What is Bluetooth and what can I use it for?

What is Bluetooth?

The technology ‘Bluetooth’ was named after the late 10th century King of Denmark and Norway, ‘Harald Bluetooth’. King Bluetooth was known for his efforts to unite warring tribes from Denmark and Norway. In much the same way Bluetooth, the communications technology, provides a means for your digital devices to communicate with each other. Like the wireless technology found in your average home wireless network, Bluetooth devices communicate using radio waves in order to remove the need for a physical wired connection.

Bluetooth allows for the communication of small amounts of information (such as audio, key strokes etc) between two “paired” devices in close proximity to each other. As it has been designed to only work over small distances, it doesn’t use much power. This low power consumption makes the technology well suited to battery powered devices such as mobile phones, headsets and keyboards.
If you would like more technical information on Bluetooth and how it works, there is an excellent Wikipedia entry on the subject at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth.

What can I use Bluetooth for?

As you can see from the diagram below, there are many uses for Bluetooth (click for a large image).

How do I set up Bluetooth?

Setting up Bluetooth is usually a simple process, however some devices and functionality can be a bit tricky to get up and running. If you want to get set up for Bluetooth but need a hand, give Gizmo a call and we’ll get you set up.