more than 100 messages a day on my various email accounts. The laptop is either connected to DSL or using a Wi-Fi hotspot (such as T-Mobile) when I’m out.

I don't believe that a Secure Digital Bluetooth card exists yet, use the SD for storage and to install programs to.

Actually Toshiba does have an SD Bluetooth card, but it's important to be sure your Pocket PC supports this card before spending the $150 for it. I'd post a link to the

[Green_Day_20]

wow u guys know your stuff!! Thanks for the quick reply. however, It leads me to another question. What is the difference between wi-fi and bluetooth?? which is the better choice?

[ECOslin]

What is IEEE 802.11b?

The IEEE 802.11b specification allows for the wireless transmission of approximately 11 Mbps of raw data at indoor distances from several dozen to several hundred feet and outdoor distances of several to tens of miles as an unlicensed use of the 2.4 GHz band. The distance depends on impediments, materials, and line of sight.


This specification started to appear in commercial form in mid-1999, with Apple Computer's introduction of its AirPort components, manufactured in conjunction with Lucent's WaveLAN division. (The division changed its named to Orinoco and was spun off to the newly formed Agere corporation with a variety of other Lucent assets in early 2001; these assets were resold to Proxim Corporation in June 2002, although Agere continues to make the chips.)


802.11b is an extension of wired Ethernet, bringing the same principles to wireless communication, and as such is ecumenical about the kinds of data that pass over it. It's primarily used for TCP/IP, but can also handle other forms of networking traffic, such as AppleTalk or PC filesharing standards.

Wi-fi is an older networking standard that has been adopted mainly for businesses as an 'Wide-area' onsite wireless networking standard. And if you've heard the term 'Warchalking', makes the news when some individual off-site is found to be using that companies network without permission, larger area, higher priced devices. A lot of companies don't seem to catch all the holes.

Bluetooth is a newer standard, covers a simular area but is more securable against outsider use. A Bluetooth device can even be set to "invisible" to other Bluetooth device. Bluetooth security has a variety levels of authentication including password and encryption up to 128-bit.
Class 1(high power) gives 300ft(100m) range.
Class 2(medium) gives 60-150ft(20m-50m) range.
Class 3(low power) gives 30ft(10m) range. Class 3 I believe is what most home setups are going to be.
Note: 2.4GHz goes thru most walls quite well. Some remote control toys use this freq, such things as X10 cameras. Bluetooth uses spread-spectrum communication that should work around interruptions.

I'd recommend Bluetooth for home use. It's new, securable and inexpensive for new hardware.

[daS]

wow u guys know your stuff!! Thanks for the quick reply. however, It leads me to another question. What is the difference between wi-fi and bluetooth?? which is the better choice?

Well, not surprisingly, you ask a couple of people for their opinions on technology and you’ll get at least a couple of different answers. Even less of a surprise - you ask me and you get a long winded answer! :wink:

Bluetooth is best for connecting your personal electronic devices as well as for “ad hoc” connections, such as to printers. Bluetooth is often described as a wireless replacement for point-to-point cabling. Wi-Fi can be thought of as a wireless equivalent of Ethernet. Both use the same radio frequency, but are not compatible. (Although they can co-exist and are even both provided in the new HP iPAQ h5450.)

As for a home network: Even as a “Bluetooth zealot” I don’t recommend it for most networking applications. Wi-Fi is usually a better choice for that.

First, Wi-Fi can be more than ten times faster (although you won’t see that speed with a Pocket PC, but you will for your desktop PCs.) If you have a cable modem or DSL, then Bluetooth would be a bottleneck. Plus, if you want to take advantage of some of the public “hotspots” (such as what T-Mobile has been installing in various Starbucks) then most likely you’ll want Wi-Fi. Another issue is that Bluetooth generally has a more limited range than Wi-Fi. Also, a Bluetooth network (known as a “piconet”) is limited to 8 devices. While it is possible to have what is known as a “scatternet” that hooks multiple piconets together, in practice, setting up a home network with Wi-Fi would be easier. Finally, while the prices of Bluetooth will be dropping rapidly, Wi-Fi has already benefited from the higher volumes. Therefore you can get Wi-Fi networking hardware for less than Bluetooth at the moment.

Now all of this doesn’t mean I think that Wi-Fi is better than Bluetooth. Only that it’s better for most wireless computer networking applications. For example, Wi-Fi is not good at giving you access to a printer in someone else’s office. To do that, they would have to give you access to their network – which they may not want to do. But with Bluetooth, the printer can be exposed for ad hoc connections without giving you access to anything else. Another example is if you and I are at a meeting and we want to trade information. We can easily establish a connection with Bluetooth, but it would be much harder (but not impossible) with Wi-Fi. And, of course, for connecting a headset to your mobile phone, and the phone to your Pocket PC, and your Pocket PC to your GPS receiver, etc. – Bluetooth shines!

