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Bluetooth for Linux Released
Bjorn Wesen writes, "A GPL'ed Bluetooth driver for Linux has been released by Axis Communications, supporting the current Bluetooth LAN-profile (PPP over Bluetooth). The download and mailing lists are at their developer site. This will become useful especially for embedded/mobile Linux devices - and to push Linux into the new technology before The Other OS. " Bluetooth has been getting a /huge/ amount of attention from the technical press, as well as the mainstream press. It looks to be one of the most promising standards for short-length wireless communication devices and drivers for Linux is a good thing to get this early in the game.
It sure wasn't very funny. I just couldn't help but notice that your acronyms were completely stupid and unbelievable.
There's no reason for a sig here.
I thought you guys were supposed to be at Nate's birthday party. How do you post stories? Or are these delays?
Its good to see Linux getting something before anyone else. I think this is the first time a commercial grade product has been released for Linux before any other OS, but one thing has me bothered.
and to push Linux into the new technology before The Other OS
I think I can figure out what the other OS is. My question is this: If the boys in Redmond decide they don't like playing second fiddle, what could they do to kill this standard ? Would it be possible for them to kill this standard (like what they tried to do to Jav), and try ti implement something else in it's place ? It seems a bit rediculous to do such a thing just because they werent first. But it wouldn't be the first time.
We really need long range to help destory these shitty and overpriced telecommunications companies. The telco needs destroyed before any real innovation regarding the internet can occur. These people who run the telcos only seek to rip everyone off and to provide shitty and inadequate "services." So, concentrate on longer distance stuff before even thinking about this short distance shit.
There is nothing to do with it (please prove me wrong here).
I imagine one could do lots of funky stuff with this once there is any hardware to play with.
Ohh the fun/horror when everything in your home is connected to your network througt this. Next time I'll go shopping for a microwave or fridge or whatewer I'll ask them for one with bluetooth just for the heck of it.
The marketing guys had been yammering about
bluetooth for a couple of weeks so I (the
engineering guy) decided to do some digging.
Some facts:
1) www.bluetooth.org is a better site. You
can actually download the 1000 page PDF
specs if you want to. It looks pretty
complicated.
2) FWIW, the range is "up to 10 meters". Up to
30 feet, at the best. So it can replace all
those 10 foot cables, but not the 50 foot
ones.
In any case, the driver is good news. Now mabye
I can get the marketing guys to spring for some
of those $4000 evaluation boards!
-- ac
Make sure you check out the story of bluetooth. It reminds me of the smurfs. Rather humorous to find that sort of thing on a web site like that.
I guess I've been under a rock or something, because I've never even heard of it before. I can figure out that it is some kind of wireless datacomm spec, but I'm a little curious about the details. The website seems to requires Flash, or license agreements, or both, to get anything more then marketing fluff. Would any of the fine Slashdot readership want to edjamacate me as to why I should care about it? :-)
advTHANKSance
dragonhawk@iname.microsoft.com
I do not like Microsoft. Remove them from my email address.
They've released all their patches (it's a custom 2.0.36 kernel, see their developer page) and they're thinking of switching all their devices from a proprietary, custom in-house os, to Linux (well, maybe not the printer servers, because they have to be very cheap and cannot have megs of RAM) but all their other devices. So if you want to support an upstart company using Linux, buy their stuff =)
They work close together with Ericsson, so I'm not surprised about Axis beeing one of the first with Bluetooth drivers...
(Note: I'm not affiliated with Axis)
GNU/Linux. The Freshmaker.
Everyone knows this, heh, devices are rolling out this spring. Expect to find it embedded in phones and laptops bu this fall. The wireless headphones are coming soon after...
Ricochet had the opportunity to conquer the market in the past couple of years, but since they wanted to own the networks, instead of allowing local companies to provide wireless relaying, they lost. Now it's time for Bluetooth and the entrepreneurs. Bluetooth allows hardware manufactureres to get in on the action, while allowing entrepreneurs to write software and utilize the hardware. Little like IBM making the PC an "open standard."
Hey, I wouldn't mind my phone being directed by my PC, even though I don't use it for Internet anymore. -- Don't, or try; there is no do. - Ben
Please moderate this one down, too. Thanks in advance.
Ok, that's just pushing it, even for an AC Natalie Portman/Grits/Petrification post
Quite possibly harassment too, may I add.
This message really needs to go to hell.
I clicked on the Bluetooth link and got this: Microsoft VBScript runtime error '800a000d' Type mismatch: 'CInt' /browser_check.asp, line 7 Not too encouraging.
You mean her-ass-ment I heard he ass raped her and that he did it with his strap on razor dildo!!!1
www.bluetooth.org is a better site.
The above www.bluetooth.org website is a redirector to a commercial company selling Bluetooth hardware to OEMs. I cannot find any information about Bluetooth on it.
dragonhawk@iname.microsoft.com
I do not like Microsoft. Remove them from my email address.
No, I heard he did it with a rolled up Microsoft BOB manual.
"One Ring to bind them all!"
