Bluetooth for Enhanced Productivity
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Bluetooth for Enhanced Productivity

CIO Review

Overview

Bluetooth has been there in the market for quite a while, keeping pace with its legacy in the file sharing and improving user mobility. The technology is free from the shackles of third party devices—needed to establish the network—which makes it’s a poster-boy in the ad-hoc wireless technology space.

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Communication between Bluetooth devices happens over short-range, ad hoc networks known as Piconets that are networks of devices connected. When a network is established, the initiator device takes the role of the master while all other devices act as slaves. Bluetooth devices also invariably avoid interference from other wireless devices as it uses a practice known as frequency hopping, and also low grade wireless signals.

Even though a standard Bluetooth network ranges only from two to eight connected devices, they are productive and capable to manage personal devices. It can connect your phone or computer to your speakers, it can connect your lights, door locks, TV, shoes, basketballs, water bottles, toys—almost anything you can think of—to an app on your phone. Bluetooth takes it even further with connecting beacons to shoppers or travelers in airports or even attendees at sporting events.

Bluetooth for Business

Bluetooth technology has become a part of almost every gadget today. While the low processing cost and low power consumption highlighted Bluetooth for the gadget manufacturers, the ease of use and affordability impressed the retail market. The technology can not only be useful for improving personal gadget mobility but can also play an impressive role in enhancing business productivity. Bluetooth, the wireless bridge between two devices, is more useful than you might think. Checkout some of the interesting areas were Bluetooth can be adopted to improve business productivity.

• Cut the cables

Communication being the most vital part of every organization, Bluetooth offers the ability to be cord-free, as well as hands free, augmenting mobility and workflow efficiency. Bluetooth can be used even while driving without using the phone through the hands-free speakerphones. As many states and municipalities in the U.S. begin to pass laws that prohibit drivers from engaging in handheld calls, Bluetooth speakerphones are helping mobile professionals continue conducting business on the road without violating local laws. Also, many new (higher-end) vehicles today include audio systems that support the Bluetooth hands-free profile, letting you seamlessly couple the cell phone with the car's audio system. The Motorola's T605 Bluetooth Automotive Music and Hands-free System can be an alternative for cars without an integrated Bluetooth system improving productivity even while driving.

• Go Mobile

Another advantage of Bluetooth over their wired predecessors is that this mobile wireless technology delivers crystal clear video and audio quality. Sales, field and delivery workers, who spend much of their time traveling to new destinations, can benefit from products that combine Bluetooth audio with Bluetooth GPS interfaces. Products like Motorola T850 and Garmin Nuvi 275T are devices that have integrated Bluetooth and GPS designed for the mobile workers. While the OptiEyes Bluetooth webcam is a gadget that streams video to any PC for video conference calls, the Sony-Ericsson MMV-100 Bluetooth Media Viewer allows images to be viewed on a TV or slide projector.    

• Mobile computing

Bluetooth is not limited to just audio or video sharing. Bluetooth keyboard and mouse can be paired to any phone or tablets that can transform a device into a full-fledged computer. The REDFLY mobile companion is another impressive tool that can completely alter your Bluetooth enabled smart-phone to a mini laptop. This paperback-sized clamshell display and keyboard connects via Bluetooth to your smartphone, providing an alternative human interface environment for interacting with applications running on a smartphone. Similar devices like Barcoda Pencil which is a Bluetooth enabled pencil that can turn any Bluetooth enabled mobile device into a wireless barcode scanner. The Kingston K33406us is an innovative device designed for the business people. It is a Bluetooth-enabled Voice over IP Internet phone, which can be used to make Skype, MSN, Yahoo and Google calls through laptop over the Bluetooth. The S’print is another Bluetooth device that can print small bits of data like business cards, appointments, short messages, enhancing your business when mobile. The AXIS 5810, a gadget smaller than a deck of cards, can transform an ordinary printer or copier into a wireless printing station that can print full-size documents from any Bluetooth-enabled phone.

• Network access

Admittedly, Bluetooth does not have the same range as a wireless LAN, but Bluetooth can help you stay connected to the internet to a greater extend while mobile. Bluetooth-enabled smartphones can be used as cellular data modems, providing non-3G-enabled laptops with Internet access in locations that lack Wi-Fi or Ethernet connectivity. There are several applications available in the market today that can route the data received over Bluetooth onto Ethernet or cellular networks. Even while working in remote locations where there is limited broadband network, a product like the COM One Bluetooth PSTN Access Point- a 56K dial-up modem that can deliver Internet access to nearby Bluetooth smartphones and laptops can do the magic.

• Data Sharing

One of the important features of Bluetooth in enhancing business is data sharing. Even though with in a limited area, Bluetooth enabled devices like laptops and mobile phones can be pared to send and receive files wirelessly. If the devices are within a Bluetooth area, data can be transferred flawlessly without any cables even if these devices are in different logical networks.

Into the Future

Bluetooth has fully-fledged into a world-wide, extensive wireless data transfer technology standard. As it is becoming significantly popular and being a standard for years to come, you can rely on it. While more and more devices will embed Bluetooth technology, progressively more manufacturers will be eager to make their products compatible. A chain reaction will undoubtedly occur, making Bluetooth the standard for cutting edge wireless.

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