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!

[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

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.

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).