What else is there in the "computing stuff/stuff to buy for bragging rights" world that the Linux OS needs to support?
ROFLMAO!!!!!
Damn this is the funniest thing I have read on slashdot in days!!!1
Why is there still no slashdot forum to talk about stuff like this? :/
I assume everybody makes mistakes and the site we're all looking for is http://www.bluetooth.net/
Use Adsense for Charity
How will I use BT in my notebook, will it be available PCMCIA adapters to use BT? Also, on the wireless topic, how is BT different than IEEE 802.11 (wireless LAN)? Ah, Can I use to PCMCIA 802.11 cards to connect one with the other directly, or do I need two access points to a wired net? Also, how come I've seen 128bit encryption lucent cards here in Brazil? Weren't they supposed to be not exportable?
There is a text version too... http://www.bluetooth.com/text/default.asp
Use Adsense for Charity
I really like this. It seems like a good thing. :)
I like the concept about bluetooth: To put it simple it makes everything communicate with anything (as long as it includes the bluetooth chip and is close enough). As far as I know the basic chip communicates about 10m (30feet for you non SI people) as so many else have said already. Combined with IPv6 I suppose this can give you a network in your home with a specific IP for your fridge (if anyone would want that).
I'm not sure about how much attention this has had in the rest of the world but here in sweden (where Ericsson, who came up with this, is from) there has been lots of talking about this lately espescially among developers of technical stuff.
There has probably been even more about WAP (that also comes from Ericsson and is (_according to me_) more or less useless (I do NOT claim to be a WAP expert) from what I know since it seems to be a http like protocol optimized for bandwidth (WAP = Wireless Application Protocol) which seems to be obsoleted by fast wireless networks for cellulars (100kbit+).
WAP is a fuzzword.
Bluetooth will be big.
If you ask me
If you don't know where they got the name bluetooth from, it's a nickname for an old swedish king (something like tenth century, I think) translated to english. I think one of his front teeth were pretty bad so it looked blue or something. But on the other hand who had good teeth at that time???
Anyway.. anything written above might be wrong since I don't claim to be an expert in either Bluetooth or WAP and the fact that I wrote this 4:30AM and is pretty DRUNK... ok?
:)
A lot of the posts here seem to think that bluetooth is for wireless networking. From what I understand thats not entirely the idea. The range is very very short (10m) and thats under good conditions, going through walls is going to cut that range a lot. The idea as I understand it, is too replace a lot of items that currently use infrared (because this doesn't require line of sight, goes a bit farther). That means things like cell phones communicating with PDAs, laptops communicating with printers, maybe someday video game controllers communicating with base units. I can't wait for the day that I can carry my palm in my pocket and have it automatically hotsync with my pc every time I walk close. Thats bluetooth.
Also the other benfit is that it uses a communication system similar to what cellphones use, ie, no crazy modifications of currently manufactured cell phones to make them "blue tooth" compatible, and be able to sync with your palm or whichever.
Spyky
I see bluetooth as a resonable next step, but IMHO its limited range will keep it from ever taking off.
In an office environment, having wireless devices which do not require wiring may be of great benefit, but the cost of installing the system would have to be quite low. Bluetooth does not eliminate wiring costs (the units 10m apart from one another must still be wired and powered). It only reduces the costs. Unless the money saved by reducing the wiring capacity is greater than the cost of the system, Bluetooth will not succeed.
I always have to lay my cables along my walls. Then there are also walls with doors in 'm, so I can't put 3 ethernet cables there. One at most. Linea recta though, there is no distance larger than 7.75 meters (25.4 feet). My cables easily reach about 15 meters (about 50 feet).
nosig today
There is a wireless how-to at www.qsl.net/n9zia. There are some ideas for extending the range on low power wireless devices.
Boxes plugged in the poweroutlet. LCD's used as portable (text)terminals (nice for bedtime reading or cooking [in the kitchen]). Calculator which can put the answer directly in my text (no more typing there).
The only problem is, that power is harder to beam
I think that information becomes much more portable now!
nosig today
WTF?
... isn't he the author of Amiga tracker Startrekker? :)
Couple issues that need to be brought up--
1) Compatibility with existing 2.4ghz networks(i.e. 802.11): Apparently, Bluetooth nukes Wireless LANs(source: MicroTimes, about 3 months ago). So, Rob and Jeff are sitting around at a convention, when suddenly their Zoom Air wireless link dies. Rob looks up. "Who's the moron with a bluetooth device?!?"
2) The Resurrecting Duckling. Great paper; look around online and check it out. Talks about security issues with wireless networking. Among other things, you're now *infinitely* more susceptible to somebody "nearby"(think airport) hacking your wireless device--how are ya gonna find 'em, even if you're alerted? 10m, up to 100m with extenders...you're talking about looking for a miniscule wireless extender into a well hidden wired network. Good luck...and lets not forget that with wireless devices, draining the battery is an astonishingly effective DoS attack.
3) Trustable functionality. 10m isn't enough for cordless phones, and I don't think it'll be enough for cordless computing. Has there been any research into the human factors involved with a wireless device that can't leave the room? If you can't trust something to work, you don't use it.
