Bluetooth Technology

Bluetooth Product Reviews

2008-07-24T00:37:00.001+08:00

	Motorola Bluetooth Headset H680
	New Jawbone Bluetooth Headset
	Motorola MotoPure H12 Bluetooth Headset
	Genius BT-03A Bluetooth Stereo Headset
	Logitech MX5500 Revolution Bluetooth Keyboard and Mouse
	YidSun SP-788 Bluetooth Stereo Headphones
	CellPoint Flamingo Bluetooth Headset
	Plantronics Voyager 520 Bluetooth Headset
	Lubix UBHS-LC1 Stereo Bluetooth Headset
	Blueant Z9 Bluetooth Headset
	Motorola Mini Bluetooth Headset H9
	Plantronics' Pulsar 260 Bluetooth Stereo Headset
	Motorola S805 Bluetooth DJ Headphones
	Altec Lansing T515 Bluetooth Speaker System
	Motorola S9 Bluetooth Active Headphones
	TeleNav Bluetooth GPS Navigator
	Microsoft Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000
	Microsoft Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000
	Plantronics Explorer 350 Bluetooth Headset
	Logitech FreePulse Bluetooth Headphones
	Aliph Jawbone Bluetooth Headset
	Logitech diNovo Edge Bluetooth Keyboard
	BlueAnt X3 micro Bluetooth Headset
	ANYCOM BSH-100 Bluetooth Stereo Headphone
	Jabra BT125 Bluetooth Headset
	Logitech® Wireless DJ™ Music System
	BlueAnt Supertooth II Bluetooth Speakerphone
	Plantronics Discovery 655 Bluetooth Headset
	Belkin TuneStage Bluetooth Receiver for iPod
	GlobalSat BT-328 & BT-359W Bluetooth Wireless GPS Receivers
	Belkin Bluetooth Wireless USB Printer Adapter
	Bluetake BT500+ Bluetooth Rechargeable Super Mini Mouse
	Motorola H700 Bluetooth Headset
	GlobalSat iPod Wireless Bluetooth Entertainment Pack
	Plantronics Voyager 510 Bluetooth Headset
	Motorola H500 Bluetooth Headset
	Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5000 Laser
	Bluetake BT400 G5 Bluetooth Headset
	Bluetake BT510 Bluetooth Mini Mouse
	Nextlink Bluespoon AX2 Bluetooth Headset
	i-PHONO Plus Bluetooth Stereo Headphone
	nXZEN Plus Bluetooth Headset
	i-PHONO Mini Bluetooth Stereo Headphone
	Scosche’s BlueLife™: The FM Transmitter Killer
	Globalsat's Bluetooth Entertainment Pack

Jawbone (Functions, Sound Quality, Range & Conclusion)

2008-07-24T00:26:00.000+08:00

Functions

The Jawbone’s functions include all the basics of a Bluetooth headset and then some. Remarkably, all these functions are taken care of by two buttons hidden within the headset’s design (see graphic). They operate intuitively and both buttons are easy to find while the headset is on the ear:

The Noise Shield Button, hidden beneath the black end of the headset, turns off the Jawbone’s proprietary technology for canceling background sound, though I’m not really sure why anyone would want to do that. It also turns it back on. Besides controlling the Noise Shield function, the button rejects incoming calls and controls pairing and volume. The Jawbone will adjust the volume automatically depending on the background noise environment, but users can advance through six manual volume levels by pressing the same button.

With the talk button, hidden underneath the perforated surface of the Jawbone, users can turn the device on and off, answer and end a call, engage voice dialing, redial the last number called, and transfer a call from the mobile phone to the device.

The headset’s ear loops fit intuitively into a half circle slot on each side of the Jawbone. The loops are labeled at their tip, which makes it easy to identify whether it is a short or long ear loop for the left or right ear. The ear buds fit into two slots, then rotate 90 degrees into a locked position. The speaker on the other side of the ear bud functioned flawlessly regardless of which ear bud I used, but some buds felt better than others.

Sound Quality

It’s hard to say more than “unmatched” in explaining the Jawbone’s sound quality. The device designers clearly made audio their number one priority, which makes the headset my number one choice in the Bluetooth headset market.

