News Archive - November 2001

To include your new Bluetooth products on the
Bluetoothweb News Page 
please simply e-mail us

For information on the latest Bluetooth news coming from the Telecoms Industry click here.
For information on the latest Bluetooth news coming from the PC industry click here.
For information on the latest Bluetooth Qualified Products from Bluetooth SIG click here.

NOVEMBER 2001

N72:DoCoMo to market Bluetooth Personal Handyphome System
DoCoMo have announced that it will start marketing it's Personal Handyphone System (PHS) devices that are compatible with Bluetooth 1.1.   The new browser phone, dubbed "Paldio 633S," will be marketed through all NTT DoCoMo sales channels on an open price basis starting on December 3, 2001.

The model is capable of performing various wireless functions with other Bluetooth V 1.1-compatible devices, including 64 kbps circuit-switched data communications and exchanging up to 500 entries from address books, e-mail and electronic business cards.

For more details go to the DoCoMo press release click here.
Details about DoCoMo's products can be found on Mobile Phones.

N71:Bandspeed and Open Interface Join Forces to Enable Bluetooth Coexistence with Wireless Local Area Networks
Bandspeed Inc. and Open Interface have announced a product that uses Adaptive Frequency Hopping (AFH) technology to allow Bluetooth-enabled devices to coexist with Wireless Local Area Networks.  (WLANs).

The companies will unveil the solution, based on Bandspeed's AFH HubMaster(tm) technology and Open Interface's BlueMagic AFH protocol stack, at the 2001 Bluetooth Developers Conference, which begins Dec. 11 in San Francisco.

Bandspeed has developed Adaptive Frequency Hopping (AFH) technology that enables the non-collaborative coexistence of Bluetooth-enabled devices with WLANs such as 802.11b. Open Interface's BlueMagic protocol stack integrated with Bandspeed's chipset creates a complete AFH coexistence solution for hardware manufacturers and OEMs. BlueMagic AFH is backwards compatible with Open Interface's Bluetooth specification version 1.1 and works with existing Bluetooth wireless devices.

"A leading barrier to widespread adoption of Bluetooth is its inability to coexist with wireless LANs because of signal interference," said Michael Luther, chief executive officer, Bandspeed. "By integrating our chipset with Open Interface's protocol stack, developers can be assured that their Bluetooth-enabled products will not interfere with Wireless LANs or Wi-Fi networks."

"This can represent a milestone in the adoption of Bluetooth-related technologies and products," said Joyce Putscher, director, converging markets and technologies group at Cahners In-Stat. "Peaceful coexistence means that WLANs won't have to be concerned with interference and degraded performance, and Bluetooth, with its low cost and low power consumption capabilities, can viably provide cableless device connectivity."

"The support for Bandspeed's AFH technology in Open Interface's Bluetooth protocol stack enables companies to quickly evaluate the performance improvements from AFH on Windows 2000 and XP systems," said Hiroshi Onaka, vice chairman of Open Interface North America. "This is another example of Open Interface's commitment to provide OEM's with the best tools and support for developing Bluetooth enabled solutions."

A fully functional demonstration of the Bandspeed Hubmaster/Open Interface co-existence solution will take place at the Bluetooth Developers Conference (booth 219) in San Francisco Dec. 11-13, 2001.

Details of Bandspeed's other solutions can be found on the Semiconductors - Baseband & Controllers page. Also take a look at Bandspeed's other news item on N53.

Details on Open Interface will be added shortly to Bluetoothweb.

Click here to go to Bandspeed's website for their press release. (PDF file).

N70:Biochex to get licensing opportunity for integrating Bluetooth from Healthfrontier
HealthFrontier Inc., based in Canada, has sent a letter of intent to Biochex relating to integrating Bluetooth technology enhancement into their existing product lines. 

A formal agreement based on the letter is anticipated to be finalized by mid January 2002 and will generate for Biochex a development fee estimated at $250,000 plus royalty of 2% to 7% on gross sales of the products. 

Mr. Jose Laraya, the Chief Technology Officer of Biochex commented, "We believe that HealthFrontier products will provide a good base to demonstrate the effectiveness of our technology. The letter of intent is a confirmation of potential demand for our technology and products."

Details on Biochex and HealthFrontier have been added to the Medical Applications page.

