Posted by
michael
on from the wi-fi-all-the-way dept.
rookie1 writes "According to this article and this, Ericsson has shut down its Bluetooth division. Ericsson has not made any formal announcement. Considering SonyEricsson is a major supporter of Bluetooth technology, will this have a huge impact on its adoption?"
Might not be bad
by
attaboy
·
· Score: 5, Interesting
From the News.com.com article:
Ericsson doesn't plan to continue design and development around Bluetooth, but it will continue to support existing customers and include it in products, the company representative said. Bluetooth technology efforts will be incorporated into the work of Ericsson's Mobile Platforms group.
Glass Half Full Interpretation: Maybe this means that Bluetooth has become so simple to implement that they don't need a dedicated development team anymore. It seems that Bluetooth is cropping up in all sorts of CE devices. BT chips and control sets are becoming more and more standardized. For Ericsson, the hard work of developing tie-ins to their phone OS is already done. This could be a good sign, rather than a bad one, for Bluetooth in general.
I'm a little fuzzy on the relationship between Ericsson and SonyEricsson. Not sure if the former will impact the phones of the latter.
-- The facts have a liberal bias. --The Daily Show
I always like the idea of Bluetooth, though I'm afraid I saw this coming. I don't know why it was never adopted on a wider scale, but I certainly hope that other short distance wireless technologies (like WUSB) do take off. It would be nice to have a desktop with no wires except for power.
No effect at all. JVC invented the VHS standard, it's small market share was not signifigant in it's adoption. Phillips invented the redbook audio CD, it's influence is miniscule today, or even 15 years ago.
I doubt it...
by
Philosinfinity
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
I doubt this will affect bluetooth's ability to enter the mainstream. In fact, I never quite understood the need for bluetooth in your cellphone (aside from cellphone PDA type devices). Wireless headphones are nice, but is this really what I want to use bluetooth for?
Rather, I think that the PC perhipheral market is what will ultimately drive bluetooth. Think about it. Truely wireless keyboards, mice, modems, printers, etc. are so beneficial for end users. Bluetooth's future is in "untangling the PC" not the convienence of wireless cell phone headsets and small PC to cellphone data transfers.
Re:I doubt it...
by
plover
·
· Score: 3, Interesting
How about a wireless speakerphone in your car? With a Bluetooth handsfree kit, you can just hop in your car and go. Your car and your phone recognize each other as you turn on the ignition, and your car says "I'm going to be your headset now."
It's been discussed having Bluetooth "silencers" installed at movie theatres, concert venues, and restaurants. They'd be a simple Bluetooth device that would request your phone switch to a silent profile for the next hour or two. If you were an anti-social jerk, you could turn such a thing off. But as we know from lots of experience, most people won't be bothered to change their default settings. It's not a complete solution to the problem of cell phone ringers in auditoriums, but every phone call silenced makes for a more pleasant experience for all.
The nice thing is that all of the features you mention with respect to PC usage can quite peacably coexist with the cell phone usage. Both ends can drive the market simultaneously, and as more crossover functionality becomes possible, consumer demand will drive more adoption. We're already seeing this with digital camera phones exchanging pictures with PCs. And laptops are able to use the Bluetooth equipped phones for network access.
Bluetooth was the sole reason I purchased a T637 phone earlier this summer. I really didn't care about the camera (crappy quality pictures) nor about the Java in the phone. I wanted my Palm Tungsten to be able get to the internet occasionally, and I now have that. But I also have the option to have a speaker kit in my car (I suppose this will wait 'til Christmas), to exchange address and phone data with my desktop, and opens up all sorts of possibilities.
-- John
Re:Bluetooth not "adopting"
by
sg3000
·
· Score: 3, Interesting
> What adoption? When was the last time you used a Bluetooth- > enabled device to do anything useful?
Well, I clicked on "Reply to This" using my Bluetooth mouse connected to my PowerBook.
