Term of the Moment
haptic VR
Definition: Bluetooth
The standard wireless network technology for short-range transmission of digital audio and data from the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). The trademarked name and logo signify genuine Bluetooth technology.
Spread Spectrum Frequency Hopping
Bluetooth is a wireless personal area network (WPAN) that continuously changes its frequency. It randomly changes to one of 79 channels 1,600 times per second in the same unlicensed 2.4 GHz band as Wi-Fi. See spread spectrum.
Scandinavian Origins
Bluetooth was named after Viking King Harald "Blatan" Gormsson of Denmark, who loved blueberries. The king's nickname "Blatan" meant "blue tooth." Sweden-based Ericsson developed Bluetooth and co-founded the governing body in 1998. Bluetooth is also an IEEE personal area network (PAN) standard (see 802.15). Supporting point-to-point and multipoint architectures (see piconet), there are billions of Bluetooth devices in use. See Bluetooth glossary.
Bluetooth = Earphones
Game Controllers
BlueTeeth!
Bluetooth Logos
Spread Spectrum Frequency Hopping
Bluetooth is a wireless personal area network (WPAN) that continuously changes its frequency. It randomly changes to one of 79 channels 1,600 times per second in the same unlicensed 2.4 GHz band as Wi-Fi. See spread spectrum.
Scandinavian Origins
Bluetooth was named after Viking King Harald "Blatan" Gormsson of Denmark, who loved blueberries. The king's nickname "Blatan" meant "blue tooth." Sweden-based Ericsson developed Bluetooth and co-founded the governing body in 1998. Bluetooth is also an IEEE personal area network (PAN) standard (see 802.15). Supporting point-to-point and multipoint architectures (see piconet), there are billions of Bluetooth devices in use. See Bluetooth glossary.
Because so many Bluetooth-based earphones came on the market, the word Bluetooth became synonymous with "earphones" or "earbuds." However, Bluetooth provides wireless connectivity between countless other devices. See earphones.
This "gamepad" from Sony uses Bluetooth to communicate with the PlayStation3 game console. See video game controller. (Image courtesy of Sony Corporation.)
This Oral-B toothbrush sends elapsed time to the app in the user's smartphone via Bluetooth to monitor brushing time and history.
Bluetooth uses a stylized "B" as its logo on phones and other devices.