Via ipodobserver.com

PortalPlayer, which makes the audio processor in the iPod, will soon add WiFi and Bluetooth capability, thanks to a collaboration with UK firm Cambridge Silicon Radio. Tony Smith reported the news for Reg Hardware, noting that the new audio chip family, dubbed PP5-22, will be demonstrated at the 3GSM trade show next week in Barcelona.

Mr. Smith wrote: “The company’s pitch is that the integration will allow PortalPlayer-based gadgets to use Bluetooth stereo headsets and reach out to computers’ music archives via the wireless networking technology, and to connect directly to music download services through Wi-Fi hotspots.”

He also noted that Apple is rumored to be readying a music-related press event the week after the 3GSM. Supposedly the invitation’s image shows an AirPort Express power light, which some think means the announcement will concern some form of wireless music. However, Mr. Smith pointed out that PortalPlayer’s new chipset won’t be available until the second half of 2006.

Strategy Analytics asserts that the market for Bluetooth-enabled devices grew to more than 272 million units in 2005, twice the number of units shipped globally in 2004, as outlined in “Bluetooth Doubles: CSR Still Gaining Momentum.” To date, Bluetooth for hands-free cellphones has driven the adoption of Bluetooth. In the future, more users are expected to want Bluetooth-enabled cell phones and headphones for listening to high quality stereo music.

This Strategy Analytics report covers Bluetooth chip vendors, and examines chip technology, strategies and positioning, in light of the expected growth of Bluetooth in cell phones and other applications.

According to Chris Taylor, Director of the Strategy Analytics RF & Wireless Component Service (RFWC), “Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR) has maintained a strong lead in the Bluetooth chip market by aggressively reducing cost, power consumption, and footprint, while increasing data rates and adding features to its chips. This has allowed it to stay ahead of powerhouse competitors, including Texas Instruments and Broadcom.”

“CSR is well positioned to maintain market share in cellphones, headsets, notebooks, and automotive applications,” Mr. Taylor continued. “However, the anticipated marriage of Bluetooth with ultra wideband (UWB) could move the advantage to Freescale, Texas Instruments and other UWB players in emerging high data rate applications, such as short-range, wireless streaming video.”

Cellink, a major manufacturer of Bluetooth products for cellular technology and consumer electronics markets, today announced that it is expanding its full line of Bluetooth and Radio Frequency wireless accessories from Asia, Australia, and Europe to North America. Cellink products will be initially marketed and distributed in the U.S. by Lexy Pacific Corp.

Cellink products have been consistently acclaimed for their high standards in design quality at industry awards shows. The company’s first line of Bluetooth wireless products available in the U.S. will include headphones for MP3 and multimedia players such as iPods and Sony’s PSPs; headsets for VoIP, online chatting, and gaming, including SKYPE, Yahoo and Counterstrike; hands free car kits and headsets for cellular phones; GPS receivers to stream real-time map information and directions to PDAs, and PCs; and peripherals for desktop and notebook PCs, including mice and adapters.

The company will also exhibit new products for 2006 at the Consumer Electronics Showcase (CES) January 5 – 8, in the Las Vegas Hilton Ballroom, booth 54007.

“The convergence of computers and consumer electronics is creating a global demand for wireless devices that simplify and enhance the digital lifestyle,” said Grace Pan, President of Cellink. “Cellink has already earned impressive market share in Asia and Europe and we’re striving to duplicate that success in North America. The U.S. is an important market for us, as its adoption rate for Bluetooth products is soaring. Our line-up of award-winning wireless products are proven as one of the most comprehensive in the industry, spanning the consumer electronics, PC, and communications markets.”

Cellink’s products launching in the U.S. include:

GPS Receiver
•BTG-7000 – Cellink’s Bluetooth GPS receiver enables mobile phones, PDAs, and laptops to receive detailed positioning and navigation maps and directions. Cellink Bluetooth GPS receiver offers advanced features and simultaneously tracks up to 16 satellites for increased accuracy.

Stereo Headsets
•BTST-9000A, BTST-9000D – Stylish, folding stereo headsets with stereo adapters. Connects to MP3/multimedia players, PSPs, iPods, PCs, and mobile phones. The innovative headsets also include a built-in microphone for use with popular cell phones for seamless switching between wireless stereo audio from an iPod and a cell phone call.

Hands free Car Kits
•BTHF-6600 – Cellink Bluetooth Hands-free kits are among the most advanced and smartest wireless solutions on the market. They integrate unwired freedom with the comfortable feel of a traditional hands free speakerphone, which provides a safe and convenient driving experience. The BTHF series enables users to make and receive calls using Bluetooth and also features voice dialing allowing users to keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road.

Cellular and Cordless Phone Headsets
•BTHS-6033F, BTHS-6025F – Cellink Bluetooth Headsets are extremely sleek and lightweight and fit perfectly on either ear. The rechargeable Lithium polymer battery for model BTHS 6033 offers up to 8.5 hours talk time, 230 hours standby time, and unhindered movement within a range of 33 feet. Model 6025F offers up to 6 hrs talk time and 160 hrs of standby time.

Bluetooth USB Adapters
•BTA-3120, BTA-6030 – Cellink Bluetooth USB adapters enable wireless connectivity between a PC or notebook and Bluetooth products. The BTA-3120 is the world’s smallest Bluetooth USB Adapter(less than 4-cm long) and is 1.2 compliant. It offers an operating range of up to 33 feet with a data transfer rate of 723 kbps. The BTA-6030 is Bluetooth Standard 2.0 compliant and features EDR (Enhanced Data Rate), which allows data to be transferred at 2.1Mbps, 3 times faster than other adapters in the market. In addition, it has an operating range of 330 feet.