N69:Nokia announce new Bluetooth Accessories
Nokia announced three new Bluetooth accessories that allow users to simultaneously simplify and enhance their mobile experience by providing cable-free connectivity with their mobile phones. Available in Europe and Asia in the first quarter 2002, the Nokia Wireless Headset, the Nokia Wireless Car Kit, and the Nokia Connectivity Card are compatible with the latest 1.1 version of the Bluetooth specification. 

Nokia wireless car kit for the 6310 allows hands-free functionality in the car environment, via the use of Bluetooth. It features user-installable remote control for easy call handling, volume adjustment, car-radio muting and ignition sense, it sets new references for mobile phone use. Once the Bluetooth-enabled phone has been paired with the new Car Kit, the phone can, for example, remain in the user's briefcase or purse, while taking incoming calls.

"The Nokia Bluetooth accessories introduced demonstrate how new technologies can help people manage their mobility with increased flexibility. Converging technologies will allow users to enjoy a broader and more intelligent range of devices," said Juha Reima, Vice President, Accessories, Nokia Mobile Phones. "To meet the new requirements of convergence and provide our customers with state-of-the-art accessories in the future, we are also exploring the possibilities of expanding our partner network."

Details of the 6310 can be found on the Mobile Phones page.
Details of the wireless car kit can be found on the Automotive Applications page.
Details of Nokia's various other Bluetooth products can be found on the Cameras page.

N68:Netario set to launch Bluetooth Public Access Networks
Netario is set to launch Speedwave, a group of short-range wireless Internet networks, over the next few months. CEO Philip Coen believes Speedwave will be able to secure 30% of revenues from 3G operators.

Speedwave uses Bluetooth and 802.11b wireless LAN technology and is to be initially tested in Manchester after Christmas with three or four sites. By February and March, the city is forecast to receive another 70 sites, followed by similar rollouts in 12 UK cities and 10 European cities in 2002. 

It is expected that the solution will be able to offer data speeds between 723 Kbps and 5 Mbps and eventually VoIP services through Bluetooth. 

For details on Netario go to our Access Points, Routers and Infrastructure page.

N67:MobileAria showcases hands free, voice-enabled driver solution using Bluetooth 
MobileAria Inc., announced their live productivity service in its fully-equipped telematics demonstration automobiles. 

MobileAria's solution provides drivers with voice-activated access to their desktops' voice mail, email, contact and calendar information, driving directions and traffic conditions, enabling drivers to always keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. The solution uses Bluetooth to connect users' laptops and cell phone devices.

"True Hands Free means drivers can use their phones and laptops with simple voice commands, enabling them to be productive while driving responsibly, eyes on the road, hands on the wheel," Michael Orr, MobileAria CEO, said. "Unlike some other telematics concepts, which have yet to fully materialize, MobileAria's service is live and available this year with comprehensive productivity applications."

The demo cars - a BMW 525, VW Passat, Cadillac DeVille and Ford Explorer - are currently being shown to telecommunications carriers, automobile manufacturers and retailers, automotive equipment suppliers, retail distribution channels, the media and industry analysts. When launched to the public, MobileAria's True Hands Free service will be available for use in any car as an after-market service.

For details on MobileAria see the Automotive Applications page.

N66:Ericsson expects Bluetooth Boom in 2002
According to Maria Khorsand, head of Ericsson Technology Licensing she expects the market to take off tremendously in 2002. 

Bluetooth has been promoted since 1998 as an open standard for short-range, wireless transmission of digital data between devices after Ericsson invented the technology in 1994. In the beginning the development of Bluetooth suffered from high costs, compatibility problems and complexity, but as more devices use Bluetooth technology, the cost of making chips for the products are strongly reducing. Ericsson claims to have about two-thirds of the market of Bluetooth- enabled consumer products. All mobile phones may be equipped with Bluetooth functions by 2005, Khorsand said.

Details of Ericsson's Bluetooth products can be found on the Access Points, Routers and Infrastructure, Applications Software, Development Kits, Developer Tools,  Headsets, IP for Silicon, Mobile Phones, Protocol Stack, Training pages. 

N65:Nokia announce new Bluetooth Mobile Phones  
Nokia have just released a new Bluetooth enabled mobile phones, the  7650. 

Nokia's new 7650 model features GSM, HSCSD and GPRS support, as well as an integrated digital camera plus support for WAP, Bluetooth, SyncML, IR, e-mail, J2ME and MMS. Picture.

The Nokia 7650 will be the world's first 2.5G Symbian OS mobile phone with advanced messaging and imaging capabilities, featuring an inbuilt camera, enhanced user interface and a large color display. 

