Bluetooth: Dead or Alive?

[Zathras]

PDAs tend to be a considerable amount larger than mobile phones, ergo have a lot bigger battery capacity. There are clearly defined PAN-style applications for bluetooth where it is preferable to Wifi. For anything else wifi is better. Having used both considerably in personal and professional roles and been involved in the mobile phone development cycle I do have a bit of knowledge in this area.

[Aaron]

Have you ever seen a PDA using a CF wifi card? It drains the battery like crazy.

In the mobile phone world, that's a big no-no. People expect their phones to be always on. If the battery dies halfway through a call, they aren't going to be happy.

I would also assume that it's quite a resource hog in other ways too, which again isn't good on a mobile phone.

[directhex]

i've yet to hear an actual argument against bluetooth which is actually relevant - "omg it's slow" doesn't really apply to connecting a headset to a phone, or mouse to a pc.

[nichomach]

That, I'd DEFINITELY agree with; as a personal area networking tool it's excellent. The only issues I've had with it have been with some Nokia handsets, which with older versions of the firmware would only work with Nokia branded BT cards. Which Nokia no longer sold, having hived off the production to Socket. Hideously expensive, too. That said, synchronisation works very well, as does dialup networking using a bluuetooth connected mobile. Comparing BT and WiFi just isn't sensible - they're designed to satisfy completely different requirements; personally I reckon that having a phone which tries to wirelessly network for distances up to 100 metres isn't going to be good for very much other than trashing your battery life.

[directhex]

ah yes, nokia's "it's bluetooth honest" nonstandard phones. hooray for them

[iMc]

Bluetooth definitely has it uses. Sending photos to a mates phone which is very quick and easy is one i use. Also in some Boots stores you can send photos to the machine and get the photos printed out for you. Its pretty cool.

[Defiant]

I like bluetooth and its whole idea, but it hasn't had enough take up in support and devices using the technology.

I blame Microsoft for a very late take up of the technology, its always going to be a poor mans WiFi system. But they do suit different profile useages.

But now wireless USB looms on the horizon, I for one have a mixed view on weather this will have a good affect on the wireless market.
I'm sick of the different standards in the current WiFi market as it is, with out opening up the short wave wireless market to new standards.

I have not bothered to go wireless due to the lack of good security and conflicting global and local WiFi standards in use and in development. Its worse than up grading your CPU! Bah!