Bluetooth is an electronic protocol which was introduced several years ago and has become popular for devices to connect together and share data. Bluetooth gets it’s name from Harald Bluetooth from Denmark who was the King back in the 900s. Bluetooth devices allow PANs (Personal Area Networks) to be created so that files can be shared between compatible devices such as mobile phones.
How fast is Bluetooth?
Bluetooth 3.0 was recently revealed which has transfer rates of around 24Mbps. Bluetooth 2.x is capable of 3 transfer classes which are numbered 1 to 3. Class 3 Bluetooth functions at 1mW of power and can transfer data just 1 meter. Class 2 Bluetooth is more powerful runs at 2.5mW which is capable of a 10 meter range. Class 1 is currently the largest which runs at 100mW and is capable of communicating at 100 meters. Custom antennas can be created which can boost the signal further then that, but the standard is currently set at class 1.
Bluetooth Profiles
Bluetooth profiles are needed for devices to communicate with each other. There are many Bluetooth profiles available and to use either of the profiles, both the connecting devices need to support the application. One example would be the headset profile which allows Bluetooth headsets to be used with your mobile phone allowing hands free operation and automatic answering of calls. Other examples of Bluetooth profiles are fax, audio/video, dial up networking, object push profile and serial port profile.
Bluetooth Advantages
The main advantage of a Bluetooth device is the ability to be able to connect to other devices in a short range to share images, files and video. When taking pictures it is far easier to be able to Bluetooth the images to a friend or your computer rather then dealing with wires.
How to Establish a Bluetooth Connection
When configuring your phone to use Bluetooth you have several options such as switching Bluetooth on or off, hiding your Bluetooth device and passcode protection. When another device tries to send an image or file to you, a prompt will appear on your screen where you need to set a password. Once you have set the password the other device is then prompted to enter the same password. If that user does not have a password then they cannot connect. This adds a certain level of security to Bluetooth making sure that you know exactly what you are receiving from friends. To speed up the process you can put friends in a trusted “paired” status which gives them full access to your phone when needed with out using the password protection.
Conclusion
Bluetooth has become a very popular way of creating small personal area networks and has made connecting to other devices a far less tedious task. Transferring an image to a friend can be done with in seconds and the transfer speed is also quite acceptable at the right ranges. As Bluetooth is not the latest cutting edge technology, you may well find that it is already built in to your mobile phone. Each time I buy a new phone, Bluetooth is a requirement.