The bottom line: I carry both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for my Pocket PC! :D

[Ed Hansberry]

wow u guys know your stuff!! Thanks for the quick reply. however, It leads me to another question. What is the difference between wi-fi and bluetooth?? which is the better choice?
Here is a great article on Bluetooth and WiFi, and why you should never be considering one in favor of the other. It is sort of like deciding between a golf cart and a car. While you could, in some circumstances, use them interchangably, you really shouldn't. They both have their purposes.

http://articles.pocketnow.com/content.cgi?db=articles&id=92

[daS]

Here is a great article on Bluetooth and WiFi, and why you should never be considering one in favor of the other. It is sort of like deciding between a golf cart and a car. While you could, in some circumstances, use them interchangably, you really shouldn't. They both have their purposes.

http://articles.pocketnow.com/content.cgi?db=articles&id=92

Sorry Ed, but I can’t agree that the article you referenced is “great”. While I do agree with your conclusion that both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi each solve specific needs, that article is not a source of understanding. Instead it’s a biased rant that is so flawed on the surface as to show an obvious agenda (starting with the title.) For example, the author concludes that the security of Bluetooth is a disadvantage because if you lose or damage the card you would have to enter a PIN code again! Give me a break! :silly:

In general the argument the author presents is an esoteric one. He wants all interconnection technologies to mirror the 7-layer OSI standard (which none do perfectly anyway.) What he is missing is that Bluetooth is not primarily a networking technology and the defined profiles are not going to be the demise of Bluetooth, but instead will help assure its success. By implementing both the protocols and security in the hardware, it will be possible for Bluetooth to be included in many simple devices cheaply (once the volumes get higher.) For example, in a few years, it will be possible for a watch manufacturer to add Bluetooth capability for less than $10. That would allow the watch to be updated by a better timebase – such as your Bluetooth enabled GPS receiver.

The bottom line is that while the author correctly concludes that Bluetooth is not the ideal replacement for Wi-Fi, he incorrectly attempts to apply the rules of networking to Bluetooth instead of accepting that it represents a different paradigm.

I could go on about other errors in that article, but now that I’ve used the word paradigm in my argument, I feel I should quit on a high note. :wink:

[Happy_e335_Owner]

There is a bluetooth SD card, and you can order it (among other places) at shoptoshiba.com.

I purchased a used one, and it should be delivered today. I have my PPC cradle hooked up at work, and syncronize during the day, I have a bluetooth USB dongle, and will soon have a bluetooth SD card for syncing, transferring files, and accessing the internet from home.

This means that I will be able to do it from the couch, rather than sitting next to the computer!

[daS]

There is a bluetooth SD card, and you can order it (among other places) at shoptoshiba.com.

I purchased a used one, and it should be delivered today. I have my PPC cradle hooked up at work, and syncronize during the day, I have a bluetooth USB dongle, and will soon have a bluetooth SD card for syncing, transferring files, and accessing the internet from home.

This means that I will be able to do it from the couch, rather than sitting next to the computer!

Which Pocket PC do you use? Not all Pocket PCs with SD slots support the Toshiba SD/IO Bluetooth card.

[Happy_e335_Owner]

I am using the Toshiba e335.

I'm not sure if this is the only card available or not, I have seen SD Bluetooth cards advertised on other sites, not sure it they are the toshiba ones or not.

Colin

[daS]

I am using the Toshiba e335.

I'm not sure if this is the only card available or not, I have seen SD Bluetooth cards advertised on other sites, not sure it they are the toshiba ones or not.

Colin
Oops! Had I even looked at your handle I would have been able to figure out what PPC you had. Sorry. :oops:

Currently Toshiba is the only one that has a Bluetooth SD card out. It is also sold under the Palm and Socket names, but it's the same card. I do know if at least one more Bluetooth SD card that's in the works, but I don't know its release date.

[BTS]

I was contemplating picking up the Toshiba e330 or e740 for my next PPC. Many at work are upgrading their Palms to the TT. Would it be possible to use the Bluetooth chat features or send appointments, contacts, etc. between a PPC and a TT?

Thanks very much for your help! :lol:

[johnbrooks]

There seem to be 3 variants of Wireless SD cards (WiFi or Bluetooth) at the moment:

-Toshiba Bluetooth SD Cards: just works with Toshiba PPCs only
-Wireless SD Cards based on bSquares SDIO Know! Program: e.g Socket Bluetooth and WiFi SD Cards, Sychip etc.
-Palm Bluetooth SD Card: Palm, (Sychip?)

Anycom and Uniden seem to work on Bluetooth SD Cards
SandiskSocket, Socket and SyChip will come with WiFi SDIO Cards.

[daS]

There seem to be 3 variants of Wireless SD cards (WiFi or Bluetooth) at the moment:

-Toshiba Bluetooth SD Cards: just works with Toshiba PPCs only
-Wireless SD Cards based on bSquares SDIO Know! Program: e.g Socket Bluetooth and WiFi SD Cards, Sychip etc.
-Palm Bluetooth SD Card: Palm, (Sychip?)

Anycom and Uniden seem to work on Bluetooth SD Cards
SandiskSocket, Socket and SyChip will come with WiFi SDIO Cards.
I believe that Palm and Socket are both reselling the Toshiba Bluetooth SDIO card. Of course this doesn't mean that the firmware can't be different for each one.

[SteveR]

I'm interested in information on the use of BT RS232 dongles attached to serial ports for existing non-computer devices (like medical instruments and measurement devices).

I've tried gettng information from a couple of companies in Europe http://www.connectblue.se for example, but I have not been getting any response - does anybody have any practical experience with these things?

Steve

[daS]

I'm interested in information on the use of BT RS232 dongles attached to serial ports for existing non-computer devices (like medical instruments and measurement devices).
Have a look at 3e Technologies RS-232 Adapter (http://en1.endiva.net/3eti/files/literature/2400.5114_5e45543BT4RS5559DS9444545.pdf)
http://www.bluetoothnews.com/industrynews/rs232.jpg

Of course, if you get such a device and would like to write an article about its use for our web site, let me know.