What is Bluetooth?

Bluetooth is a global de facto standard for wireless connectivity. Based on a low-cost, short-range radio link, Bluetooth cuts the cords that used to tie up digital devices.
When two Bluetooth equipped devices come within 10 meters range of each other, they can establish a connection together. And because Bluetooth utilizes a radio-based link, it doesn't require a line-of-sight connection in order to communicate. Your laptop could send information to a printer in the next room, or your microwave could send a message to your mobile phone telling you that your meal is ready.

In the future, Bluetooth is likely to be standard in tens of millions of mobile phones, PCs, laptops and a whole range of other electronic devices. As a result, the market is going to demand new innovative applications, value-added services, end-to-end solutions and much more. The possibilities opened up really are limitless, and because the radio frequency used is globally available, Bluetooth can offer fast and secure access to wireless connectivity all over the world. With potential like that, it's no wonder that Bluetooth is set to become the fastest adopted technology in history.

Bluetooth in action

Bluetooth can give you a new kind of freedom. You might share information, synchronize data, access the Internet, integrate with LANs or even unlock your car - all by simply using your Bluetooth equipped mobile phone.

At first, Bluetooth will begin to replace the cables that connect various digital devices. Imagine a headset for your mobile phone that does not need a cable - calls are transmitted wirelessly to your earpiece. Bluetooth will also allow you to surf the Web with your laptop while your phone is in your bag, or effortlessly exchange information such as calendar appointments or contacts data with your colleagues.

Bluetooth might also be used in Mobile Imaging. Nokia and Fujifilm have been developing a prototype Mobile Imaging technology, allowing a modified Nokia 9110 Communicator containing a Bluetooth chip to receive images taken on a Bluetooth equipped Fujifilm digital camera. After adding a few lines of text, the user can send the received photograph to another Nokia Communicator, or to the Fujifilm Web service, where it could be viewed, printed or saved on a CD-R. By combining the ease of SMS messaging with digital photography, Mobile Imaging is a clear indication of the potential of Bluetooth.

The future

As more and more manufactures adopt Bluetooth and create devices that support it, developers will find new, previously unimagined ways of applying its power.

Imagine some of these everyday examples: you enter a bus and your bus fare is automatically paid by your mobile phone. Or you get an automatic text message notifying that your kids are safely back from school. Or while waiting at the airport lounge, you get some interesting duty-free offers directly to your mobile phone. You could play multiplayer games with your friends, or write e-mails on your laptop on the 'plane, then when you land and switch on your handset, the messages can be automatically sent by your phone. You could even use your mobile phone to control the locking and alarm on your car, as well as integrate it with the car's stereo so you can talk hands free while you are on the go.
Together with other industry initiatives, such as WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) and Symbian, Bluetooth will have tremendous effects on everyday life. Bluetooth is one of the key technologies that can make the mobile information society possible, blurring the boundaries between home, the office, and the outside world.