4) Broken encryption. There's no way in hell that Bluetooth has serious encryption built into it, but you can be assured that developers will design their own protocols to assume that the hardware encryption layer will take care of all secrecy concerns. At least with 802.11, you *know* when you're shining out your password publically!
It's sad. I want something like Bluetooth...but the fact that it may kill existing wireless nets--thus, a rogue visitor could kill the LAN!--could possibly make it a tragic non-starter.
Yours Truly,
Dan Kaminsky
DoxPara Research
http://www.doxpara.com
P.S. That being said, I desperately want to get my hands on some Bluetooth devices...
IMHO the important part about WAP isn't the protocol to deliver web pages to your phone, but the well-formed XML (WML) used to describe them.
:-)
Fast wireless networks are cool, but they don't enlarge your phone's display. No matter, how fast your connection is, reading even the stripped down HTML version of slashdot on an phone will always suck. Enter WML, specifically designed for small screens.
If only Nokia, phone.com, symbian and the others would implement the standards properly... You hate incompatibilities between Internet Explorer and Netscape? You will love them, after designing pages for WAP-phones.
What I really want to see is someone building a nice mouse/keyboard combo using bluetooth, but maybe the latencies makes this a bad idea?
Sure logitechs wireless stuff might be nice, but it would be even nicer if you could use a standard bluetooth keyboard with your new shiny laptop with builtin bluetooth.
Oh btw, someone sugested bluetooth might jam wireless ethernet, I think if anything it would be the otherway around since bluetooth is really low powered.
These things do not fill me with confidence.
Disclaimer: I am not a cryptographer. Someone with more clue than me is more than welcome to show me the errors of my ways
kinda, and from what Ive heard there will be pmcia cards that allow you to bluetooth your old laptop to your mobilephone. The bluetooth chip is supposed to be really cheap in large quantitys so hopefully it will be built in in all new laptops.
MMmmmmm firewire, usb, bluetooth, ethernet and maybe a digital connector for the flat panel screen (no encryption please). Please lets dump all the other connectors, we dont need them anymore, use usb2whatever convertors if you have old equipment you need to attach.
Time to strap on my mobile Xybernaut /. while sitting in boring corporate meetings.
and the <a href="http://www.microvision.com">Microvison</a> display (which scans images directly to the retina using a laser). Then nobody will find out that I'm reading
Yes I know, I'm somewhat too early. But perhaps same time next year?
You're right. It's there at:
http://www.ddj.com/articles/2000/0003/0003toc.htm
The link is broken to get to the March 2000 index page, so I had to fake it.
The full article isn't up yet (if it's going to be), but there's a brief description.
Part II next month.
INSIDE BLUETOOTH: PART I
by James Y. Wilson and Jason A. Krontz
Bluetooth technology is an open specification for wireless communication and networking. In the first of a two-part series, Jim and Jason lay out the basics.
I heard from a (reasonably well-informed) friend that there are some `issues' with the use of Bluetooth devices in wet weather -- no matter how waterproof the device is, apparantly the protocol isn't?
(i.e. the range drops from 10m+ to zero in the rain)
Does this affect 802.11 devices too? I was hoping that I could point a yagi at a friends house to play Quake 3 Arena, whatever the weather %-)
Several points to clear up misconceptions:
1. Bluetooth is not meant to be a wireless LAN replacement (not without a gazillion "access points", anyway.) It's intended to be a cordless "desktop area network", and RF bubble that encircles Bluetooth devices allowing them to form ad hoc connections wiht one another for both data and isochronous (e.g., voice) connections. One node you connect to may optionally act as a gateway (access point) to the "real" network, if it's connected and wants to offer that service. As a transitory, ad hoc, solution, 10m is just about the most range you'd want - any more would create problems, and personally, I think they made the bubble too big. Bluetooth isn't meant for seamless raoming wireless connections, but to facilitate connections to and between things like telephone sets (wired or wireless), PDAs, desktop computers, etc.
2. 2.4 GHz doesn't belong to either the Bluetooth or the 802.11 guys. In the US, 2.4 is one of the ISM (Industrial, Scientific, and Medical) bands (others are at 900 MHz and 5.7 GHz.) These are for unlicensed use providing that the FCC's restrictions are met. These restrictions include accepting any interference without recourse - if you want recourse, you go for licensed spectrum! 2.4 GHz was chosen because with minor adjustments, it's available for unlicensed use in pretty much every country that matters. (And it's the only reasonably low frequency for which this is true...)
BTW - there are lots of other perfectly legal 2.4 GHz devices which can kill your wireless LAN, so don't single out Bluetooth unfairly...
"The future's good and the present is nothing to sneeze at." - Roblimo's last
How the f*ck did the Sloppy's comment be marked as Funny? It was Informative if anything.
- -
The Other OS == FreeBSB
no doubt about it. anyone who has been following unixy things at all knows that is what Linux "longhairs" call it.
I can guarantee thats what Hemos meant when he posted
#end rant
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"If I can shoot rabbits then I can shoot fascists" -