Bluetooth Gets a Speed Boost

Tom Keating writes to tell us that the Bluetooth SIG has announced the adoption of WiMedia's version of ultra-wideband technology for integration into current Bluetooth technology. This move hopes to push the popularity of Bluetooth by providing a new high speed option that can transmit high quality sound and video. WiMedia also has a copy of the announcement [PDF] on their site with a few additional details.

Comments

FTFA

[lisaparratt]

It is critical that the UWB technology be compatible with Bluetooth radios and maintain the core attributes of Bluetooth wireless technology - low power, low cost, ad-hoc networking, built-in security features, and ability to integrate into mobile devices. Backwards compatibility with the over 500 million Bluetooth devices currently on the market is also an important consideration. The Bluetooth SIG is satisfied that MB-OFDM UWB technology, offered by the WiMedia Alliance, is capable of meeting all of these requirements.

Re:Throw out your old devices!

[qazwart]

I use BlueTooth for quite a few things. I started with simply keeping my phone's addressbook with my computers, then moved to the keyboard and mouse combo. I also use it to stream MP3s on my computer to my earphones.

Yes, I use a Mac. I'd like to do the same with my Windows PC, but Microsoft implementation is pretty bad. It doesn't have to be, but MS so far hasn't designated it as a built in Windows service. If they did, all PCs would have Bluetooth capability and the connections would be seemless.

Why not simply use WiFi? WiFi has too much overhead. It's designed to connect many to many. Great for mesh networking or for a basestation to connect to multiple computers. It has built in IP capabilities. Bluetooth is for one to one connectivity and has built in encryption which doesn't require password passing and is fairly secure. (The Bluetooth security holes have to do with unauthorized pairing due to poor Bluetooth implementation. Basically it's cellphones that tried to make it easy for users to connect their earphones by making pairing automated.)

Faster Bluetooth connectivity would allow such things as disk drives to connect to systems without having to be physically connected to the computer. In data farms, it isn't always practical to have the external drives physically next to the machines, and snaking thick cables across the floor is a pain. Imagine transfering data realtime from video cameras and digital cameras without having to plug them in.

Like USB, making it faster doesn't necessarily make everything incompatible. I have no problems using USB 2.0 devices on my USB 1.1 port (although I'd love to have the USB 2.0 speed). However, by making Bluetooth faster, you make it much more useful.

Too bad Microsoft hasn't gotten behind Bluetooth yet. I remember hearing the same complaints about USB and WiFi when they first came out -- it doesn't work and only Mac people use it. Maybe with the faster implementation, Microsoft might feel the need to redefine it as a required Windows service. Then you could have wireless game controllers, wireless connectivity to your Windows based Home Entertainment center, and sync'ing Windows based PDAs to your computer.

Re:Throw out your old devices!

[Red Flayer]

"All of those cables connecting your TV and other video/audio components together, can go away with UWB. "

As long as the analog hole remains open, those cables aren't going anywhere for tons of slashdotters.

Re:Speed isn't an issue

[241comp]

Actually, there is a good discussion about Bluetooth available here and basically what it has to say about licensing costs is that there are reasonable licensing plans for virtually any size production (from just a few to millions of products).