Using Bluetooth

The amazing technology of Bluetooth presents a great
way of exchanging data between two wireless devices.
Unlike telephones, there are no wires or messy
leads to worry about.  You can enjoy wireless
communications with short distances of up to thirty
feet.
Bluetooth also offers interoperability, meaning that
you can use your portable Bluetooth device to connect
with existing Bluetooth points.  This way, you won't
have to carry a data lead or CDs of drivers around
with you everywhere you go.  You can enjoy the best
of wireless without having to worry about installing
your software.
With today's Bluetooth, you can use your PDA and cell
phone to surf the net or check emails as you travel.
If you are in the business field, this can be very
beneficial, especially if you like to check your
email throughout the day.  Bluetooth will enable you
to check your email no matter where you are - which
is great news for those who like to travel.
Bluetooth will also enable to you to transfer files
as well, such as MP3 and photo to and from your mobile
device.  Bluetooth dominates the world of short range
wireless, enabling you to do more than you may
have thought possible.
One of the best things to Bluetooth and something
everyone loves is the wireless headset.  Bluetooth
offers wire free headsets for your cell phone or
computer, which is great for those who like to walk
around or talk on the phone in the car, without
having to worry about your hands getting in the way.
To make things even better, you can use a Bluetooth
GPS device for satellite navigation on your PDA,
laptop, or mobile.  If you travel - this can be
really great to have.
the best Bluetooth products are :

Travel Charger For Jabra BT8040 Bluetooth Headset

Bluetooth Keyboard For Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 / GT-P7510

Car Charger For Motorola S805 Bluetooth Headset

The Future Of Bluetooth

Because it meets the basic needs of connectivity in
close range, Bluetooth has a very bright future
ahead of it.  Bluetooth is actually the result of
initiatives from nine leading communications and
computer industry giants, including 3-COM, Sony,
Lucent, IBM, Nokia, Microsoft, etc.
Since the forming of the original group, more than
1,800 manufacturers around the world have joined
the initiative.  According to reports, the Bluetooth
technology is expected to be built into more than
100 million devices, with over 670 million enabled
Bluetooth devices.
Resulting from the amazing success of WAP (Wireless
Application Protocol), the adoption of smart phones
and hand held devices, Bluetooth can easily have
an amazing impact on your day to day life.  Bluetooth
is one of the key technologies that can help to
make the mobile information society happen, by
blurring the possibilities between home, the office,
and the outside world.
The seamless integration and connectivity that
Bluetooth promises will make it possible to explore
a wide range of interactive and highly transparent
personalized services which were actually quite
difficult to dream of simply because of the
complexity involved with making such devices
communicate with each other.
Many Bluetooth pilot products have already been
rolled into the market and backed by big vendors,
which is a healthy sign for the overall acceptance
of the technology.  The support for Bluetooth isn't
limited to companies that develop only Bluetooth
enabled products.
The applications for Bluetooth can have great
impacts on other industries as well.  The adoption
of Bluetooth technology is expected to spread
throughout the industry of computers. 
Unlike infrared technology, Bluetooth is used by
many different wireless devices.  Bluetooth offers
exceptional quality for short range wireless, even
going through walls and obstructions.  While
infrared is the biggest competitor at this time,
Bluetooth far surpasses it, proving to millions that
it is the wireless communication technology of the
present day and age.
In the beginning, Bluetooth started with version 1.0,
then gradually moved from there.  The current
version is 2.0+EDR, with another version currently
in development.  The technology behind the Bluetooth
specification always getting better and better,
which is why it's so popular.
In the future, you can expect the technology
behind Bluetooth to get better.  Bluetooth has
proven to be the wireless standard of the future,
offering you wireless connectability for hundreds
of different devices.  For cell phones or other forms
of wireless connections, Bluetooth is the one
technology that you don't want to find yourself
without.