"The wireless industry has been waiting for a new type of mobile phone to drive home the benefits of advanced data services. The Nokia 7650, based on the advanced, open Symbian OS, heralds the arrival of this next generation of mobile phone and sets a fresh direction for the industry. A world's first in terms of its multimedia messaging capability, the Nokia 7650 is also the first always connected Symbian OS phone to be squarely targeted at the mass consumer market," said Colly Myers, CEO, Symbian.

Nokia has announced that the Nokia 7650 will be available in Europe and Asia during Q2, 2002, which most likely indicates that this specific model is dual-band GSM only, which is somewhat disappointing considering the phone's other features that would make it an ideal candidate for tri-band hungry business users. 

As well as this, in a separate announcement, Nokia unveilved the 6510, a mobile phone with support for GPRS, HSCSD, Bluetooth, WAP, FM radio and a mobile wallet and the 5210, with a robust shell and form factor designed for tough conditions, and Bluetooth products such as a handsfree kit, car kit and PC connectivity card.

Expect to see details of the Nokia 7650 to be added soon...

See Nokia Press Release.

N64:Mini PCI card to support Bluetooth and 802.11b
Wistron Neweb has developed a Mini PCI Type IIIa module for notebook PCs that combines support for both 802.11b and Bluetooth version 1.1 wireless networking standards.

The module is among the first to be released in an expected onslaught of cards that will offer support for different wireless networking protocols by way of a single add-in module. This in turn will allow PC makers to design thinner and lighter laptops with built-in wireless networking capabilities.

Wistron Neweb's 802.11b/Bluetooth module is currently available in the US for around $70 (£49) per unit on orders of 10,000. Notebooks that include the module are expected to appear on the market early next year.

N63:RTX Telecom signs agreement with LitePoint Corporation to promote in US
RTX Telecom has signed a representation agreement with LitePoint Corporation to promote the services and technologies of RTX Telecom in the United States. Wireless Partnerships, a LitePoint division, will be promoting RTX Telecom's development solutions in the US market within the areas of Bluetooth, 2.4GHz, DECT and CDMA, as well as other emerging wireless technologies.

For more details go to the press release.

For more details on RTX's various Bluetooth solutions go to the Access Points, Routers and Infrastructure, Consultancy, Design Solutions, Development Kits,  Headsets, IP for Silicon, Mobile Phones, Test Equipment, USB Dongles pages.

N62: Red-M releases Genos 
Genos will allow companies and service providers to plan and build large, multi-site wireless networks where users can roam between networks, regardless of location and technology. Genos will handle multiple wireless technologies, including Bluetooth and IEEE 802.11x. The software has also focused on a number security features.

For more details go to the Security Software page.

N61: Bluetooth Developers' Conference  -  Medical Applications of Bluetooth
The Bluetooth Developers' Conference happens 11-13th December at the Moscone Centre, San Francisco.   One of the exciting developments to be aired at the event is the advancing potential for Bluetooth in the medical marketplace, where getting rid of the wires can add real benefit to the prospect of survival !   Watch out for the paper by Bill Salzstein of CodeBlue...

N60:Add Your Company to Bluetoothweb 
Over the last month an important enhancement to Bluetoothweb has appeared - a company directory and a new company add form to make it a lot easier to find companies involved in Bluetooth and for companies to add themselves to Bluetoothweb.  Please make use of this new facility to add your company to Bluetoothweb 

N59:TDK to ship its Bluetooth BlueM clip-on for Palm Handhelds
TDK have announced that they will be shipping it BlueM clip-on device for Palm handhelds.

The BlueM weighs just 1-ounce, has a thin design and slides onto the back of the Palm, connecting via the port on the bottom of the handheld. It allows the device to communicate with any Bluetooth-enabled device such as PC's and mobile phones.

The BlueM is on show at the Comdex trade show in Las Vegas but is already shipping in Europe. It will appear on shelves in the U.S. by the end of this month, TDK spokesperson Alison Merifield says, where it will be priced at $199.

Click here for details on the BlueM from TDK Systems.
TDK Systems also have other Bluetooth solutions on the PC Cards, PDA Accessories, USB Dongles pages.

N58:Audiovox to unveil Bluetooth-GPRS Phone
Audiovox Communications Corporation have unveiled a GPS-enabled third-generation (3G) wireless handset that incorporates Bluetooth technology.

