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Do
You Hear What I Hear?
I
want this in PDF
Bluetooth is becoming available this fall and it is hitting the
telecommunications market in a big way. Even though this chip technology
connects devices that are within 30 feet of each other, it will soon make a
dent in an already wireless industry.
With around 2,000 companies working with the Bluetooth technology, new
products are getting developed so quickly that consumers will have to
scramble to get their Christmas lists done early this year.
LAPTOP TO CELL PHONE
Laptop to cell phone will likely be the first connection under Bluetooth
standards. This provides an efficient way to check your e-mail if you’re
at the airport or if you’re watching your favorite sports team play live.
The Internet is brought to the consumer and IBM is one of its pioneers,
releasing a Bluetooth computer card later this month with a price tag of
$189. Motorola and Ericsson expect to have Bluetooth cell phones available
just in time for Christmas. Ericsson will also offer a cordless headset so
that phone users can have their hands free as they drive down the highway or
wander around their offices.
PRICE IS AN OBJECT
The Ericsson headset might go for around $300, because it will need to
include a Bluetooth attachment for the cell phone as well as the headset.
The first Motorola Bluetooth phone will retail for around $325, plus up to
$190 for a special computer card.
The prices may seem steep at the moment, but they are expected to come down
with new products ready to hit the market. Ericsson's first Bluetooth phone
will not be a matter of adding a card, but simply modifying a chip already
in its cell phones. This will drive down cost and increase consumer
awareness about the technology’s minimal adjustments.
IBM ENTERS MARKET
IBM is pitching the idea of a new generation of laptops that will have a
Bluetooth antenna built in around the display screen. Instead of an external
device that has to slip into a slot, the wireless technology will be hidden
inexpensively inside the case. Laptops will continue to become smaller and
lighter because they won't need as many connecting ports in back. IBM is
also introducing BlueDrekar, a software driver that lets developers write
Linux applications that support Bluetooth.
FORD EXPLORES
Ford Forschungszentrum Aachen (FFA), Ford's German research center, and
Elsa, the German information technology firm, unveiled a working prototype
of a Bluetooth-enabled car at the Intelligent Transport Systems congress.
The car has been wired up to support the Bluetooth personal area network
(PAN) system, complete with a notebook PC that is hooked into an onboard PC
that has been integrated into the car's systems.
3COM CONNECTS
3Com plans to ship its first three Bluetooth products early next year, which
includes hardware that can be affixed to desks and conference rooms, so
people can use the wireless technology at the office. 3Com plans to ship
notebook PC cards and universal serial bus adapters that have the wireless
technology built in, so computers can support Bluetooth.
BLUE CHRISTMAS AFTER ALL
As one can see, companies are handling Bluetooth technology today
efficiently and some inventive products will be released before the end of
the year. This is just the beginning of what might become a revolution in
wireless networking. So leave plenty of room in your stockings because this
might just be a Blue Christmas after all.
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