I used Aliph’s Jawbone Bluetooth headset while washing dishes, changing my crying newborn daughter, walking down a busy street and driving down the thruway with music playing. The Jawbone’s Noise Shield technology delivered my voice clearly to the people I was talking with, and I heard them clearly because of the device’s audio enhancement software. The background noise was irrelevant.

According to Aliph, the Jawbone’s proprietary Noise Shield technology originally developed for the military includes an intelligent system of sensors and software, which continuously adjusts – at a rate of 500 times per second – to improve audio quality based on what it “knows” about the environment. The Jawbone’s voice activity sensor identifies and isolates the user’s voice precisely when they are speaking. The device’s software samples the sound in its environment and subtracts those sounds from its user’s speech signal. The Jawbone constantly adapts, boosting frequencies that increase voice intelligibility.

I never had to adjust the headset’s volume once. The Jawbone just “knew” the volume that it needed to use for incoming voices during my conversations.

I can’t tell you how important Aliph’s audio technology is to me. To have a device that delivers unbridled clarity when I’m on the go and want to connect with friends, family, colleagues or business associates is simply wonderful. Using the Jawbone sounds better than using my mobile phone by itself. It sounds better than a landline phone.

My father, a musician with perfect pitch, who complained about all but one of the other Bluetooth headsets I’ve reviewed, could not tell I was using the Jawbone. When I told him I was using it, he said it sounded better than when I talked directly into my mobile phone. Don’t just take my word for it; check out the sound quality for yourself on YouTube.com.

Range

Aliph does not state the range for its Jawbone Bluetooth headset, but no matter. I tested the Jawbone’s range at distances up to 30 feet. Through two walls and that distance, the headset performed the same as it did with my mobile phone in my pocket. Only when I walked out the front door and down the concrete steps of my front porch did any interference come into play.

Conclusion

Aliph’s Jawbone Bluetooth headset just sounds better – for its user and the person he or she is talking with. Its Noise Shield technology is a step above regular noise cancellation software, which should be required in all Bluetooth headsets. The headset is stylish, comfortable and functions well. It is difficult to put the headset on the ear quickly and the ear hooks and ear loops may be susceptible to damage, but these are minor setbacks for a device that otherwise soars above the competition. Without a fraction of a doubt, I can strongly recommend the Jawbone Bluetooth headset to anyone seeking a wireless headset to work with his or her Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone.

Pros

Unmatched sound quality, for callers on both ends
Intelligent sensors, software and features work flawlessly
Excellent range, great connectivity
Ideal battery life, charging devices
Ease of use
Comfortable fit (once it’s on the ear)
Nice looking (subjective)
White, rather than blue, LED light

Cons

Hard to put on the ear quickly
Ear loops and ear buds may break
Expensive (but worth it)

Jawbone (Setup, Battery Life, Pairing...)

2008-07-24T00:23:00.001+08:00

What's in the Box?

Jawbone Bluetooth headset
Wall charger with USB socket
USB charger cable
1 standard right ear loop, labeled “Standard R”
1 standard left ear loop, labeled “Standard L”
1 large right ear loop, labeled “Long R”
1 large left ear loop, labeled “Long L”
4 ear buds of various sizes and shapes to fit your ear
Jawbone user’s guide

Features

Noise Shield technology
Voice activity sensor technology
Directional microphone and signal processing algorithms to remove background noise
Incoming audio enhancement
Automatic volume enhancement with override
Up to 6 hours talk time and 120 hours standby time
Hidden, intuitive multifunction and volume buttons
Call answer/end/reject, voice dial, last number, transfer, volume adjustment
Weighs less than a half-ounce (14 grams)
Colored LED indicator for pairing, charging and battery status
Reset button

Pairing

I tested Aliph’s Jawbone Bluetooth headset with Motorola's RAZR V3c Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone from Verizon Wireless. I made sure my phone’s Bluetooth antenna was turned on before proceeding and charged the headset first (see below).

The pairing process in general was intuitive and not unlike the procedure for most Bluetooth headsets. Yet, consulting the manual may be useful for less experienced users.