But it's arguable whether posting to Slashdot qualifies as "useful"
-- Insert simplistic political, ideological, or personal proselytization here.
You haven't used Bluetooth have you? Or maybe you just had a bad experience. I don't know. What I do know is that Bluetooth is a feature I now regard as indespensible in my phone, pda and, soon, headphones. I won't even consider a phone, pda or laptop without it now.
My phone and PDA (nokia 6310i and Palm Tungsten T3) essentially act as one device thanks almost entirely to bluetooth. I can look up a number in my Palm, tap it and it automatically dials on my phone. But unlike a smartphone, I can leave the PDA behind if I don't need it. If I want to sync my phone or pda with my computer, I don't have to find a cable, I just do it. If I want to check email on my laptop or my pda, I connect automatically through the bluetooth modem in my phone and it's like carrying a (admittidly slow until I get an EDGE phone) wifi hotspot with me everywhere. Driving in my car? Bluetooth headset. I don't even have to pull the phone out of the bag and there are no wires needed.
At the risk of sounding like a fanboy, Bluetooth is seriously cool. It makes it very easy for devices to interact. Will something better come along one day? Sure. But in the mean time, bluetooth does the job and does it very well.
Re:God I hope not
by
ElGuapoGolf
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
The problem is, I think, that you mention Bluetooth to most people, and those who have heard of it think it's Just Another Wireless Thingy. They think about 802.11b or whatever and don't see the need for bluetooth.
Then when they're with you in your car, and you get an incoming call and your stereo automagically cuts off and a message pops up on the radio display with all your caller ID info, they're confused and a little shocked. Then when you hit a button and your talking via a mic in the car, and hearing the caller come in over the speakers, they're amazed.
The PDA to cellphone via bluetooth to browse the internet, IMO, is even better than a hotspot, but to the non-techie, the car thing is like seeing into the future.
Little old ladies
by
Bender+Unit+22
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
So are people here a bunch of little old ladies? All those people writing about it being dead. Are there no technology/gadet geeks here. I have many uses for Bluetooth. I got a Notebook with bluetooth so I don't need any wires to update my calender. Updating phone numbers to friends, co-workers, business relations are a lot easier with Bluetooth. I use Bluetooth to transfer MP3 files to the phone which also serves as a MP3 player when I am not taking the car to work. I also got a Bluetooth car kit installed, hopefully I don't need to get a entire new set installed when I change phone in the future, just the holder/charger. You can even get cars with Bluetooh phone kits that fits with the car. On rare occations I have used Bluetooth and GPRS to connect to servers using SSH from my notebook, although the latency are REALLY bad, but if you are in the middle of nowhere it's better than having to drive home. Some of my co-workers likes to use those Bluetooth head sets.
I see bluetooth phones all over the place, from my desk at work, I see about 15 different bluetooth devices, phones, PCs, PDAs and printers. When I take the subway home from work I can always see 2-3 other Bluetooth phones.
I admit that a lot of phones had a lousy implentation with few features, which has not helped the adoption.
Ok, maybe it is just in my "world" that Bluetooth is used, or maybe it is just non-existent in America?
Re:Promoting?
by
ElForesto
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
I think what they're trying to say is that with Bluetooth being standardized, they're perfectly happy to depend on 3rd-party manufacturers to make the peripherals. I imagine this is a way for them to focus on their core business and not get too involved in something ancilliary to it.
-- There is a difference between "insightful" and "inciteful" other than spelling.
Slashdot Mirror
From the News.com.com article:
Glass Half Full Interpretation: Maybe this means that Bluetooth has become so simple to implement that they don't need a dedicated development team anymore. It seems that Bluetooth is cropping up in all sorts of CE devices. BT chips and control sets are becoming more and more standardized. For Ericsson, the hard work of developing tie-ins to their phone OS is already done. This could be a good sign, rather than a bad one, for Bluetooth in general.
I'm a little fuzzy on the relationship between Ericsson and SonyEricsson. Not sure if the former will impact the phones of the latter.
