The Application of Bluetooth Technology in Electronic Consumers - Report Example

Describe the Application of blue-tooth technology in a variety of electronic consumer goods with examples. What is Bluetooth? Bluetooth is an open wireless technology originally conceived by the telecommunication company Ericsson. It is used to transfer data wirelessly across devices by creating a Personal Area Network between them which eliminates the need for data cables. Both devices are required to have Bluetooth technology built-in so that they can use the wireless protocol to communicate with each other. The wireless transfer only exists within short distances of up to a 100 meters, dependant on the class of the Bluetooth adapter. The range is limited as it consumes very little power. It can also be built to microscopic specs, so that it can be built into portable devices such as mobile phones, car audio players and other consumer electronics. Moreover, since the technology uses radio signals, the devices do not have to maintain a line of sight. All that is needed is for the two devices to be paired to each other. Once the pairing is done, they recognize the profiles supported by each other and are then capable of exchanging the relevant data. All these advantages have resulted in an explosion of Bluetooth enabled devices across the world. Back in 2005, it was estimated that about “three million Bluetooth enabled devices” (OHara, Motlagh and Silverman) were shipped worldwide. The number grew since then so that by 2008, more than 50% of the world’s cell phones had the technology. It is a convenient and cheap solution of data transfer and has replaced the old Infra Red protocol. This has greatly impacted the world market when it comes to wireless data transfer. Application in Consumer Electronics Bluetooth is primarily used in mobile phones because it is cheap to produce and easy to incorporate. Consumers are not tied by the manufacturers they choose and their devices can communicate with other devices from different manufacturers. A car audio panel produced by Pioneer which is Bluetooth enabled can receive audio signals from a Nokia Bluetooth enabled phone. A Bluetooth enabled printer built by HP can similarly receive pictures to print from a Samsung Bluetooth enabled camera. There are many similar uses in consumer electronics. The first major application of Bluetooth in such a manner is in the usage of mobile phones. Mobile Phones Mobile phones have gained immense popularity in the last two decades. The wireless cellular technology has grown in many ways. It has grown in popularity, and economies of scale, which has reduced the cost and given access to a large number of manufacturers to include it in their portable devices. As a result, companies like Nokia, Samsung, LG, Sony Ericsson and HTC have introduced various mobile phones to their portfolio most of which utilize Bluetooth technology. The main benefit of Bluetooth in these devices is the capability of communication cross platform as well as cross-manufacturers. This allows several Bluetooth enabled devices to communicate with each other without vendor specific limitations. Some of the uses of Bluetooth in mobile phones involve the usage of accessories such as hands free kits and wireless headphones, whereas others involve data transfers between phones or between phones and other Bluetooth enabled devices such as computers. Both devices communicating with each other need to be within range of signal when one initiates the connection that the other can accept. Communication and Networking In order to establish a connection, the master device initiates a connection searching for all available devices within the range. At this point the slave device is needed to be turned on and ready to receive the connection request. Once the master device initiates, the two devices see each other and are able to connect. This connection is known as Pairing and is necessary for the two devices to exchange data. The master device can connect to a maximum of 7 devices in this way in a “piconet” (Bluetooth SIG). Once the master device initiates, an authenticating pin may be created to be entered in both devices for security reasons. Once the pin is entered, the two devices are said to have been paired. After being paired, the need to enter the Pin may be eliminated and the devices may communicate seamlessly. A common application of communication and networking in such a way is between mobile phones and hands free headsets. Bluetooth headsets allow hands-free operation of incoming and outgoing calls. In order for them to work with a given mobile phone, they first need to be paired with the said phone which then allows them to automatically connect with the phone once it’s in range. This is a convenient solution to yesterday’s wired headsets that needed to be hanging across the front of your shirt. The Bluetooth headset can then, depending on the profile it supports, be used as an external mic and speaker so that it is able to receive and dial calls and in some cases also listen to music from the phone. Another application of Bluetooth in home electronics is with computers. A computer that is Bluetooth enabled can support similar Bluetooth enabled devices such as a