The Bluetooth Solution

The technology of Bluetooth will take small area
networking to the next level by removing the need
for user intervention and help keep transmission
power very low to preserve battery power.  Each
transmission signal to and from your cellular
phone will use just 1 mw of power, giving you
plenty of space on your battery to talk.
Bluetooth is a networking standard that will
work on two levels:
 1.  It will provide agreement at the
physical level, as Bluetooth is a radio frequency
standard.
 2.  It will provide agreement at the level
of protocol, where products will have to agree
on when bits are sent, how many are sent, and how
the parties in conversation can be sure the message
recieved is the same one that was sent.
The major draws to Bluetooth is the fact that
it's wireless, inexpensive, and automatic. There
are other ways to get around wires, including
infrared.  Infrared uses light waves of a lower
frequency than the human eye can, and is normally
used in television remote controls.
The technology of Bluetooth is intended to get
around the problems that normally come with
infrared systems.  The 1.0 older standard of
Bluetooth has a max transfer speed of 1 MB a
second, while the 2.0 Bluetooth standard can
manage up to 3.0 MB a second.  To make things
better, 2.0 is compatible with 1.0 devices.
As a solution to wireless, Bluetooth will
eliminate the need for messy cords, keeping
everything nice and neat.  It's perfect for those
who like to talk on cell phones, as you no
longer need to hold the phone next to your
ear - which is great for those who travel a
lot.

Colection of the best Bluetooth products :

Advanced Design Bluetooth Headset and USB Dongle Combo

A7 Bluetooth Handsfree Headset

How Bluetooth Works

Bluetooth devices will normally operate at 2.4 GHZ
in the license free, globally available ISM radio
band.  The advantage to this band includes worldwide
availability and compatibility.  A disadvantage to
this however, is that the devices must share this
band with other RF emitters.  This includes
automobile security systems, other wireless devices,
and other noise sources, such as microwaves.
To overcome this challenge, Bluetooth employs a
fast frequency hopping scheme and therefore uses
shorter packets than other standards within the
ISM band.  This scheme helps to make Bluetooth
communication more robust and more secure.
Frequency hopping
Frequency hopping is basically jumping from frequency
to frequency within the ISM radio band.  After a
bluetooth device sends or receives a packet, it
and the device (or devices) it's communicating with
hop to another frequency before the next packet is
sent.  This scheme offers three advantages:
 1.  Allows Bluetooth devices to use the
entirety of the available ISM band, while never
transmitting from a fixed frequency for more than a
short period of time.  This helps insure that
Bluetooth conforms to the ISM restrictions on the
transmission quantity per frequency.
 2.  Ensures that any interference won't
last long.  Any packet that doesn't arrive safely
to its destination can be resent to the next
frequency.
 3.  Provides a base level of security as
it's very hard for an eavesdropping device to predict
which frequency the Bluetooth devices will use
next.
The connected devices however, must agree upon the
frequency they will use next.  The specification
in Bluetooth ensures this in two ways.  First, it
defines a master and slave type relationship between
bluetooth devices.  Next, it specifies an algorithm
that uses device specific information when
calculating the frequency hop sequences.
A Bluetooth device that operates in master mode can
communicate with up to seven devices that are set in
slave mode.  To each of the slaves, the master
Bluetooth device will send its own unique address
and the value of its own internal clock.  The
information sent is then used to calculate the
frequency hop sequences. 
Because the master device and each of the slave
devices use the same algorithm with the same initial
input, the connected devices will always arrive
together at the next frequency that they have agreed
upon.
As a replacement for cable technology, it's no
wonder that Bluetooth devices are usually battery
powered, such as wireless mice and battery powered
cell phones.  To conserve the power, most devices
operate in low power.  This helps to give Bluetooth
devices a range of around 5 - 10 meters.
This range is far enough for wireless communication
but close enough to avoid drawing too much power
from the power source of the device.

