The first Bluetooth devices--which will be shipping shortly--showed up at my office the other day, and I have to admit to being a little perplexed. Exactly what is Bluetooth, a wireless network technology, going to be good for, anyway? Does it replace the 802.11b wireless network I'm running? Supplement it? Create interference?
The Bluetooth gadgets in question are two PC cards from 3Com. This is probably not how most people will get introduced to Bluetooth, but when a printer, cell phone, or other Bluetooth-enabled device shows up, I'm more than ready.
WHAT IS BLUETOOTH? Bluetooth describes a global standard for low-power radio links between PCs, handhelds, cell phones, printers, and other devices. We are talking about a 30-foot range, so this isn't any sort of wide-area network and really isn't suitable for the average LAN.
My higher-powered (and higher speed) 802.11b wireless network has trouble getting around my house, so the lower-powered Bluetooth wouldn't have a prayer.
At a current speed of 1mbps, Bluetooth isn't a hot rod, either. 802.11b is rated 11mbps, and most wired Ethernet today runs at either 10 or 100mbps.
BLUETOOTH MANAGES TO TURN these apparent liabilities into assets, however. Let's see: We have a low-power, short-range wireless network with 128-bit encryption built in, running at a very decent speed for many applications. Especially those that now rely upon infrared--and especially the infrared many people found included on their computers but hardly anyone seems to use.
I have, on precisely one occasion, walked up to a printer and used the IR port in my notebook PC to print a page. I have likewise seen a computer talking via IR to a cell phone to make a data call. And, of course, some PDA users IR-blast their business cards to my PDA (and vice versa) on a fairly regular basis.
The problem with IR is, generally, the devices have to be close to one another, and the light travels precisely along the line of sight. Alignment and distance thus become quite critical for IR users in many applications.
BY COMPARISON, BLUETOOTH IS WIRELESS, and the devices can be anywhere within about 30 feet of one another. This tremendously increases the flexibility of the data link. Not having to point the devices directly at one another means, for example, a PDA might talk to a laptop hidden in a briefcase or a small digital camera could be moved around the room while a desktop computer transmitted or recorded the pictures. Likewise, you might sit in the car and use your computer to make a data call over your cell phone, with Bluetooth connecting the laptop and the phone.
Bluetooth's 1mbps speed, while far from a screamer, is plenty for most applications that don't require full motion high-resolution video or moving big files around.
The low transmit power (about a milliwatt) means a Bluetooth device doesn't draw much power, making it very easy on your batteries. Low power also means the short range of the devices creates a more inherently secure connection--eavesdroppers won't be able to listen unless they are very close.
HOW TO ACTUALLY USE BLUETOOTH? 3Com provides a point-and-click user interface for its Bluetooth devices. The Connection Manager software automatically discovers and displays other Bluetooth devices within range and offers wizards to help create a connection; this makes it easy for computers to find and connect to printers or PDAs or cell phones. These devices can also connect to one another or to a wireless access point that connects your Bluetooth devices to the Internet and/or your local area network. And since each device can tell the others what it does, you don't have print jobs sent to a phone or a PDA trying to sync to a scanner.
I probably haven't answered all your Bluetooth questions. For example, I won't be able to talk about the access points or how Bluetooth interacts with my 802.11b network--they use the same radio frequencies--until I have more experience. I also need more devices, like the forthcoming HP DeskJet 995C or one of Ericsson's existing Bluetooth-enabled phones. I'll see what I can round up and report back as the gear arrives and I have time to test it.
Bluetooth has been controversial--mostly in the sense of "Will it ever get here?" and "What do I do with it?" The marketplace has yet to really see Bluetooth, but--at least on paper--it has a lot to offer. Now, I'll get to find out the facts myself and will report them back to you.
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