For me, the process went smoothly. I placed the Jawbone, while it was turned off, near my RAZR, and then engaged the phone’s Bluetooth pairing function. Next, I pressed and held the Jawbone’s hidden “Noise Shield” button (the black end that connects to the charger) for 3 seconds until the LED status indicator alternately flashed white then red. The pairing mode will last for 2 minutes, or until pairing is complete.

While the Jawbone is flashing white and red, I set my mobile phone to search for all available Bluetooth devices. The RAZR found the Jawbone within two seconds and displayed “Jawbone” on the screen. I entered the passkey found inside the user manual and pressed “Yes” on my phone to pair the two devices. When the Jawbone has paired successfully, it will beep and the LED status indicator will flash white repeatedly eight times. Then it will flash white about once every 8-10 seconds to indicate it is ready for use.

Battery Life and Charging

The Jawbone Bluetooth headset takes a short 2 hours to charge. To charge, I simply plugged the wall-charger into a socket, attached the USB cable to the wall-charger and the Jawbone to the cord’s other end. Jawbone users may also choose to plug the USB charger cord into a powered USB port on their computer.

After charging, the Jawbone gets almost exactly the 6 hours of talk time stated by Aliph in the user manual, if not a little bit more. It seems likely that it would get the stated 120 hours of standby time, but I wasn’t able to test this because I routinely plugged the device in at night as a force of habit. Jawbone automatically enters standby mode at the end of each call.

During one test of the Jawbone’s longevity, however, I spoke on the phone for at least 4 hours and allowed the headset to sit in standby mode for at least two days before having to charge the device on the third day.

When the Jawbone’s internal rechargeable battery is nearly depleted in active or standby mode, the LED indicator will flash red and the headset will beep every minute. The LED light will be red during charging and will change to white when the headset is ready for use. It will turn off if the headset remains plugged beyond the necessary 2 hours.

The end of the USB cable that attaches to the Jawbone has four prongs that connect with four-of-five metal strips on the black end of the headset. The middle strip is the headset’s reset button, which you can press with the metal end of an ear loop to activate. When plugging the headset into the USB cable, make sure the side that says “top” is aligned with the black end of the headset where the “Jawbone” brand name is embossed.

Style and Comfort

Aliph’s Jawbone Bluetooth headset has a perforated surface that curves to match the outline of its user’s face. Its underside is smooth, which makes the headset comfortable to wear pressing against the skin. The red-colored Jawbone looks the best to me, but color preferences are in the eye of the beholder. The device comes in black and silver, too – though the color of the Jawbone we reviewed looks more like a grey than silver.

The headset didn’t seem to fit snugly in my ear with any of the ear tips without also using an ear loop. The headset fell out of my ear with a simple shake of my head without an ear loop. With an ear loop (I used the standard left ear loop first until it broke), the Jawbone fits well, stays where it is and feels good. The Jawbone is not the most comfortable wear I’ve experienced in a Bluetooth headset, but it is probably second best.

One of the Jawbone’s flaws is its accessibility. The device is difficult to put quickly on the ear to answer a call. The ear loop seemed to get in the way and it was sometimes painful to get the device past my ear lobe. I often fumbled with the device when my phone started ringing, which led to some confusing conversation starts.

I like to carry my Bluetooth headsets in my left side pocket with my mobile phone, a preference that became troublesome with the Jawbone. On one instance when I received a call, I reached in to find the ear loop had broken off from the Jawbone.

At 14 grams (0.49 ounces), the Jawbone is of mid-range weight, but I could barely feel it on my ear. The headset is 5.87 cm (2 5/16 inches) long, 2.2 cm (7/8 inch) wide, 2.54 cm (1 inch) thick – slightly larger than some of the sleeker units on the market. The extra space seems to be put to good use when it comes to the Jawbone’s superior sound technology. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t care if a device is on the medium-to-large side so long as it’s comfortable and functions well.

Aliph Jawbone Bluetooth Headset Review

2008-07-24T00:19:00.000+08:00

*** You can now purchase the Aliph Jawbone from Amazon.com.

San Francisco-based Aliph’s next-generation Jawbone Bluetooth headset delivers unmatched sound quality to its user and the person he or she is talking with, making it a must-have product for anyone who depends on mobile communications. Stand next to a running lawnmower, a faucet or a sizzling sauté pan; walk down a noisy street side or leave the music playing in the background while you drive down the expressway – it just won’t matter. Your voice will sound clear to the person you’re talking with, that person’s voice will be intelligible to you and background noise will be irrelevant to your conversation.