Colection of the best Bluetooth products :


USB Charging Cable For BT160 Bluetooth Headset

AC Adapter and USB Charging Cable For Jabra BT160 Bluetooth Headset

Connecting Many With Bluetooth

Constantly evolving, the technology of Bluetooth
started off as a basic wireless connection standard
but has since then been adapted and proven with many
different uses and functions.
A good example is Bluetooth for cell phones.  It
enables mobile users to connect to their hands free
headset without using wires.  Bluetooth technology
will also allow mobile phone users to connect
with their hands free kit as well.
Another handy use of Bluetooth is file sharing.  It
allows the sharing of files between two cell phones,
between a cell phone and computer, which makes the
sharing of files a snap.  If you have a cell phone
and computer, you can easily transfer data between
the two.
Say for example you wanted to put an MP3 on your
phone from your computer you could do it easily
with Bluetooth.  All you would need is a Bluetooth
adapter for your computer.  It doesn't stop with the
swapping of files either,as you can use your computer
and phone to synchronise phone books, send SMS messages,
and much more.
Although Bluetooth may be dandy for cell phones,
it also comes in handy for the home office as well.
Utilizing Bluetooth is a great way to set up a
home office - two computers, a printer, and even a
scanner.  They all can be connected using Bluetooth
technology with effective ranges of up to 10 meters.
The technology and devices of Bluetooth will be
around for years and years to come.  As years go
by, Bluetooth will provide even better wireless
solutions for different applications.  Even though
Bluetooth has a short range, it has that short
range for a reason.  Bluetooth is easily the best
in wireless technology - which it continues to
prove time and time again.

Colection of the best Bluetooth products :

Original Motorola HK202 Bluetooth Headset - Retail Pack

Bluetooth Versions

Version 1.1 and earlier
Since the technology of Bluetooth was introduced in
1998, several specification versions have been
released.  Versions 1.0 and 1.0B had too many issues
and problems for manufacturers to develop devices
for Bluetooth.  The main issue was the lack of
communication among the devices.
The core specification version 1.1 is the first
successful operating version of Bluetooth.  Version
1.1 corrected a majority of the bugs and problems
found in earlier versions.
Version 1.2
Many of the newer Bluetooth devices, such as the
newer cell phones are being sold with the newer
Bluetooth version 1.2.  This version offers backward
compatability with Bluetooth 1.1, faster transmission
speeds, received signal strength, and a host
controller interface (HCI) support for 3 wire UART.
Bluetooth version 2.0
It's true that there may be multiple communication
technologies, although they all share one common
trait - faster is better.  Bluetooth specialists
realized this, and therefore worked on improving
the speeds of version 1.2.  The newest version,
version 2.0 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) was
accounced in 2004 and became available in late
2005.
Version 2.0 delivers data transfer rates of up
to three times that of the original version of
Bluetooth.  Version 2.0 also provides enhanced
connectivity.  With Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, you'll
be able to run more devices at the same time -
with more efficiency.
Computers and even computer related devices are
expected to be some of the first devices to
encorporate Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, followed of
course by audio and imaging devices. 
Version 2.0 is backward compatible with previous
versions, three times faster, and offers an
enhanced data rate of 2.1 MB a second.  It also
offers broadcast and multicast support, along
with a further enhanced bit error rate
performance, making it the best Bluetooth has
ever seen.

Bluetooth Specifications

Below, you'll find several specifications for the
well known Bluetooth:
1.  Throughout the United States and even Europe,
the range of frequency is 2,400 - 2,483.5 MHZ, with
79 1-MHz RF (radio frequency) channels.  The
frequency range in Japan is 2,472 to 2,497 MHz with
23 1-MHz RF channels.
2.  A data channel of Bluetooth randomly hops 1,600
times per second between the 79 RF channels.
3.  Each Bluetooth channel is divided into time
slots, with each one being 625 microseconds long.
4.  A Bluetooth piconet has one master and up to
seven slaves.  The master will transmit in even
time slots, while the slaves will transmit in odd
time slots.
5.  The data in a single packet can be up to 2,745
bits in length.
6.  Currently, there are two types of data transfer
between devices - SCO (synchronous connection
oriented) and ACL (asynchronous connectionless).
7.  In a Bluetooth piconet, there can be up to
three SCO links containing 64,000 bits per second
with each one.  To help avoid collision and timing
problems, the links of the SCO will use reserved
slots set up by the master.
8.  A master can support up to three SCO links
with either one, two, or even three slaves.
9.  The slots not reserved for the SCO links can
be used for ACL links.
10.  A single master and slave can have one ACL
link.
11.  ACL is either master to one slave (point to
point) or it broadcasts to all of the slaves.
12.  The ACL slaves will only transmit when it has
been requested by the master.  If the master doesn't
make the request, the ACL slaves won't transmit
anything at all.

