[Asterisk-Users] Bluetooth discussions

[Dan]

Hi Steve,

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Underwood" <steveu at coppice.org>

> Bluetooth just doesn't do anything very well.
There is something which is done better by 802.11 except the range (see
bellow) and the higher theoretical capacity and bandwidth? The '11Mbps'
value is an ideal one in real life conditions. Have you tried to compare an
old 10Mbps 10BaseT by downloading large files using several computers? You
will see that the real 'speed' of 802.11 is a maximum of 3Mbps in very good
conditions (devices close to each other, no RF noise and so on). The newer
standards (802.11a and 802.11g) does allmost nothing here. The range is
smaller at the same power and the capacity lower.
What else available?

> Other methods of doing
> cordless headset to phone connectivity offer far better battery life,
> and lower cost.

Do you know any other cordless headset to phone connectivity abvailable on
the market now?
I use for more than a year now a Plantronics Bluetooth headset with my
SonyEricsson T68i and I am very happy with it, but t he battery life
(maximum one day for regular use) is the main issue.
Unfortunatelly, 802.11 standard does not offer the same range of services
included in the standard as Bluetooth does in this moment and the power
consumption is higher.
More, the Bluetooth security is higher (spread spectrum, the devices must
bonded one with each other, the communication can be encripted and/or
password protected and so on).
Another interested thing: I have done some comparative tests between an iPaq
H3870 Pocket PC and a notebook, in very 'dense' concrete building (small
rooms with ticker walls). The BT was the low power one (10m). I have seen
that the range was more that 10m for BT and allmost the same for the 802.11b
(which is stated at 30-50m in buildings).
The sensibility to RF noise (especially Microwave Owens and other devices
from 2.4GHz range) is far lower for the BT devices.

>The headsets cost $100 up
I have buy my Plantronic M1500 headset (including a portable BT receiver) at
the beginning of last year with around $80. You can find cheaper models for
less. Connecting the BT receiver to a PC sound card you can use the headset
for any available softphone too, if you do not have a BT dongle with Headset
Profile support.

>  My guess is that this will collapse in 2005, and bluetooth will be
> dead soon after.

It is possible, but not because 802.11 is a better standard (we can find a
lot of other examples in the history when the better standard die first.).

> ... and phone to PDA connectivity seems to be the main use right
> now.
I am not aware of any other wireless possibility right now, except IR (which
is not acceptable for me because of the shorther range and the requirement
of direct visibility).

> However, all those products will soon have 802.11 ...
Do you know any available now (I'm reffering to phones not PDAs)?

< Anyone with 802.11 in
> their phone can we tracked rather well as they move around
This is right, but can be improoved in BT too.

The main issue with BT is that the standard is allmost the same for years.
The 'low power' feature of Bluetooth I don't think will be reached  by
802.11 very soon.

> Disclaimer: The value of predictions can go down as well as up :-)
Same for my comments..:-))

Best regards,
Dan