The wireless communications standard was intended to put an end to the cable jungle. And in many ways, that's exactly what Bluetooth has done. The technology can bind devices such as PCs, digital cameras, and cellphones much more easily than before.
"Whether for speech or data transmission; whether over PC, handheld organizer, or cellphone; ISDN, DSL, or network, Bluetooth hooks up all combinations," said Urban Bastert, of AVM, a European company that manufactures adapters for the technology.
Despite these promises, though, getting Bluetooth up and running too often amounts to a series of trial-and-error experiments.
Bluetooth needs end devices capable of receiving the proper signals. That's easy when manufacturers build their devices with Bluetooth already integrated. For most desktop computers, however, a special adapter is required. These adapters, which weigh only a few grams apiece and use tiny amounts of energy, cost about 60 dollars each. For laptop computers, Bluetooth can usually be added on in PCMCIA card format, at a somewhat higher price.
Bluetooth transfers data at up to 433KB per second. That's slower than with a Wireless LAN (W-LAN), but quicker than ISDN. The technology functions flawlessly between end devices, such as a PC and printer. Bluetooth is also quick enough to retrieve information from the Internet, although not quite quick enough to for broadband video.
The technology has advantages over infrared: "You don't need a direct line-of-sight contact for Bluetooth," says Intel's Christian Anderka. Chip giant Intel has been one of the main proponents of Bluetooth since its inception. Bluetooth's radio signals are capable of penetrating clothes, briefcases, cabinets, or the walls of rooms, although speed will drop somewhat with barriers.
Bluetooth also offers a range of 10m to 100m, significantly further than infrared, Anderka notes.
Bluetooth also eases the minds of users who worry that the neighbour will eavesdrop on every bit sent wirelessly.
"The frequency jumping process used for a Bluetooth connection makes a simple eavesdropping process significantly more difficult," says Steffen Grosch, manager for product marketing at Sony-Ericsson.
His firm was among the first to work intensively with the technology. Setting up Bluetooth is no easy task, though. Before installation, users must perform tedious configuration work.
"First you should install the Bluetooth software, including drivers," advises Christof Reiners, information technology manager at Mitsumi Electronics, an adapter manufacturer. Once this is completed, the adapter can be hooked on to the PC and then used. Older Bluetooth software should definitely be deleted before the installation.
Bluetooth software typically guides users through the process of setting up and controlling a connection. Options during the installation process such as "recognize device" and "refresh" on the connected computer will get the search started for all Bluetooth devices in broadcasting range.
Yet in real life Bluetooth can be quite stubborn.
"The software that came with my cellphones won't work at all," complains Henning Apel, a police commissioner from Germany.
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