Bluetooth Security

These days, all communication technology faces the
issue of privacy and identity theft, with Bluetooth
being no exception.  Almost everyone knows that email
services and networks require security.  What users
of Bluetooth need to realize is that Bluetooth also
requires security measures as well.
The good news for Bluetooth users is that the
security scares, like most scares, are normally over
dramatized and blown entirely out of proportion.  The
truth being told, these issues are easy to manage,
with various measures already in place to provide
security for Bluetooth technology.
It's true that there has been some Bluetooth phones
that have been hacked into.  Most devices that are
hacked into are normally those that don't have any
type of security at all.
According to Bluetooth specialists, in order to hack
into a Bluetooth device, the hacker must:
 1.  Force two paired devices to break their
connection.
 2.  Steal the packets that are used to
resend the pin.
 3.  Decode the pin.
Of course, the hacker must also be within range of
the device, and using very expensive developer type
equipment.  Most specialists recommend that you
have a longer pin, with 8 digits being recommended.
Fundamentals of security
The "pairing process" is one of the most basic levels
of security for Bluetooth devices.  Pairing, is
two or more Bluetooth devices that recognize each
other by the profiles they share - in most cases
they both must enter the same pin.
The core specifications for Bluetooth use an
encryption algorithm, which is completely and entirely
secure.  Once the devices pair with each other,
they too become entirely secure.
Until they have successfully paired, the Bluetooth
devices won't communicate with each other.  Due to
this pairing process and the fact that it is short
range - Bluetooth technology is considered to be
secure.
As the news has indicated, experienced hackers
have developed ways to get around this level of
basic security.  There are ways to get around this
threat, as you can install software to prevent
hackers from getting in.
With Bluetooth becoming more and more popular, it's
really no wonder that security is always in
question.  As Bluetooth gets bigger and better,
security will always be something that no one
really takes lightly.
If you've been concerned about Bluetooth security
in the past, rest assured that newer devices will
offer bigger and better security.  Preventing
hackers from getting in is something every owner
is concerned about - and the manufacturer's are
very aware.

Colection of the best Bluetooth products :

Bluetooth Operation

The networking standards of Bluetooth will transmit
data via low power radio frequency.  Bluetooth
communicates on a 2.45 GHz frequency.  This very
band of frequency has been set aside by international
agreement for the use of industrial and medical
devices.
Many devices that you already known and use take
advantage of this frequency band.  Garage door
openers, baby monitors, and the next generation of
mobile phones all use this frequency within the ISM
band.  Ensuring that Bluetooth and the other
devices don't interfere with each other is a crucial
part of the design process.
One of the ways Bluetooth will avoid interfering
with other electronic devices is by sending out
weak signals of around 1 mw.  In comparison, even
the most powerful of cell phones can transmit a
signal of 3 watts. 
The low power signals will limit the range of a
Bluetooth device to around 32 feet, which cut the
chances of interference between your computer and
other electronic devices.  Even though it has low
power, Bluetooth doesn't require a line of sight
between the communicating devices.  The walls in
your home won't stop the signal, making it great
for rooms throughout the house.
Bluetooth can connect 8 devices at the same time.
With each of those devices on the same radius,
you may think they would interfere with each
other, although it's very unlikely.  Bluetooth
utilizes a technique known as low frequency
hopping, which makes it harder for more than
one device to transmit on the same frequency
at the same time.
With this technique, a device will use 79
individual, randomly chosen frequencies within
a designated range, which change from one another
on a regular basis. 
In the case of Bluetooth, the transmitters will
change frequency 1,600 times or more every
second, meaning that more devices can make full
use of the radio spectrum.  Since every
transmitter of Bluetooth will use spread spectrum
automatically, it's very unlikely that two
transmitters will be on the same frequency at the
exact same time.
When the Bluetooth devices come within close range
of each other, an electronic conversation will
occur to determine whether or not they have
data to share or whether one needs to take total
control.  The user doesn't have any buttons to
press or commands to give - as the conversation
will occur automatically.
Once the conversation has occured, the devices
will form a network.  Bluetooth devices will
create a PAN (Personal Area Network) or piconet
that may fill a room.  Once the piconet has been
established, the devices will randomly hop in
frequencies.

