Comments on: BlueM Brings Bluetooth to Latest Palms (Updated)

I would assume the bluetooth connection would be handled by Palm OS connection manager and simply use TCP to communicate with the laptop. No additional software should be required.

As far as OBEX, yes, Bluetooth did adopt that standard, but it has nothing to do with HotSyncing or TCP. OBEX is just a simple way to exchange an OBJECT and is not connection oriented like TCP which does not allow for a dynamic conversation that would be required for any type of syncing operation.

At that price, they can mush it up their ass! Who the hell is supposed to spend $200 in a device when the bluetooth chip costs $5?!

I think people are missing the point. Sure an additional 200 for a sled is not attractive. Next year though when the Bluetooth technology is integrated into the devices, it will be very inexpensive to deploy a simple access point say in a school classroom to foster a cheap wireless lan for students. Compare the cost then of a bluetooth integrated palm and a few access points and an entire computer lab full of PC's, that must be shared.

If you don't have anything intelligent to say, keep your mouth shut!

I think they are charging the Early Adopter's Tax. That's the premium paid by technogeeks who can't wait for the price to drop. The blue5 and others will get cheaper after a while.

Bluetooth and WiFi and not direct competitors. Sure there is overlap, but the basic point is that WiFi is for connecting devices to networks. Bluetooth is for connecting devices to everything else!

You won't see any WiFi enabled cell phones, printers, cars etc. They (will) all have BT.

WiFi is great for devices that have either a) big batteries, or b) a plugged in. The size/weight comparison between the Xircom sled and the BT SD card is ridiculous. You could shove 25 SD cards into the same volume the Xircom sled takes up! And the sled absolutely slaughters the BIG batteries in it - only lasts a few hours.

I'm using both technologies here in my office. I have a 802.11 sled for my 505, and a pre-release BT SD card. Horses for courses. My BT enabled cell phone is great when I'm in a cab or something and need to check an email, make a call from my Palm etc. When I'm within range of the Netgear WiFi basestation I can connect to the network to access other stuff - I can obviously also run Web Clipping apps by this mechanism too.

There doesn't have to be one winner people!!

-Why wireless Bluetooth could become a cable killer
David Coursey,
Executive Editor, AnchorDesk
Wednesday, November 7, 2001

One of the things I am looking forward to finding out when I travel to Comdex Fall next week is whether Bluetooth is gaining any traction in the marketplace. I hope so, because once you get past the idea that Bluetooth must be some sort of fairyland pirate, the technology is quite useful....more see link

-Bluetooth plans big presence at Comdex

Simon Ellis, chairman, Bluetooth Special Interest Group
Monday, November 5, 2001, 8:00 a.m. PT
Running time: 3 minutes 52 seconds

CNET News.com senior correspondent Hari Sreenivasan finds out what
products we'll see at next week's Comdex Fall 2001 that utilize
Bluetooth's short-beaming wireless technology.

-ARM on Bluetooth

-ARM's strategic investments

While ARM has habitually scoured diverse markets for design-in opportunities, it's only rarely made strategic investments in other companies. Besides Pixim, ARM has invested in LinkUp Systems, a system-on-chip company for Internet and consumer electronics devices, and Cambridge Silicon Radio, a Bluetooth SoC company.

-Why Bluetooth?

-Bluetooth plans big presence at Comdex

-UPS and FedEx embrace Bluetooth

-DaimlerChrysler Using Bluetooth

-TI launches sub-$5 Bluetooth chipset

-Bluetooth for Palm m series

-Bluetooth into Compaq iPaq Pocket PC's

-Bluetooth Mobile Phones

-Microsoft's next mobile OS goes Bluetooth

-802.11-Bluetooth Coexistence

-Setting The Record Straight On Bluetooth

-Palm debuts Bluetooth Software Developer Kit

-Ericsson Gives Japan's First Demo of Bluetooth-Based VoIP for GSM Cell Phones

http://boards.fool.com/Message.asp?mid=16064662

-Mobile phones, PDAs and headsets will be the early Bluetooth drivers

LONDON, England, Nov. 7 /CNW/ - The market for Bluetooth mobile handsets will grow from 1.5m devices this year to 26.2m in 2002, and will reach almost 100m in 2003. Globally, the Bluetooth handset market is set to really take-off from 2003, when volume production of chips and the introduction of 3G networks combine to boost the Bluetooth handset market.

A new report from ARC Group (www.arcgroup.com) entitled 'Bluetooth - Personal Area Networks', predicts continued growth through 2004 as increasing numbers of handsets and operators support the technology. By 2006, ARC Group estimates that 779.7m handsets sold will be Bluetooth enabled, which represents 71% of devices sold in that year....more see link

-Bluetooth: Real Soon Now

By allNetDevices Staff
November 07, 2001

Short-range Bluetooth supposedly has been on the brink of breakthrough for quite a while, two studies released Wendesday say it now really, really is close to widespread adoption.

A study by Frost & Sullivan says that, while security, interoperability and interference problems still remain, the Bluetooth 1.1 specification is solid enough to make the technology ubiquitous. That ubiquity will be aided by the fact that single-chip Bluetooth solutions have finally started to emerge.

Despite claims by skeptics that Bluetooth was overhyped, its progress has been faster than most widely accepted communications technologies, according to the report author.

"In comparison to many other current communications technologies that took a decade or more to develop, the progress of Bluetooth has been spectacular and continues to develop," said Frost & Sullivan research analyst Michael Wall. "The landslide of Bluetooth-enabled devices has not happened yet, but is deemed inevitable."

The study acknowledges that previous forecasts about Bluetooth's growth, including those made by Frost & Sullivan, were overly optimistic. However, the company still predicts that one billion Bluetooth-enabled devices will ship by 2007.

A second study, this one from ARC Group, makes a similar prediction, claiming that 779.7 million mobile devices will be Bluetooth-enabled by 2006. The study notes that the release of faster third-generation wireless technology will make Bluetooth-enabled phones more attractive because they will be able to act as wireless modems for laptops.

-Ericsson Inc.'s technology combines the high bandwidth of broadband cable networks with wireless Bluetooth(TM), making it possible to deliver high-quality voice and mobile services to personal communication tools.

http://boards.fool.com/Message.asp?mid=16071292

When i read my Dutch National Newspaper this morning i caught 4 advertisements of 4 different companies (IBM, TDK, Ericsson and Sony) with different Bluetooth products.

Bluetooth is here....and is here to stay. FULL STOP.

gr,

angelseye2000