mouse, keyboard, printer or a wireless headphone in order to eliminate the need of wires. This is applicable to both Desktop computers and laptops. For desktop computers, Bluetooth connectivity may be added to an existing computer via an adapter or dongle. A similar adapter may be added to a laptop as well but most premium laptops in the current marketplace support Bluetooth internally. A Bluetooth enabled computer can thus pair with a Bluetooth enabled mouse, keyboard, or printer in order to allow cable free operation between its essential components. The master device (computer) can connect to seven peripherals in such a way. A computer may also communicate with other computers in such a way and allow the transfer of all sorts of data between them wirelessly. A network can be established between any two computers that are Bluetooth enabled which behaves similarly to a wireless local area network. The range is, however, limited to the class of the Bluetooth adapter. Data Transferring After communication and pairing is complete between two Bluetooth enabled devices, various forms of data may be transferred between them. Between mobile phones, this data can include pictures, songs, contacts, emails and calendar entries. Mobile phones can also send the same data to and from computers. Similarly, other Bluetooth enabled devices, such as Personal Digital Assistants and Pocket Personal Computers may send the same data between each other. Some devices restrict data transfer in this way, however. A prime example of such a device is the Apple Iphone, which does not allow the transfer of songs, pictures, contacts, etc to other devices via Bluetooth. The only protocol supported in that device is communication with wireless handsfrees for calls and music (Lee, 2008) Entertainments Bluetooth has expanded into the world of game consoles as well. Using high speed classes of Bluetooth adapters, console manufacturers have introduced the use of Bluetooth in accessories such as controllers and remotes. The Sony PS3, Microsoft Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii come standard with wireless controllers that communicate via Bluetooth. Sony has also released a new version of their handheld gaming console called the PSP 2 that now also supports Bluetooth. This allows these devices to communicate with each other for multiple uses. The PSP can potentially act as a controller for the PS3 by connecting to the console over Bluetooth. Bluetooth functionality has also been added to cars. Manufacturers such as BMW and Mercedes have equipped their cars with Bluetooth by which owners can connect their mobile phones with the car. Incoming calls are channeled through the car’s stereo system. Advanced systems add voice control to the setup. The car is then able to respond to voice instructions and dial through a paired Bluetooth phone. This functionality can also be added as an aftermarket accessory. Advertisements One slightly less popular feature of Bluetooth is in the field of advertisements. Shopping malls and public places can send messages to devices within range promoting their products. This forms part of e-business. However, other uses have also evolved in this field. In one case, political parties were seen to promote themselves using Bluetooth “kiosks in India” (Kannan 2009). Advantages and Disadvantages of Bluetooth Bluetooth provides a convenient solution for communication as it is a low-cost, low power, easy to use and relatively secure technology. It is available in a vast number of devices which adds to the convenience. The benefits also include the lack of requirement of line of sight and low power consumption in portable devices that utilize battery. The disadvantages mainly relate to the lack of adequate security measures. O’Hara reported that Bluetooth devices can be hacked into from more than a mile away by using something known as a Bluetooth “sniper rifle” (2005). Bluetooth enabled phones often get infected by viruses when their owners accept unknown connection requests from within the vicinity. It is a matter that necessitates caution in usage. Conclusion It can be said that Bluetooth technology continues to go forward. New classes add more security measures and faster data transfer rates. It still provides a convenient solution for routine tasks such as backing up an address book from the phone to the computer. Going wireless this way has greatly added to the convenience of people. Its primary advantage of low cost has allowed many manufacturers to use it in their devices. The fact that it exists in one way or the other almost everywhere (cars, mobile phones, PDAs, computers) has allowed people to become familiar with it. This has overall made life much easier than before. References Lee, Nicole. Apple iPhone 3G: What it doesnt have, 2008. Web site: http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/apple-iphone-3g-what-it-doesnt-have-49297325/ Kannan, Shilpa. Mobile Phones Stir Indian Voters. 2009. Web site: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7998457.stm Carolyn OHara, Jason Motlagh and Erica Silverman. Cyber Snipers Foreign Policy Journal. No. 149 p. 92, 2005 Bluetooth SIG. Web site: http://www.bluetooth.com/English/Technology/Works/Pages/Architecture__Baseband.aspx Read More