Colection of the best Bluetooth products :

Bluetooth Basics

The technology of Bluetooth wireless is a short
range communications method intended to replace
the cables that connect portable or fixed devices
while maintaining the highest levels of security.
The key features offered by Bluetooth include
low power and low cost.  The specification in
Bluetooth defines a uniform structure for a wide
range of devices to communicate and connect with
one another.
The technology behind Bluetooth has achieved
global satisfaction such as enabled devices, almost
everywhere in the world.  Bluetooth devices will
connect and communicate without wires through
short range and networks known as piconets.
Each device will simultaneously communicate with
up to seven other devices within a single piconet,
meaning that each device can also belong to
several piconets simultaneously.  The piconets
are dynamically established as Bluetooth enabled
devices enter and leave the proximity of radio.
A fundamental to Bluetooth strength is the
ability to handle both data and voice transmissions
simultaneously.  This will enable users to enjoy
varieties of innovative solutions such as hands
free talking, printing and fax capabilities,
and other applications.
Specifications
Unlike other standards of wireless, the Bluetooth
specification gives product developers both a
link layer and application layer definitions,
which will help support data and voice applications.
Spectrum
The Bluetooth technology operates in the industrial
and scientific band at 2.4 to 2.485 GHz, using a
spread spectrum, frequency hopping signal. 
Interference
The adaptive frequency hopping of Bluetooth
technology was designed to reduce interference
between wireless technologies that share the 2.4
GHz spectrum.  Adaptive frequency hopping (AFH)
works well within the spectrum to take full
advantage of the frequency available.
AFH hopping allows for more efficient transmission
within the spectrum, which provides users with
greater performance even if they are using other
technologies along with Bluetooth. 

Bluetooth Technical Operations

Bluetooth is a high speed, low powered wireless link
technology that's designed to connect phones or other
portable equipment together with little to no work
required by the user.  Unlike infrared, Bluetooth
doesn't require line of site positioning to work.
Current prototype circuits are contained on a board
that is 0.9 cm square, with a much smaller circuit
board being developed. 
When one Bluetooth device comes in contact with
another, they will automatically exchange addresses
and details of capability.  Then, they can establish
a 1 MB link with security that they will use as
required.  The protocols involved with handle both
data and voice, with a very flexible topography.
The technology achieves its goal by embedding tiny,
non expensive short range tranceivers into the
devices available today.  The radio operates on the
2.45 GHz frequency band, and supports up to 721
KBps, along with three voice channels. 
Each devices offers a unique 48 bit address from
the IEEE 802 standard, with the connections being
point to point or multipoint. The max range is
10 meters, although it can be extended to 100
meters by increasing the power.  The devices are
also protected from radio interference by changing
their frequencies, also known as frequency hopping.
What's important, is the fact that Bluetooth
devices won't drain battery life.  The specification
targets power consumption of the device, limiting
the drain on the battery.  The radio chip will
consume only 0.3mA in stand by mode, which is less
than 5% of the power that standard phones use.
Bluetooth will also guarantee security at the bit
level.  The authentification is controlled by the
user via a 128 bit key.  The radio signals can
be coded with anything up to 128 bit.  With the
frequency hopping, Bluetooth is already very
hard to listen into.
The baseband protocol is a combination of both
circuit and packet switches.  Slots can be reserved
for synchronous packets as well.  Each packet
will be transmitted in a different hop frequency.
Normally, a packet covers a single slot although
it can be extended to cover up to five slots.
Bluetooth can also support data channels of up to
three simultaneous voice channels.  Therefore,
it's possible to transfer the data while you talk
at the same time.  Each individual voice channel
will support 64 KB.
From a technical standpoint, Bluetooth is very
different indeed.  It's the best wireless method
in the world, surpassing even infrared.  For
communication on the go, Bluetooth is indeed
very hard to compete with.

