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

Throw out your old devices!

[electronerdz]

Now we can all throw out our old Bluetooth devices, so we can upgrade. I can't wait to take a video of my friend on my phone, then show it to him on my phone, then send it to his phone, then watch it on his phone too! I hope they come out with a newer, faster one right after I get this one.

Re:Throw out your old devices!

[Threni]

Also, I hope they make it more of a challenge to use. It's just too easy only reinstalling the software 4 times, making sure you have both the widcomm AND MS stacks. And installing the software before you attach the device for the first time AND then again once you plug it into your USB port? Too easy! Who wants to just be able to plug it in like a flash memory dongle and use it straight away on whatever device claims to be bluetooth compatible? Where's the fun in that?

Re:Throw out your old devices!

[planetmn]

UWB: 480mbps WiFi: 54mbps (well, I guess you can get the hybrid 108mbps) UWB: Short range WiFi: Medium range Totally different uses. Think of it this way. All of those cables connecting your TV and other video/audio components together, can go away with UWB. HD quality connections, wirelessly. Can't do that with WiFi. -dave

Roaming p2p mesh networks?

[Anonymous Coward]

With its current market penetration this will make Bluetooth the ideal choice for a Linux HTPC remote control with VOIP capability.

But will it be good enough for instant roaming networks? I would love alert fellow road users that my bike is coming out of the ally and know that someone want in at almost the same time so that we can slow down or speed up without having to brake hard when we meet face to face at the corner.

Not realy a big aftersales market like car navigation so Linux using a mass sold protocol would be ideal. Will blutooth become good enough for such applications?

Re:Is this really needed ?

[Anonymous Coward]

is there really a need for it when we now have WiFi which has a better range ?

You're missing the point of Bluetooth, it's all about cheap low powered comms. Range is not an issue for most apps that utilize BT, for things like transferring data, performance was really the main sticking point. If they can come out with a wifi spec that used significantly less power and was cost effective for the type of devices that they wish to integrate into, then perhaps something like wifi will supplant BT.

Re:Is this really needed ?

[NekoXP]

UWB has signal range like wireless - in the tens to hundreds of feet. Easily across the house. Freescale have demonstrated the OTHER UWB standard (UWB Forum) streaming MPEG2 video from one device (a home theater box) to a UWB TV. It was really quite neat.

http://www.audioholics.com/news/pressreleases/Haie rWirelessUWLCDTV.php

Hopefully adopting the WiMedia version and using Bluetooth as the remote control method of choice (why not control your TV and media center from your mobile phone, even? :) won't be too hard for them.

Ladies and Gents, bluetooth has jumped the shark!

[way2trivial]

the point of bluetooth is to be LOW POWER so it can be REALLY SMALL and you can't have video capable bandwidth in a micropowered device.

Oh yeah, great...

[grahamlee]

...so now we've got ultra-wide bandwidth combined with rapid frequency shifts. That's going to suck up big chunks of the unlicensed broadcast band at a time - I hope no-one's using a microwave (or a wireless router, especially a pre-N one) when I'm transferring my pr0n from my phone to my portable video player...

Speed isn't an issue

[TheSkepticalOptimist]

The licensing costs of Bluetooth are the reason for its slow adoption.

There is no reason for a Bluetooth wireless headphones to cost $200 or more, other good quality wireless headphones with proprietary wireless technology could be purchased for $80.

Bluetooth mice and keyboards are like 50% - 100% more expensive then those wireless mice and keyboards with proprietary wireless technology. In fact, I heard it was cheaper for a company to developer their own wireless technology rather then licence Bluetooth for their products.

With wireless USB entering the market this year, I would be reluctant to buy anything Bluetooth until we see how Wireless USB will handle and how inexpensive it will be to license and use the product. My guess is that most companies using a proprietary wireless connection will adopt Wireless USB quickly.

For now, the only niche market that Bluetooth is succeeding in is in cell phone headsets. When it comes to general computing, Bluetooth's days are numbered.

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).

Personally...

[dbucowboy]

I prefer using wired connections... it gives me the security of knowing that if I fall off a cliff while talking on the phone I will at least have a tether.