Jawbone’s sound technology was optimized for The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the U.S. Department of Defense’s research and development agency, to maximize communications clarity in the most hostile conditions. We imagine gunfire and helicopter-rotor noise wouldn’t be an acceptable distraction for critical war-zone conversations. It’s a good thing that the Jawbone’s voice activity sensor technology can identify precisely when its user is speaking and separate his or her voice from background noise.

In our experience sound quality doesn’t always come first with Bluetooth headset design. Don’t get us wrong, we’ve reviewed other devices that sound great, but we’ve certainly reviewed devices that don’t. In the case of the Jawbone, it is clear that Aliph’s engineers put sound design first, which by itself makes the device an immediate winner.

Aliph’s founders, Alex Asseily and Hosain Rahman, both engineers who graduated from Stanford, explain on their Web site, how they shared in the belief “that voice would be the dominant interface for mobile devices and that creating a noise-free environment was critical to delivering an improved mobile communications experience.”

And if that’s not enough, the Jawbone also has a spectacular range of about 30 feet and gets its advertised battery life. It comes with several curvy ear hooks and different styles of ear buds so each user can get the right feel for the Jawbone. Though it is difficult to get the device on the ear quickly, the Jawbone wears well once it is attached. With a mid-range weight of 14 grams, and average size, it’s not overbearing.

The almost perfect Jawbone does have one flaw: Its attachments seem to be less rugged than the device itself. The Jawbone test kit arrived at our review site with one ear bud already broken. One of the ear hooks that came with the headset broke off while attached to the device. We were able to continue our testing unabated, however, and extra care for the Jawbone should prevent a similar experience. Regardless, it’s a small dent in an almost flawless device.

Aliph is charging $119.99 for the Jawbone, and the device is worth every penny.

You can now purchase the Aliph Jawbone from Amazon.com for much less than the retail price.

Keep reading for more detail about how Aliph’s Jawbone Bluetooth headset performed during our reviewer’s tests.

Bluetooth Headset Reviews

2008-07-24T00:08:00.000+08:00

Information to help you choose the best Bluetooth headset for your needs and preferences These reviews will help you choose the Bluetooth headset that is best for you, and will hopefully save you from making a costly mistake. Check back regularly; new equipment is being reviewed all the time.

Choosing a Bluetooth Headset
	An essential introduction that explains in detail what to look for in a Bluetooth Headset.

High End Headset Comparison

We compare and contrast the Aliph Jawbone and Cardo S-800 headsets to help you decide which you should buy.

Read the comparison here.

Aliph Jawbone Headset

A distinctive design, good sound quality and great noise cancellation, the Aliph Jawbone is a good headset, but with a $75 street price is hardly a bargain price.

Full review of the Aliph Jawbone headset here.

Cardo S-640 Headset

An interesting new approach to headset design, this two piece unit is comfortable and easy to carry, with a moderate feature set and a $35 street price.

Full review of the Cardo S-640 headset here.

Cardo S-800 Headset

A more traditionally designed headset, and offering excellent audio quality.

Its excellent audio combined with a very realistic $36 street price makes it a preferred headset for you to consider.

Full review of the Cardo S-800 headset here.

Gennum nXZEN 5500 Plus Headset

Designed and marketed in Canada, Gennum's nXZEN 5500 Plus costs $160. Is it worth it? Read the review to find out.

Full review of the Gennum nXZEN headset here.

Jabra BT125 Headset

Jabra is the world's largest manufacturer of Bluetooth headsets, and their BT125 unit sets a new high value/low price point in the marketplace.

At a mere $25 (and sometimes less) from Amazon, it is definitely worth considering.

Full review of the Jabra BT125 headset here.

Motorola H3 Headset

Motorola's H3 headset is a newer design than the HS800 and HS850, and has both a more modern look and a lower price point.