The company said its 9155GPX handset is a tri-mode CDMA 1XRTT device. The company said that the handset complies with the U.S. Federal Communication Commission's E-911 directives. the device supports Internet access speeds up to 153 Kbps. It includes a Web browser and supports Short Message Service (SMS) messaging.

The company said it would release the device in conjunction with the Consumer Electronics Show in January. The handset will retail for $299.

N57:Bluetooth at Comdex 
Following recent events Comdex was much smaller than in past years, but with a move away from the focus on PC's towards the wireless industry and a whole host of devices, with the message being 'get ready for the new mobile network era'.  After years of hype, visions of a wireless, always-connected world are no longer the stuff of imagination.

At the Comdex trade show, Bluetooth was much in evidence, clearly becoming more widely available alongside WiFi. "This stuff is real now,'' boasted Simon Ellis, chairman of Bluetooth SIG, Inc., the industry standards organisation, and IBM Corp. saying its revenues from wireless business products and services will surpass more than $1 billion in 2001. It is expected that in home usage will account for much of the wireless networking market as more get multiple PCs and high-speed broadband connections. It can cost as little as $500 to outfit a single three-computer home.

At Comdex, visitors toyed with Bluetooth-enabled cordless headsets designed to work with cell phones. Also on show were printers from Hewlett-Packard that accepted print jobs from a Bluetooth-enabled handheld.

Ericsson, Nokia and Motorola all now have cell phones with Bluetooth built-in or included as part of a special battery.

One of the products that created the most interest was the Bluetooth digital camera from Sony Corp. that will be out next February.

Analysts estimate the current cost of Bluetooth at about $13, and that modules will reach a sweet-spot price of $5 by 2003. Swedish company Spirea, one exhibitors at the Bluetooth pavilion, said it will be selling a $2.50 Bluetooth radio chip next year.  By comparison, current prices for WiFi components are about $30-$40, says Allied Business Intelligence.

With more than 2500 companies now supporting the Bluetooth standard, proponents like Joyce Putscher, a Cahners In-Stat analyst, predict there will be hundreds of millions of Bluetooth-enabled devices by 2005.

For details on Cahners In-Stat go to Bluetoothweb's market studies page.
For details on Ericsson, Nokia and Motorola Bluetooth cell phones go to Bluetoothweb's mobile phones page.
For details on Hewlett Packard Bluetooth printer go to Bluetoothweb's Printers Page
For details on Sony Corp's Bluetooth Camera go to Bluetoothweb's Cameras page.

N56:Bluetooth could reach Nightclubs - the electronic DJ
Artificial intelligence experts at Hewlett-Packard have developed a computerised alternative to DJs. Its HPDJ software tailors music to correspond to how clubbers are responding. The system monitors reactions to certain sounds and uses this to create tracks designed to keep them dancing.

Each clubber is given a wristwatch-like device that monitors their location, heart and perspiration rates and movement. The information is then wirelessly transmitted to HPDJ using Bluetooth.

To create a new song, HPDJ modifies existing tracks in its memory to correspond to how many people are on the dance floor and how enthusiastically they are dancing.

Dave Cliff, of the company's Bristol research centre, says that future incarnations will be linked to CD equipment, so that clubbers can buy a recording of the night's set.

N55:Pico Communications pushing Bluetooth as Wireless LAN
It seems that Pico have not listened to the official view that 802.11 is a wireless LAN, while Bluetooth is for cable replacement. Comdex exhibitor Pico Communications' philosophy is that 802.11 isn't for all wireless networking applications, and you should consider Bluetooth in certain scenarios. Pico is demonstrating its Bluetooth-based wireless access point which provides LAN access to mobile devices.

The reason, according to Pico's director of product marketing John Cook, lies in Bluetooth's substantially lower power requirements. "This makes it ideal for PDAs, cell phones, and other devices where battery-life is an important consideration," says Cook. 

Details of Pico Communications can be found on the Access Points, Routers and Infrastructure page.

N54:Palm upgrades their OS, but no Bluetooth yet
Handheld computer maker Palm has started selling a new version of its operating system, the Palm OS 4.1, but has pushed back the availability of their own Bluetooth solution on Palm. 

Palm had said when it introduced the m500 handheld last March that the Bluetooth module would be available by year's end.  However, Palm executives said on Monday that a Secure Digital expansion card that enables Palm devices to use short-range Bluetooth wireless communications technology will not be on the market this year, as was planned.

For details of the original press release and Palm at Comdex click here.

