Wireless Without the Wires: Bluetooth Cellular Phone

They may call it a wireless phone, but standardBefore you start talking on a Bluetooth cellular
cellular phones still require wires at some point.phone, you do need to know a few facts. A
Besides the clunky charger, you also have toBluetooth cellular phone has a range of 30 feet
fumble with cords to use a headset and to(10 meters), and the devices in question must use
transfer data between your phone and othercompatible versions of Bluetooth. The majority of
gadgets. But there is an answer for anyoneBluetooth cellular phones currently in the
looking to cut the cord almost completely. With amarketplace works on Bluetooth 1.1. (Two
Bluetooth cellular phone, you can chat on aprevious versions, 1.0 and 1.0B, were plagued with
wireless headset, transfer data magically throughcompatibility issues and have since been
the air to a handheld, or connect with adiscontinued.) The Bluetooth Special Interest
Bluetooth-enabled car. But take care, as eachGroup (SIG), a trade association and development
Bluetooth cellular phone is not created in the samegroup, is releasing newer versions that promise
manner. While some carriers let you use aseveral upgrades and backward compatibility.
Bluetooth cellular phone for almost any means,Bluetooth 1.2, includes the addition of an
others restrict it to a headset only.Bluetooth is aanonymity mode, which masks the hardware
standard developed by a group of electronicsaddress of the device to protect from identity
manufacturers that allows any sort of electronicsnooping and tracking, and adaptive frequency
equipment -- from computers and Bluetoothhopping, which cuts interference by avoiding
cellular phones to keyboards and headphones -- tocrowded frequencies. Bluetooth 2.0 has some
make its own connections, without wires, cablesenhancements; among them are narrowband
or any direct action from a user. A Bluetoothchannels, which will enable messages to be
cellular phone works at two levels:broadcast to a high number of devices without
It provides agreement at the physical level --the pairing process, andhigher connection speeds
Bluetooth is a radio-frequency standard.of up to 12Mbps.When no other means of
It also provides agreement at the next level up,connecting to the Internet is available, mobile
where Bluetooth cellular phones have to agree onworkers can use their Blue tooth cellular phone as
when bits are sent, how many will be sent at aa modem. An advantage of using a Bluetooth
time and how the parties in a conversation can becellular phone is that it can remain in your laptop
sure that the message received is the same ascarrying case or pocket, and a Bluetooth cellular
the message sent.While it may sound complicated,phone does not require a direct line of sight
a Bluetooth cellular phone works in a simpleconnection. If your laptop is not already Bluetooth
manner. A Bluetooth cellular phone communicatesenabled, you can purchase a USB Bluetooth
with different devices by sending data via aadapter.
secure, low-cost short-range radio frequency.A Bluetooth cellular phone makes it easy to
Using the technology, a Bluetooth cellular phonetransfer or receive information from other
can connect to headsets, PCs can connect toBluetooth-enabled devices, eliminating the need for
printers or keyboards, and handhelds can connectextra cables. A Bluetooth cellular phone can be
to each other without any wires. Up to sevenused with a Bluetooth-enabled headset allowing for
connections can be made at one time, at a speedhandsfree operation. You can put the Bluetooth
of 1Mbps. All that's needed for any Bluetoothcellular phone in your pocket or carrying case and
cellular phone to connect to anotherstill take calls. This is especially useful if you need
Bluetooth-enabled device is for them to beto use your Bluetooth cellular phone while
paired--normally, a hassle-free "handshaking"driving.Be secure
process for establishing a connection that takesAs with any wireless device, a Bluetooth cellular
seconds and can be found in most wirelessphone has some minor security concerns. The
connectivity menus.What's in a Name?SIG has admitted that bluebugging, where a
In case you were wondering, what's "Bluetooth"hacker secretly accesses a phone's commands
in the term "Bluetooth cellular phone", Bluetooth(such as eavesdropping on conversations), and
gets its name from a 10th-century Danish king,bluesnarfing, where a hacker can access a phone's
Harald Blatand (or Bluetooth) who unifieddata--such as the contacts--are possible, yet the
Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. According togroup downplays both actions. While they work
legend, he had an affinity for teeth-stainingthrough Bluetooth, they also require the hacker to
blueberries.Bluetooth Frequencyuse a PC and to be within range of the victim's
A Bluetooth cellular phone communicates on aBluetooth cellular phone (10 meters). Still, Nokia
frequency of 2.45 gigahertz, which has been setand Sony have said these issues affect only older
aside by international agreement for the use ofhandsets that are available mainly outside of the
industrial, scientific and medical devices (ISM).AUnited States, and Nokia is promising a software
number of devices that you may already useupgrade. To help combat both, a Bluetooth cellular
take advantage of this same radio-frequencyphone can be locked with a code or simply turned
band. Baby monitors, garage-door openers andoff or put in hidden mode when not in use.
the newest generation of cordless phones allAnother concern, depending on how you look at
make use of frequencies in the ISM band. Makingit, is bluejacking. This often involves creating a
sure that a Bluetooth cellular phone and theseflirtatious introductory message, then sending it to
other devices don't interfere with one another hasanother Bluetooth cellular phone (that is
been a crucial part of the design process.Pairing updiscoverable) narby as a text message.