The facts have a liberal bias. --The Daily Show
I always like the idea of Bluetooth, though I'm afraid I saw this coming. I don't know why it was never adopted on a wider scale, but I certainly hope that other short distance wireless technologies (like WUSB) do take off. It would be nice to have a desktop with no wires except for power.
No effect at all. JVC invented the VHS standard, it's small market share was not signifigant in it's adoption. Phillips invented the redbook audio CD, it's influence is miniscule today, or even 15 years ago.
I doubt this will affect bluetooth's ability to enter the mainstream. In fact, I never quite understood the need for bluetooth in your cellphone (aside from cellphone PDA type devices). Wireless headphones are nice, but is this really what I want to use bluetooth for?
Rather, I think that the PC perhipheral market is what will ultimately drive bluetooth. Think about it. Truely wireless keyboards, mice, modems, printers, etc. are so beneficial for end users. Bluetooth's future is in "untangling the PC" not the convienence of wireless cell phone headsets and small PC to cellphone data transfers.
> What adoption? When was the last time you used a Bluetooth-
> enabled device to do anything useful?
Well, I clicked on "Reply to This" using my Bluetooth mouse connected to my PowerBook.
But it's arguable whether posting to Slashdot qualifies as "useful"
Insert simplistic political, ideological, or personal proselytization here.
Perhaps if we're lucky, Bluetooth will go away.
You haven't used Bluetooth have you? Or maybe you just had a bad experience. I don't know. What I do know is that Bluetooth is a feature I now regard as indespensible in my phone, pda and, soon, headphones. I won't even consider a phone, pda or laptop without it now.
My phone and PDA (nokia 6310i and Palm Tungsten T3) essentially act as one device thanks almost entirely to bluetooth. I can look up a number in my Palm, tap it and it automatically dials on my phone. But unlike a smartphone, I can leave the PDA behind if I don't need it. If I want to sync my phone or pda with my computer, I don't have to find a cable, I just do it. If I want to check email on my laptop or my pda, I connect automatically through the bluetooth modem in my phone and it's like carrying a (admittidly slow until I get an EDGE phone) wifi hotspot with me everywhere. Driving in my car? Bluetooth headset. I don't even have to pull the phone out of the bag and there are no wires needed.
At the risk of sounding like a fanboy, Bluetooth is seriously cool. It makes it very easy for devices to interact. Will something better come along one day? Sure. But in the mean time, bluetooth does the job and does it very well.
So are people here a bunch of little old ladies?
All those people writing about it being dead. Are there no technology/gadet geeks here. I have many uses for Bluetooth.
I got a Notebook with bluetooth so I don't need any wires to update my calender. Updating phone numbers to friends, co-workers, business relations are a lot easier with Bluetooth.
I use Bluetooth to transfer MP3 files to the phone which also serves as a MP3 player when I am not taking the car to work.
I also got a Bluetooth car kit installed, hopefully I don't need to get a entire new set installed when I change phone in the future, just the holder/charger. You can even get cars with Bluetooh phone kits that fits with the car.
On rare occations I have used Bluetooth and GPRS to connect to servers using SSH from my notebook, although the latency are REALLY bad, but if you are in the middle of nowhere it's better than having to drive home.
Some of my co-workers likes to use those Bluetooth head sets.
I see bluetooth phones all over the place, from my desk at work, I see about 15 different bluetooth devices, phones, PCs, PDAs and printers. When I take the subway home from work I can always see 2-3 other Bluetooth phones.
I admit that a lot of phones had a lousy implentation with few features, which has not helped the adoption.
Ok, maybe it is just in my "world" that Bluetooth is used, or maybe it is just non-existent in America?
I think what they're trying to say is that with Bluetooth being standardized, they're perfectly happy to depend on 3rd-party manufacturers to make the peripherals. I imagine this is a way for them to focus on their core business and not get too involved in something ancilliary to it.
There is a difference between "insightful" and "inciteful" other than spelling.