But although - in theory - it has a lot going for it, poor sound quality makes it a poor choice of

At slightly more than $30 it would be fairly priced if only it worked better.

Full review of the Motorola H3 headset here.

Motorola HS850 HeadsetPublish Post

Motorola has learned from their earlier poor Bluetooth headsets (eg the HS800 mentioned at the bottom of this page) and with their HS850, have come up with a good unit that works well and has no offsetting negatives. Some people might think the design a bit dated.

Originally costing about $65 and now available for less, it was fairly priced when it first came out, but now is no longer state of the art.

Full review of the Motorola HS850 headset here.

Plantronics Discovery 650E Headset

An interesting headset that performs well, and with a unique way of storing the headset when not in use.

Flexible charging options, and the ability to be paired with two phones simultaneously add to the headset's appeal.

A street price of about $55 (Feb 08) makes it fairly priced, but not as low as the current price leader, the Jabra BT125.

Full review of the Plantronics Discovery 650E headset here.

Aizen FlyBy Headset

A new unit just now (Dec 05) being released on the market.

Full review of the Aizen FlyBy headset here.

8Com BH-220 Headset

A reasonably fully featured and affordable headset ($45) with computer audio profile capability too.

A good value unit back when originally released, but now no longer 'state of the art'.

Full review of the 8Com BH-220 headset here.

Parrot Easydrive

The latest product from Bluetooth specialists Parrot, with better performance and more features than the earlier DriveBlue. Sells for about $100.

Works well. Recommended.

Full review of the Parrot Easydrive here.

Parrot DriveBlue

This unit has now been superseded by the new (May 05) Easydrive unit above..

Full review of the Parrot DriveBlue here.

Parrot CK3000

The ultimate in car hands-free kits, hard wired into your car's sound system for best fidelity.

Better quality than the DriveBlue, but (obviously) not portable, and more expensive ($199 plus installation costs).

Recommended for your main driving car.

Full review of the Parrot CK3000 here.

Motorola Bluetooth Headset HS800

$90 from the Motorola website, and as little as $25 from TigerDirect.com, this is a basic unit, with short battery life, although at a low price. It does not have both headset and hands-free profiles.

I couldn't get it to work with either of my test phones (Nokia 3650 and Sony Ericsson T610).

Not recommended.

Advantages And Disadvantages

2008-06-19T12:14:00.002+08:00

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.

Using Bluetooth

2008-06-19T12:05:00.002+08:00

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 Bluetooth Solution

2008-06-19T11:57:00.002+08:00

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:

It will provide agreement at the physical level, as Bluetooth is a radio frequency standard.
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.

Key Learning Points Of Bluetooth

2008-06-19T11:40:00.007+08:00

Bluetooth is easily the best in wireless handheld technology. When it comes to learning, Bluetooth can get quite complicated. To help you, you'll find the key learning points of Bluetooth below:

Bluetooth is an energy efficient, low overhead communication protocol that's ideal for interdevice communications.
Unlike infrared, Bluetooth doesn't require a line of sight.
Depending on the implementation, Bluetooth can have a range of up to 100 meters.
The specification of Bluetooth consists of a Foundation Profile Document and a Foundation Core Document.
The protocol stack for Bluetooth consists of core protocols, cable protocols, and even adapted protocols.
The transmitter operates around the 2.4 GHz frequency band.
The data channel will change frequency, or hops, 1,600 times in a second, between the 79 allocated channels in the ISM band.
Bluetooth utilizes a spread spectrum frequency hopping RF characteristic to ensure that independant networking operates when the other devices are in range.
A piconet is formed when one or more devices open up a channel of communication.
A piconet can have a master and up to seven slaves.
Communication of the interdevice is based on the concepts of channels.
All Bluetooth devices are capable of transmitting voice.
The channel has a total capacity of 1 MB per second.
There are two types of channels with Bluetooth SCO (Synchronous Connection Oriented) and ACL (Asynchronous Connectionless).
The SCO channels are time oriented, andare therefore primarily used for transferring time critical data such as voice.
ACL channels are normally used for communicating data.
Data contained in a packet can be up to 2,745 bits in length.
In a single piconet, there can be up to three SCO links containing 64,000 bits a second each.
To avoid collision and timing problems, SCO links are reserved slots that are set up by the master.
The masters can support up to three SCO links with either one, two, or three slaves.
The slots that aren't reserved for SCO links can be used as ACL links.
The LMP (Link Management Protocol) will handle link level security, error corrections, and the establishment of communications links.
The LMP packets will have priority over user packets that originate and form the L2CAP layer.
The L2CAP layer will ensure an acceptable quality of service.
No more than one ACL link can exist at the L2CAP layer.