Advantages And Disadvantages

Bluetooth has a lot to offer with an increasingly
difficult market place.  Bluetooth helps to bring
with it the promise of freedom from the cables and
simplicity in networking that has yet to be matched
by LAN (Local Area Network).
In the key marketplace, of wireless and handheld
devices, the closest competitor to Bluetooth is
infrared.  Infrared holds many key features,
although the line of sight it provides doesn't go
through walls or through obstacles like that of the
Bluetooth technology.
Unlike infrared, Bluetooth isn't a line of sight and
it provides ranges of up to 100 meters.  Bluetooth
is also low power and low processing with an
overhead protocol.  What this means, is that it's
ideal for integration into small battery powered
devices.  To put it short, the applications with
Bluetooth are virtually endless. 
Disadvantages
Bluetooth has several positive features and one
would be extremely hard pressed to find downsides
when given the current competition.  The only real
downsides are the data rate and security.  Infrared
can have data rates of up to 4 MBps, which provides
very fast rates for data transfer, while Bluetooth
only offers 1 MBps.
For this very reason, infrared has yet to be
dispensed with completely and is considered by
many to be the complimentary technology to that
of Bluetooth.  Infrared has inherent security due
to its line of sight. 
The greater range and radio frequency (RF) of
Bluetooth make it much more open to interception and
attack.  For this reason, security is a very key
aspect to the Bluetooth specification.
Although there are very few disadvantages, Bluetooth
still remains the best for short range wireless
technology.  Those who have tried it love it, and
they know for a fact that Bluetooth will be
around for years to come.

The Benefits Of Bluetooth

Below, are 10 benefits and reasons to use Bluetooth
technology.
1.  Wireless
As you probably already know, there are many benefits
and advantages to using wireless devices.  Along with
improving safety as a result of eliminating wires
you don't need, wireless also offers you plenty of
other advantages.  When traveling with your laptop
or other wireless devices, you'll no longer have to
worry about bringing connection cables.
2.  Bluetooth is actually inexpensive
The technology of Bluetooth is cheap for companies
to implement, which results in lower costs for the
company.  These savings are then passed from the
company on to you.
3.  Bluetooth is automatic
Bluetooth doesn't have you set up a connection or
push any buttons.  When two or more devices enter
a range of up to 30 feet of each other, they will
automatically begin to communicate without you
having to do anything. 
4.  Standardized protocol
Bluetooth is standardized wireless, meaning that
a high level of compatibility among devices is
guaranteed.  Bluetooth will connect devices to
each other, even if they aren't the same model.
5.  Low interference
Bluetooth devices almost always avoid interference
from other wireless devices.  Bluetooth uses a
technique known as frequency hopping, and also
low power wireless signals.
6.  Low energy consumption
As a result of Bluetooth using low power signals,
the technology requires very little energy and will
use less battery or electrical power as a result.
This is an excellent benefit for mobile devices,
as Bluetooth won't drain the battery.
7.  Sharing voice and data
The standard for Bluetooth will allow compatible
devices to share data and voice communications.
This is great for mobile phones and headsets, as
Bluetooth simplifies driving and talking on your
cell phone.
8.  Instant PAN (Personal Area Network)
You can connect up to seven Bluetooth devices to
each other within a range of up to 30 feet, forming
a piconet or PAN.  For a single room, you can
also set up multiple piconets.
9.  Upgradeable
Upgradeable is the standard for Bluetooth.  There
are newer versions of Bluetooth in the works,
which offer many new advantages and backward
compatible with older versions.
10.  The technology stays
Bluetooth technology is a world wide, universal
wireless standard.  With it being as popular as
it is, you can count on it being around for years
to come.  As more and more devices start to use
Bluetooth technology, more manufacturers will be
eager to make their products compatible.  A chain
reaction will occur, making Bluetooth the standard
for cutting edge wireless.