N53:Bandspeed joins Bluetooth SIG
Austin-based Bandspeed provides a portfolio of transceiver chipsets and software for wired and wireless broadband communications has joined the Bluetooth SIG and is now a member of the Coexistence / Interoperability Work Group, their press release states. As a member of the work group, Bandspeed will participate in adoption of standards-based software and hardware for wireless connectivity devices.

"Our invitation to membership in the work group is validation that our technology is unique and can make a specific contribution to wireless markets," Bandspeed CEO Michael Luther says. "Bandspeed is excited to be enabling Bluetooth to interoperate with other wireless technologies."

Details of Bandspeed's products can be found on the Semiconductors - Baseband & Controllers page.

N52:Primate Systems release Monkey Messenger for Pocket PCs for SMS using Bluetooth
Primate Systems has released MonkeyMessenger for Pocket PCs, the first PPC SMS client that supports sending and receiving of SMS messages using both IR and Bluetooth.

"With MonkeyMessenger, my Ericsson T39 and a Bluetooth-enabled Jornada, or iPAQ, i can send and receive SMS from my Pocket PC without taking my mobile phone out of my pocket.", said David Kinsella, Director of Marketing and Sales for Primate Systems. Future development from the company includes a line of Bluetooth connectivity software for the Pocket PC, including the popular MonkeyTone and MonkeyLogo applications, as well as support for GPRS mobile phones.

MonkeyMessenger is available for download at Primate System's website for $24.95 USD.

Primate Systems press release.
Details of Primate System's products can be found on the Applications Software and Retailers pages.

N51:Fujitsu licences Parthus' Bluetooth Platform
Japanese electronics group Fujitsu have licenced Irish chip designer Parthus to provide it with the Bluetooth platform. Fujitsu hopes to use the licenced bluetooth technology in next year’s automobiles and mobile phones. After the deal was announced, Parthus saw its shares rise by 9 per cent.

Parthus press release.
Parthus Bluetooth solutions can be found on the IP for Silicon page.
Fujitsu Bluetooth solution can be found on the Access Points, Routers and Infrastructure. PC Cards pages.

N50:Visteon show off BMW 3 Series with Bluetooth between car and home
Visteon Corp. recently showed off a BMW 3 Series equipped with Bluetooth, a wireless technology that allows data transfer between and among digital devices and your car or home. In the Visteon-BMW case, the technology allows drivers to use Bluetooth-equipped cell phones in their car hands-free without a docking station or headset.

A Bluetooth microchip and antenna in the car relays cell phone signals using an ultra-low radio frequency and broadcasts it over the speakers in the car. When a call is received the radio mutes and a button on the steering wheel is pressed to take the call. Drivers can talk normally without taking their hands off the wheel or eyes off the road.

A driver in the middle of a conversation can leave the car, push a button and transfer the call to the cell phone, or vice versa if carrying on a phone conversation when entering into the car. The signal is transferred from the phone to the car without interruption.

Chrysler has announced plans to offer dealer-installed Bluetooth systems on its 2002 model year cars and trucks. And Visteon says Bluetooth will show up in cars, sport/utilities and trucks from several manufacturers starting next year. Ford is offering a hands-free phone system in 2002 vehicles, while General Motors equips its cars and trucks with its own OnStar communications system.

Details of Visteon's products can be found on Automotive Applications.

N49:Sony produce Bluetooth Notebooks
Sony has produced its first notebook computers incorporating Bluetooth.  The two ultra-portable Vaios feature fully-integrated Bluetooth modules, antennae and software. The SR31K features a 750Mhz Mobile Pentium III processor with SpeedStep, 128Mb Ram (upgradable to 256Mb) and a 15Gb hard drive. The 10.4in display is powered by an 8Mb Savage S3 graphics chipset. Whilst the smaller PCG-C1VFK is equipped with a 667Mhz Transmeta Crusoe processor, specifically designed to achieve high performance with lower power consumption.

According to industry tests, the Bluetooth notebooks take about a minute to assign an IP address and exchange information at about 500Kbps when within a couple of metres range, but this figure drops as they are moved apart. At a distance of ~12 metres the connection was lost. The transfer speed was less than the 1Mbps Bluetooth limit, but should be fast enough for most.  Apparently however the notebooks can only connect to an IP address if it is another Vaio running BlueSpace.  If correct such compatibility issues will severely limit the Vaio's market.

Details of Sony's other Bluetooth solutions can found on Bluetoothweb's Cameras and Mobile Phones pages.