How Bluetooth Works

2008-06-19T11:30:00.003+08:00

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:

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.
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.
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.

Choosing A Bluetooth Headset

2008-06-19T11:19:00.004+08:00

Creating a good wireless headset for Bluetooth is actually difficult to do. The regular wired headsets are easy to design - with ranging styles.

Bluetooth headsets can never be as small or as light as wired headsets, simply because it needs to include the battery and extra functions. This extra size will impact how the headset mounts on or around your ears.

Comfort
There seems to be two main styles of headsets for Bluetooth. Some are held into place with a loop around the ear. These styles are normally more comfortable, although they may be less secure. The others are held in place by being jammed into your ear - and usually prove to be less comfortable.

Factors to consider

Cost
The cost is an obvious issue, something that you really need to think about.

Ergonomics

Check to see if the device is easy to quickly and conveniently put on your ear then take it off again.
Are the control buttons on the headset easy to use?
The headset should be comfortable to wear for long phone calls.
Can you use it with a pair of glasses?
Check to see if you can wear it with either ear.
When you aren't wearing it, you'll need to se how you would carry it with you.
The weight is important as well, as you don't want something that has the risk of falling off.

Ease of use.

The commands and controls should be easy to remember.
The volume level should be easy to adjust.
The unit should turn on quickly.
The manual should be very well written and easy for you to understand.
There should be a support number for you to call if you should experience any types of problems.

Features

You'll need to know about the battery, the talk time, type, and how to tell when it is going dead or fully charged.
How many devices can the unit be paired with?
Compatability is also important, as well as the warranty period.
Check the sound quality for both sending and receiving audio.
What type of range does the headset offer you?

Other important capabilities include voice tags, last number redial, tranfer calls, 3 way calling, link to other phones, call reject, and mute. You'll also want to note if it looks attractive, and if it's too big or too small.

Bluetooth Versions

2008-06-19T11:08:00.004+08:00

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

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Below, you'll find several specifications for the well known Bluetooth:

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.
A data channel of Bluetooth randomly hops 1,600 times per second between the 79 RF channels.
Each Bluetooth channel is divided into time slots, with each one being 625 microseconds long.
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.
The data in a single packet can be up to 2,745 bits in length.
Currently, there are two types of data transfer between devices - SCO (synchronous connection oriented) and ACL (asynchronous connectionless).
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.
A master can support up to three SCO links with either one, two, or even three slaves.
The slots not reserved for the SCO links can be used for ACL links.
A single master and slave can have one ACL link.
ACL is either master to one slave (point to point) or it broadcasts to all of the slaves.
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 Profiles

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The profile found in Bluetooth will describe how the technology is used. Profiles can be best described as vertical slices through the protocol stack. It will define options in each protocol that are mandatory for the profile.

The profile will also define the parameter ranges for each protocol. The concept of the profile is
used to decrease the risk of interoperability problems between the different products. These
profiles won't normally define any additions to the Bluetooth specification, which is why you can
add new profiles where you need them. The Bluetooth underlying technology is the same, only the specific method that it's used is defined.

Generally speaking, all profiles of Bluetooth are based on the GAP (Generic Access Profile). There are 9 profiles that fall in the GAP category, and they are below:

AVRCP - Audio/Video Remote Control Profile
ESDP - Extended Service Discovery Profile
CIP - Common ISDN Access Profile
PAN - Public Area Network Profile
HCRP - Hardcopy Cable Replacement Profile
GAVDP - Generic Audio/Visual Distribution Profile
A2DP - Advanced Audio Distribution Profile
VDP - Video Distribution Profile
HID - Human Interface Device Profile

To put it another way, usage models will describe Bluetooth device applications and the associated profiles that are used. The usage model focuses mainly on three categories - voice/data access points, peripheral interconnects, and PAN (Personal Area Networking).

