| If you've got a wireless network for your | | | | with it pre-installed, you should probably use a |
| computers already, well, you might get a bit | | | | USB to Bluetooth adapter, although internal |
| excited about what I'm going to say next. How | | | | Bluetooth devices to install in your computer are |
| would you feel if your PDA, your mobile phone, | | | | available. If you have a laptop and a spare |
| your mp3 player and almost everything else you | | | | PCMCIA slot, you can get Bluetooth cards for |
| connect to your computer could be wireless too? | | | | that too.What Can You Do With Bluetooth?Mobile |
| You'd like that? Well, it's already a reality and has | | | | phones with Bluetooth are very popular, and so |
| been for some time now.Bluetooth is wireless and | | | | are PDAs -- the instant synchronisation of |
| automatic, and has a number of interesting | | | | addresses and calendars to a computer is a useful |
| features that can simplify our daily lives. Bluetooth | | | | feature. Other than that, almost anything that |
| is a standard developed by a group of electronics | | | | would usually use USB can be done using |
| manufacturers that allows any sort of electronic | | | | Bluetooth, including digital cameras, mp3 players, |
| equipment -- from computers and cell phones to | | | | printers, and even mice and keyboards. If you |
| keyboards and headphones -- to make its own | | | | take a look through the comprehensive list of |
| connections, without wires, cables or any direct | | | | Bluetooth 'profiles' (kinds of devices that could, in |
| action from a user. Read on...Personal Area | | | | theory, be Bluetooth enabled), it includes cordless |
| Network.Using wireless networking with your | | | | phones, faxes, headsets, and even video.Basically, |
| personal gadgets is often called PAN, which stands | | | | more than anything, Bluetooth is a replacement |
| for Personal Area Network. The idea is that, in | | | | for USB: some say that while 802.11 wireless |
| the future, we'll all have laptop computers with | | | | networking is wireless Ethernet, Bluetooth is |
| their batteries charged and no more need to | | | | wireless USB.Not Just for Computers.Part of the |
| connect any wires to them at all -- you just place | | | | power of Bluetooth is that it isn't just used to |
| your Bluetooth device near the computer, and the | | | | connect things to computers -- it can be used to |
| computer sees it and can use it | | | | connect almost anything to anything else, if both |
| straightaway.Bluetooth has been around and in-use | | | | things are Bluetooth-enabled and recognise each |
| since 1999, and it's only getting more popular. It | | | | other.Mobile phones, in particular, take advantage |
| was designed to be secure, low cost, and easy to | | | | of this. Hands-free headsets often use Bluetooth |
| use from day one.There are two classes of | | | | to communicate with the phone. Some cars, for |
| Bluetooth that are in popular use: class 1 and class | | | | example, now have on-board computers that will |
| 2. Class 2 is the most common and cheaper | | | | connect with a Bluetooth phone and allow you to |
| standard, allowing you to use a device that is up | | | | make hands-free calls, regardless of where the |
| to 10 metres (32 feet) away. Class 1 is rarer, but | | | | phone is in the car (even if you've left it in your |
| you can still find devices that use it easily enough, | | | | bag in the trunk!)On top of that, of course, |
| and it has ten times the range: 100 metres or | | | | Bluetooth devices can communicate with each |
| 320 feet.How Does It Work?Bluetooth is more | | | | other. This has led to some people sending |
| flexible than 802.11 wireless networking, in | | | | messages from their Bluetooth PDAs to others in |
| exchange for the shorter range. Essentially, a | | | | close range -- not an especially useful feature, but |
| Bluetooth-enabled computer has one Bluetooth | | | | quite fun. This is called 'bluejacking', and the first |
| receiver installed in it, and this receiver can then | | | | recorded instance of it was a man who sent a |
| be used with up to 7 nearby Bluetooth devices. | | | | Bluetooth message to another man's Nokia phone |
| On the other end, wireless devices do not need | | | | while they were in a bank together. What did the |
| to have Bluetooth installed if they support it -- it is | | | | message say? 'Buy Ericsson'.Since then, it has |
| already integrated.Like 802.11, Bluetooth works by | | | | become possible to send images by bluejacking, |
| using radio signals to create bandwidth. It is not, | | | | and it is widely believed to be the newest |
| though, the same thing as an old-style wireless | | | | advertising medium -- yes, it lets billboards send |
| mouse or keyboard, which required a receiver to | | | | messages to your phone, a practice known as |
| be plugged into one of your computers' ports, and | | | | 'bluecasting'. Whether you think that's cool or |
| didn't have range or stability anywhere near that | | | | annoying, of course, is your choice.Written by |
| of Bluetooth.Many computers now come with built | | | | Jason Keno of Private Investigation and PC |
| in Bluetooth, especially Apple Macs. If you want to | | | | Security Software. |
| add Bluetooth to a computer that doesn't come | | | | |