| They may call it a wireless phone, but standard cellular | | | | Before you start talking on a Bluetooth cellular phone, |
| phones still require wires at some point. Besides the | | | | you do need to know a few facts. A Bluetooth cellular |
| clunky charger, you also have to fumble with cords to | | | | phone has a range of 30 feet (10 meters), and the |
| use a headset and to transfer data between your | | | | devices in question must use compatible versions of |
| phone and other gadgets. But there is an answer for | | | | Bluetooth. The majority of Bluetooth cellular phones |
| anyone looking to cut the cord almost completely. With | | | | currently in the marketplace works on Bluetooth 1.1. |
| a Bluetooth cellular phone, you can chat on a wireless | | | | (Two previous versions, 1.0 and 1.0B, were plagued |
| headset, transfer data magically through the air to a | | | | with compatibility issues and have since been |
| handheld, or connect with a Bluetooth-enabled car. But | | | | discontinued.) The Bluetooth Special Interest Group |
| take care, as each Bluetooth cellular phone is not | | | | (SIG), a trade association and development group, is |
| created in the same manner. While some carriers let | | | | releasing newer versions that promise several |
| you use a Bluetooth cellular phone for almost any | | | | upgrades and backward compatibility. Bluetooth 1.2, |
| means, others restrict it to a headset only.Bluetooth is | | | | includes the addition of an anonymity mode, which |
| a standard developed by a group of electronics | | | | masks the hardware address of the device to protect |
| manufacturers that allows any sort of electronic | | | | from identity snooping and tracking, and adaptive |
| equipment -- from computers and Bluetooth cellular | | | | frequency hopping, which cuts interference by avoiding |
| phones to keyboards and headphones -- to make its | | | | crowded frequencies. Bluetooth 2.0 has some |
| own connections, without wires, cables or any direct | | | | enhancements; among them are narrowband channels, |
| action from a user. A Bluetooth cellular phone works at | | | | which will enable messages to be broadcast to a high |
| two levels: | | | | number of devices without the pairing process, |
| It provides agreement at the physical level -- Bluetooth | | | | andhigher connection speeds of up to 12Mbps.When |
| is a radio-frequency standard. | | | | no other means of connecting to the Internet is |
| It also provides agreement at the next level up, where | | | | available, mobile workers can use their Blue tooth |
| Bluetooth cellular phones have to agree on when bits | | | | cellular phone as a modem. An advantage of using a |
| are sent, how many will be sent at a time and how the | | | | Bluetooth cellular phone is that it can remain in your |
| parties in a conversation can be sure that the | | | | laptop carrying case or pocket, and a Bluetooth cellular |
| message received is the same as the message | | | | phone does not require a direct line of sight connection. |
| sent.While it may sound complicated, a Bluetooth | | | | If your laptop is not already Bluetooth enabled, you can |
| cellular phone works in a simple manner. A Bluetooth | | | | purchase a USB Bluetooth adapter. |
| cellular phone communicates with different devices by | | | | A Bluetooth cellular phone makes it easy to transfer |
| sending data via a secure, low-cost short-range radio | | | | or receive information from other Bluetooth-enabled |
| frequency. Using the technology, a Bluetooth cellular | | | | devices, eliminating the need for extra cables. A |
| phone can connect to headsets, PCs can connect to | | | | Bluetooth cellular phone can be used with a |
| printers or keyboards, and handhelds can connect to | | | | Bluetooth-enabled headset allowing for handsfree |
| each other without any wires. Up to seven | | | | operation. You can put the Bluetooth cellular phone in |
| connections can be made at one time, at a speed of | | | | your pocket or carrying case and still take calls. This is |
| 1Mbps. All that's needed for any Bluetooth cellular | | | | especially useful if you need to use your Bluetooth |
| phone to connect to another Bluetooth-enabled device | | | | cellular phone while driving.Be secure |
| is for them to be paired--normally, a hassle-free | | | | As with any wireless device, a Bluetooth cellular |
| "handshaking" process for establishing a connection | | | | phone has some minor security concerns. The SIG has |
| that takes seconds and can be found in most wireless | | | | admitted that bluebugging, where a hacker secretly |
| connectivity menus.What's in a Name? | | | | accesses a phone's commands (such as |
| In case you were wondering, what's "Bluetooth" in the | | | | eavesdropping on conversations), and bluesnarfing, |
| term "Bluetooth cellular phone", Bluetooth gets its name | | | | where a hacker can access a phone's data--such as |
| from a 10th-century Danish king, Harald Blatand (or | | | | the contacts--are possible, yet the group downplays |
| Bluetooth) who unified Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. | | | | both actions. While they work through Bluetooth, they |
| According to legend, he had an affinity for | | | | also require the hacker to use a PC and to be within |
| teeth-staining blueberries.Bluetooth Frequency | | | | range of the victim's Bluetooth cellular phone (10 |
| A Bluetooth cellular phone communicates on a | | | | meters). Still, Nokia and Sony have said these issues |
| frequency of 2.45 gigahertz, which has been set aside | | | | affect only older handsets that are available mainly |
| by international agreement for the use of industrial, | | | | outside of the United States, and Nokia is promising a |
| scientific and medical devices (ISM).A number of | | | | software upgrade. To help combat both, a Bluetooth |
| devices that you may already use take advantage of | | | | cellular phone can be locked with a code or simply |
| this same radio-frequency band. Baby monitors, | | | | turned off or put in hidden mode when not in use. |
| garage-door openers and the newest generation of | | | | Another concern, depending on how you look at it, is |
| cordless phones all make use of frequencies in the | | | | bluejacking. This often involves creating a flirtatious |
| ISM band. Making sure that a Bluetooth cellular phone | | | | introductory message, then sending it to another |
| and these other devices don't interfere with one | | | | Bluetooth cellular phone (that is discoverable) narby as |
| another has been a crucial part of the design | | | | a text message. |
| process.Pairing up | | | | |