The voice and data access points involve connecting computing devices to communicating devices through a wireless link. This way, data can be transferred in a wireless manor, without the need of cables or other types of connectivity.

PAN is another very important usage model with strong appeal to business customers. Bluetooth networks are easy to set up in virtually any type of environment. An example would be meeting others at a trade show.

Instead of having contact information beamed via infrared, business cards can quickly and easily be transferred via Bluetooth wireless. The fact is that many documents can be exchanged this very same way - making the uses and possibilities virtually endless.

The Bluetooth profile is very important to the specification, as it enables you to do so much more. You can use peripherals and devices with the profiles, and virtually anything else that you decide.

As Bluetooth expands and gets bigger and better, you can count on the profiles to expand and get
even more functions. If you have experience with Bluetooth profiles, you should know exactly what they are and what you can do with them. If not, all you need is a Bluetooth device - and a vivid imagination.

Bluetooth In Action

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In the United States, Bluetooth gets absolutely no respect. It is however, becoming more and morecommon in notebooks, PDAs, and especially cellphones. Bluetooth will provide wireless users a way to transmit small amounts of data over short distances.

Now, Bluetooth is facing stiff competition from new wireless technology. Referred to as UWB or
Ultra Wideband, it promises data transfer of up to 480 MB a second - while most current Bluetooth devices transfer data up to 721 KB a second.

For the time being, Bluetooth devices are surely cropping up. Below, we will look at some of the accessories offered with Bluetooth technology.

Talking to the dashboard
When pairing it with a cell phone, the CCM Blue Warrior car kit becomes a great speaker phone that plugs into the power adapter of your vehicle. The noise cancelling microphone will reduce background noise efficiently, with the large buttons making adjusting the speaker volume a snap. Although the Blue Warrior is far from sexy or sleek, it's very practical.

Tiny tuning box
Part MP3 player and part hands free phone, the compact and lightweight Sony HBM-30 is an attractive gadget that lets you accept calls with minimal interruption of your tunes. When you get an incoming call it will automatically pause your music, then you speak into the built in microphone that you can wear around your neck or clip to your clothes.

The pen
With Nokia's SU-1B digital pen, you can doodle and make hand written notes in ink on a special pad then transmit them from the pad to your Bluetooth phone. Being an alternative to typing on a cell phone keypad, the pen is very handy, although a pricey tool from MMS fans.

Snapshots
If you want to make slide shows with your camera photos, the Nokia SU-2 image viewer will let you disply your pictures on a TV or projector. Simply hook this square gray device to your TV's input with the built in cable, then beam the pictures to the SU-2 from your Bluetooth enabled phone and the photo fest will begin.

This device is a snap to set up and use, although it displays resolutions of up to 640 by 480. If
you have a newer phone that takes high resolution photos, you won't be able to use the Nokia SU-2 image viewer.

Keep in mind, the 640 by 480 pixel photos will appear blocky on TV screens, no matter what you do. If your phone can send batches of photos, you can create a slide show - although Nokia claims you can use sequentially beamed shots as well.

Bluetooth Definition

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Bluetooth is a specification for the use of low power radio communications to wireless phones,
computers, and other network wireless devices over short distances. The name Bluetooth is actually borrowed from Harald Bluetooth, a Denmark king more than 1,000 years ago.

The technology of Bluetooth was primarily designed to support simple wireless networking of devices and peripherals, which includes cell phones, PDAs, and wireless headsets. The wireless signals that are transmitted by Bluetooth cover short distances of up to 30 feet, generally communicating less than 1 MPps (Mega Byte per second).

The networks of Bluetooth feature dynamic topology called PAN or a piconet. The piconets contain a minumum of two and a maximum of eight peer devices. The devices will communicate using protocols that are part of the specification.

Even though the Bluetooth standard will utilize the same 2.4 GHz range as 802.11b and 802.11g,
the technology isn't suitable for a Wi-Fi replacement. When compared to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth is much slower, limited in range, and actually supports less devices.

