How Bluetooth connects gadgets
Smartphones, headsets, keyboards,
mice, game controllers, stereos — you name the device, it’s probably
connectable via Bluetooth.
Bluetooth has made massive inroads
because of the ease with which it links devices.
Basically, just plug it in and wait
for the indicator light.
Despite some drawbacks — it can be a
gateway for dangerous malware and doesn’t have much of a range — it’s
practically ubiquitous.
Once set up, it can be used to
transfer data between mobile phones or to send music from a mobile device to a
pair of loudspeakers.
“Bluetooth is used anywhere where
two devices have to exchange data across a distance and cables would just get
in the way,” says Matthias Schaefer of the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated
Circuits in Germany, noting that it has even found its niche in medicine.
“Just about every smartphone and
notebook today comes with it,” he says.
Workers at Swedish company Ericsson
came up with the standard in 1994. Since 1998, a manufacturer’s group calling
itself the Bluetooth Special Interest Group has focused on further developing
the technology.
The name comes from the legendary
10th century Danish King Harald I, who went by the name Bluetooth and was, by
all accounts, a good communicator.
The modern-day Bluetooth plays a key
role in the field of audio transmissions. One popular use is for small, mobile
loudspeakers that can be easily set up wirelessly to play music transmitted
from a smartphone or tablet. Users mostly enjoy the ease of set-up.
“I don’t have to set up or plug in
anything. I can just get started,” says Holger Wachsmann of the audio industry
association High End Society.
That compares to other standards,
like Apple’s Airplay or the universal standard DLNA, which require users to
register devices with Wi-Fi networks or download suitable apps. Bluetooth uses
built-in technology. That said, Airplay and DLNA often deliver better sound
quality.
But, with the right stereo and audio
codec, Bluetooth-transmitted music can sound fine. Codecs like A2DP or aptX,
combined with Bluetooth 4.0 can deliver nearly CD quality sounds, says
Wachsmann.
“Audiophiles might hear differences,
but it’s not noticeable for laymen.” Bluetooth also limits music transmission
to a range of about 10 metres, maximum.
“It depends upon where the antenna
is inside the loudspeaker and how it’s built on,” says Wachsmann. Other
Bluetooth devices or Wi-Fi networks can also disrupt connections.
Indeed, 10 metres is about the outer
limit for most Bluetooth products, though greater distances should be possible
with different kinds of Bluetooth. However, further transmission means a lot
more energy consumption.
“That’s why most manufacturers limit
themselves to short distances.” Bluetooth frees up a lot of possibilities for
mobile devices, like data transfers. But regular use wears batteries down
faster. It also makes mobiles more susceptible to viruses, which means it
should be shut off when not in use.
TH130612
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