Technology

Technical Review – Bluetooth

I desired to take some time and complete a little post on Wireless. This is really just a simple discussion of what it is and what it does, not a really engaged, detailed, explanation of the technological know-how and the science behind the item. The web is filled with that type of info. I’ll try to write up some links to other facts sites sometime soon.

Bluetooth wireless has been around for longer in comparison with what people think. It was initially developed in the mid-’90s as a device wireless typical. Essentially, it is a standardized opportunity for different personal devices to talk with each other. It allows Devices, PDAs, Computers, Headsets, Laser printers, and more to all talk precisely the same language over the same runs radio frequency. It has used a few different versions, the modern being version 2 . just one + EDR.

However, even if they communicate using an identical protocol, doesn’t mean that each device will support the opposite device. Each device will be programmed to use different features in the Bluetooth standard. For example, any phone can support a Wireless Headset for phone calls, yet may not support printing into a Bluetooth printer. Just because a unit has Bluetooth capability, is actually up to the manufacturer of that unit to decide what features will probably be enabled, and how those attributes work.

Here’s an example… My very own phone is a BlackBerry Pill by RIM. It has Bluetooth wireless capability for headset work. I can pair any Bluetooth wireless headset to my cellphone. When paired, I can put and receive calls while using the headset. However, I cannot hear music stored on my cellphone through a paired headset. This is because the manufacturer (RIM in this case) did not program that capability into my phone. Some other phones (Cingular 3125 one example is.. my old phone) will allow music to be played over the Bluetooth headset. It’s a feature of the programming of the cellphone… not the headset.

Therefore, just because your phone features Bluetooth capabilities, does not mean that it could automatically work with all other Bluetooth wireless devices. They need to be set to use the same features of Bluetooth wireless.

To try to make it easier to evaluate if different devices will work along, Bluetooth SIG (special Curiosity Group… the group that will develop and promotes the particular Bluetooth standard) has developed several icons for manufacturers to utilize on the packaging. These Emblems are supposed to tell you what Wireless features the device uses and this should help you determine if your current devices will work well collectively. The icons are right here. Though I haven’t noticed too many uses of the emblems on packaging yet.

Inside the example of my phone, our phone has “Headset” ability, but not “Music” capability. For that reason, my phone would work properly with a Bluetooth headset (such as the “Mini”, or “Micro”), but I would not be able to tune in to music stored on my telephone using a Stereo Bluetooth Headset (such as the “Stereo” unit). In my case, the main purpose of often the Blackberry Pearl is messaging, not music, so I am OK with not experiencing music in stereo on the phone. But other devices are marketed as “music” focused phones, and could well be smart to offer stereo Bluetooth capabilities.

Not only do you need to determine what functionality your device has… even so the way your device FUNCTIONS the Bluetooth capability likewise. For example, when I use a Bluetooth wireless headset with my Cell phone Pearl phone, I can media the Multi-Function button (aka the talk button) for the headset and the phone may automatically go to Voice Call mode. The phone will inquire me who I want to phone and will place that phone. This is because RIM programmed the particular Pearl to do that when the Mulit-Function button is pressed on the linked (paired) Bluetooth Headset.

Now, if the same head-set is paired to an apple iphone and the MFB is pushed, nothing happens. Apple failed to program the iPhone to use voice dialing with a Bluetooth Headset. The actual headset will work fine, but to place a call, you may use the phone touchpad to switch. To answer a call, you are able to just press the MFB.

These functions are all based on the programmers and technicians who design and build the person’s phones. Just because a device is actually Bluetooth compatible, doesn’t show you HOW that device employs the Bluetooth function.

Typically the Bluetooth Experience Icons support (though not commonly used yet) but even those no longer tell you HOW the device employs the technology, only that this does.

Hopefully, this doesn’t set you off towards Bluetooth absolutely, because it really is great engineering. It is very handy to use a cordless headset to talk on the phone. In many areas, handheld using cellphones is illegal.

How do we know what will work with your mobile phone? The instructions or suppliers’ websites should be able to tell you should your phone is Bluetooth capable not really. And it should tell you what functions it supports. But they might not tell you how convenient their own programming and use of the technology is.

One suggestion We have (and use) is to begin small. If you are thinking of buying a Wireless bluetooth headset for your phone, find out if you can try it in the shop. I haven’t seen which is offered anyplace in our region, but if you can find a salesperson or store that will allow you to try before you buy, take advantage.

Another choice is to try a cheaper headset first. There are a broad variety of headsets and other Bluetooth gadgets out there. Some are very low price and low quality, and some are really expensive. There are many factors mixed up in the pricing of these units… plenty of that I will save it the other point is to post sometime. But there are many good quality units available at an incredibly fair price. These are typically lesser-known brands, but since Bluetooth enabled is based on a standard protocol, applying standard chipsets, you won’t be sent straight to a huge difference in performance.

As mentioned above, this is a very basic overview of precisely what Bluetooth really is. I could within hours and hours of great technological detail on this, but I am just trying to keep it simple and simple to comprehend.

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