What is Bluetooth?

Bluetooth is a way of wirelessly transferring data from one device to another. Bluetooth first appeared around ten years ago as a quicker and easier method of data transfer than infra-red. With infra-red you had to point two devices together in order for it to work (the same way as you have to point your television remote at your TV.) There were a number of problems with this kind of connection; it was unstable, slow and limited in its uses.

With Bluetooth, you no longer have to line up two devices, you just simply turn on Bluetooth and send to the device you want. Bluetooth technology was initially used for personal hands free kits. The lack of wires made it much more convenient – especially when driving. Over the last few years as prices have fallen and phones have advanced, Bluetooth’s increasing range and even faster speeds has meant it could be used for far more than just hands free kits.

Bluetooth Classes
There are different Bluetooth Classes which give an indication of the range over which data can be transferred:

Class 1 – up to 100m
Class 2 – up to 10m
Class 3 - less than 10m
In order to achieve data communication at these distances you will need both devices to be from the same class.

So what can it do?
Bluetooth is most commonly used for transferring pictures, music and ringtones between phones and connecting to Bluetooth headsets, personal hands free kits and car kits. As more and more phones become multimedia handsets, Bluetooth can also be used to stream music in stereo to wireless speakers and car kits using A2DP technology. With the introduction of Internet Telephony, Bluetooth headsets are now being used with Home PCs to enable wireless calling.

What Bluetooth Devices are available?
Listed below are some of the most popular types of Bluetooth devices available.