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