For short range devices, Bluetooth is rapidly becoming the best. The technology is more popular
with cell phones, as Bluetooth headsets are the way to go these days. To use Bluetooth, your cell phone will need to have it enabled, or an infared device somewhere on the phone.

Upcoming devices are utilizing Bluetooth as well, such as PS3 and the Nintendo Revolution. The
wireless controllers will be Bluetooth enabled, which will give players the cutting edge.

If you own a cell phone or other wireless device, you should look into Bluetooth. The technology
is nothing short of spectacular, making it something that will be around for years and years to come. As technology gets bigger and bigger, you can expect Bluetooth to advance as well.

Bluetooth Applications

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With Bluetooth being very popular with wireless, it's no wonder there are many applications available for the technology. Below, you'll find the applications for Bluetooth.

Wireless networking between laptops and desktop computers, or desktops that are in a confined space and little bandwidth is needed.
Peripherals such as mice, keyboards, and printers.
Cell phones with Bluetooth technology have been sold in large numbers, as they are able to connect to computers, PDAs (Personal Data Assistant), and various other devices. The standard also includes the support for more powerful and longer range devices.
The transfer of files, images and MP3, between mobile phones.
Certain MP3 players and digital cameras to transfer files to and from computers.
Bluetooth technology headsets for smart phones and cell phones.
Data logging equipment that transmits data to a computer via Bluetooth technology.
Sony Playstation 3 and Nintendo Revolution will both use Bluetooth technology for their wireless controllers.

For Bluetooth, there are literally hundreds of different applications and devices available for you
to use or purchase. As you may already know, Bluetooth is the most popular wireless technology in the world. It's very reliable, very dependable, and very hard to crack into.

There are many other applications for Bluetooth in development now, many of which plan to take the wireless age to the next level. Video game systems are using Bluetooth technology as well, for their wireless controllers. This is great news for gaming fans, as Bluetooth offers the best in wireless data transmission.

If your curious about applications for Bluetooth that are still in development, you can search on
the internet. You can find all sorts of information, especially when it comes to Bluetooth. As the future arrives, you can expect Bluetooth to bring bigger and better things.

Bluetooth And Apple

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The new Apple powerbook G4 are among the first computers to offer Bluetooth technology 2.0+EDR. The 2.0+EDR technology, which still backwards compatible with 1.0, is up to three times faster than previous versions, offering maximum data rate transfers of up to 3 MBps. Being the first company to certify a system with 2.0+EDR, Apple continues to make great use of the Bluetooth technology.

Full support
In addition to the powerbook G4 portables, there are other Bluetooth enabled computers available from Apple, including the iBook, iMac G5, eMac, and the Power Mac G5.

Making life easier
When you turn the Bluetooth feature on, your Mac can easily perform a file transfer or even a
synchronization. From the Bluetooth selection menu, you can choose to either send a file or
browse devices, quickly and easily. Or, you can click the sync button in iSync to update your
cell phone or Palm OS handheld.

The Mac and GSM/GPRS mobile phone with Bluetooth work to make each other more useful. By using iSync, you can keep your phone updated without having to type any info, as you can keep the information in the more manageable address book on your Mac instead.

You can also use your Bluetooth enabled Mac to print documents and digital images to select a
printer that also supports the technology of Bluetooth. Or, you can also use a headset to talk to your friends during an iChat session.

Your Mac also has the ability to use Bluetooth technology to communicate with your Palm OS
handheld. This way, you can perform a HotSync operation without using any cables. You can also send your business card or calendar events directly to someone else's handheld usingthe technology of Bluetooth.

The implementation of Bluetooth by Apple is the latest in a series of moves that have caused
great shift in the computer industry. Apple established USB as the standard interface with the launching of the first Mac back in 1998.

Since then, Apple established the 802.11 wireless standard of networking with the launch of the
iBook and AirPort in 1999. During 2003, Apple launched AirPort Extreme, which was based on
the new 802.11g high speed technology of wireless.

Now, Bluetooth helps to further strengthen the dominant position of the Mac in wireless
communications, helping to preserve Apple's reputation for being the first to market with
innovative technology that integrates right into the operating system.

Bluetooth Technical Operations

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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.

10 Benefits Of Bluetooth

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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.