What is Blue-tooth

Blue-tooth is a short range, low cost radio link that can be used for voice and data. It operates in the 2.4 GHz range and is capable of 3Mbps. (RFID)

The range is about 10m and can go through wall etc. (With special class up to 100m)

Blue tooth is a free method of distributing messages or files to any number of users within range. Unfortunately, I have never seen it used for anything worthwhile, I'll leave it to your imagination what usually gets sent.

Hi PlbMak - I agree that it may not be the best technology but I do use it regularly.

In the era of the 1/2 brick sized mobiles I had a hands free (cradle type) installed in my car. For about 2 replacements I was stuck to similar models (aerial jack at the back).

When I bought a camera phone it would not fit and since the mobile had blue-tooth I got a Budgie size blue-tooth ear piece.

I also bought a memory stick size USB-Blue-tooth adaptor for my PC.

With a few mouse clicks I can :-

Synchronize my name list and download notes made on field trips as part of name list.

Download photos taken on field trips (Irrigation, Pumps, dams etc - before you use your imagination. )

Download SMS's.

Log my calls made.

Get Internet connection whenever my ADSL is down.

Read family SMS's on my wife's phone.

Drawback - The phone chews the battery when in Blue-tooth mode.

Notes - I do have a USB cable for the phone but it is always missing when I need it.

I also have a plug in earphone but the cable is very flimsy and always tangled.

By the way - How do one distribute messages and files for free? I pay a fortune my wife's SMS dependency / addiction.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth

Signode,

Please note tha Plbmak's response was intended to be funny, not informative. Hendrik's explanation is more to the point if you were just curious what the technology is.

If you are asking because you intend to implement it in a project/product, you should know that it is a complicated technology. There are some good out-of-the-box serial converters that work well if you are just trying to replace a wired connection with a secure wireless one. It just depends on your application.

"Guest" pointed to a Wikipedia entry that will get you started. There is also a trade organization that is free to join as an implementer. It is the Bluetooth SIG, and the link is www.bluetooth.com

If you plan on implementing Bluetooth, I would strongly consider contacting one of the SIG's member companies for some assistance.

Good luck!

Actually. it was more intended as a cynical observation. Has anyone out there witnessed a consistent, positive and constructive use of blue tooth?

Bluetooth is a light-weight, short-range, wireless data connection (light-weight with regards to power consumption, of course, not radio and stack complexity). Because cell phone companies used it to turn a normally annoying stock trader on the subway into an extra-loud and obnoxious a-hole shouldn't warrant the cynicism, right? Hate the application, not the technology.

Also, please don't see my remarks here as a shot at you PlbMak.I am still learning the ropes here at CR4, but posting cynical remarks that early in the thread of responses to a seemingly easy question seemed unnecessary. I felt I needed to point it out to avoid confusion to the original poster.