Desktop and Portable Mice
•BTM-5963, BTM-5632 – Cellink’s mini Bluetooth optical mouse is compact and portable, eliminating cables and maximizing the working space. The BTM line is one of the smartest wireless solutions on the market today, offering incredible optical precision. BTM 5963 was awarded the IF Design Award 2005 at Cebit 2005 in Germany.
•OPMP-2401 – This RF mini optical mouse offers a unique feature-set functioning both as an optical mouse and as a presentation device. It offers page forward and page backward buttons used in conjunction with Microsoft Power Point. In addition, it includes a laser pointer that allows the presenter to highlight certain parts of his/her presentation.

About Cellink
Cellink, www.cellink-eu.com, was founded in July 1998 and is headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, with sales offices in Europe, Russia and China. The company was founded by a group of senior RF wireless experts and has been recognized as a leading integrator in the RF wireless and Bluetooth wireless industry with products specifically designed for the telecom, consumer electronics, and IT markets. Its manufacturing site is located in Shanghai and has a capacity to manufacture 1 million Bluetooth and 800,000 RF products per month.

In August 2004 we warned people about a serious vulnerability in Widcomm Bluetooth stack used by many PC Bluetooth dongles. The Widcomm stack contains vulnerability which allows remote code execution over Bluetooth, so that an attacker or a worm can take a PC over just by being inside the Bluetooth communication range.

Last week people at Digital Munition have found another vulnerability that allows unauthorized remote access to PC Bluetooth audio profile. Basically this means that anyone with proper software can eavesdrop a PC that has Widcomm Bluetooth software and a microphone, or play audio on the target PC.

While this vulnerability is not nearly as dangerous as the remotely exploitable buffer overflow, it is a good reminder that nobody should be using the old and vulnerable Widcomm software anymore.

However, as Widcomm was bought by another company (Broadcomm), no security fixes have been made for devices that don’t use Broadcomm chipset. Fixing this problem is not easy.

The best advise we can give to people is to look for some other Bluetooth stack, for example many Bluetooth devices work without any extra drivers with Windows XP Service Pack 2.

If there is no compatible Bluetooth stack available, we recommend to set authentication for the Headset Audio Gateway profile, as described in the advisory, and set PC Bluetooth to non-discoverable mode.

Setting your PC Bluetooth to non-discoverable will not remove the problem completely, as your PC can still be found by brute force scanning. But it will significantly limit the exposure.

In an interview with ZDNet’s David Berlind, BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion’s co-CEO Mike Lazaridis explains why BlackBerrys do not offer 3G modem capability through Bluetooth radios

“BlackBerries can serve as 3G modems,” Berlind explains, “but not through their Bluetooth radios. Instead, a USB cable is required.”

“In our phone call, Lazaridis acknowledged the existence of other devices on the market that do things the Blackberries do not,” David adds. “But in the same breath, Lazaridis is unapologetic for what he says is a deliberate design decision. Lazaridis argues that his company has remained focused on the needs of its customers who are primarily from the business, government, and military sectors.

“Those customers, says Lazaridis, are very sensitive to security and still see Bluetooth-based networking (used to wirelessly turn a handset into a 3G modem) as a potential vulnerability,” Berlind adds. “Lazaridis says RIM’s customers are still concerned about previously reported vulnerabilties such as bluesnarfing.

“For this reason, not only does the company not offer the networking profile of Bluetooth on its devices,” Berlind notes Lazaridis is pointing out that RIM “gives enterprise IT departments the management capability to disable the Bluetooth radios altogether (thereby disabling the BlackBerries’ built-in support of Bluetooth-based wireless headsets).”

Read more here.

If you are an owner of HTC Magician Pocket PC phone, i.e. i-mate JAM, T-Mobile MDA Compact, Orange SPV M500, etc. – then we have good news for you: to enjoy stereo audio streaming over Bluetooth you don’t need to buy new phone powered by Windows Mobile 5.0 (that will support stereo audio over Bluetooth since March 2006)! You can do it also in your good old HTC Magician

Click here to read the full article.

Via Engadget.com

Sometimes the stars align such that we just can’t help ourselves from speculating. As Mobile Content News points out, PortalPlayer, the company that makes the chipset used in the iPod with an estimated 90% of their 3rd quarter 2005 revenue coming from the iPod alone, is making big moves into wireless. Just last month they named Vodafone and Ericsson veteran Tomas Isaksson to their Board of Directors and then last week they announced their licensing of Sun’s Java ME platform which moves Mobile Java content beyond devices such as cellphones and into next generation portable media players “expected to be released in the first half of 2006.” Now we have an analyst over at Citigroup reminding us that PortalPlayer “wants to acquire a small private company with a wireless technology portfolio” and are “dedicating 2006 to building out wireless capabilities.” So what does this all mean? Well, “wireless” and “iPod” could yield a Bluetooth 2.0 iPod finally axing the cable from the headphones, or a WiFi iPod which functions as a remote control and streaming data source to that new Mac mini with Front Row, or even the highly desired iPhone which seems almost a certainty in Apple’s expanding device portfolio. But hey, we’ve still got all the Macworld Intel rumors to sort out to get too carried away by anything up to 6 months away…that’s an eternity ‘round here.

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group is planning to cooperate more closely with the Wi-Fi, Ultra-Wideband (UWB) and Near Field Communications (NFC) wireless standards.
The initiative seeks to combine technologies, functionalities and user interfaces to make them more straightforward for end users.
Bluetooth is used mainly for short-range wireless networks, and has a prime application in connecting wireless headsets to mobile phones, while Wi-Fi is the standard in wireless networking for laptops and home networks.
Near Field Communications (NFC) is a less common technology sending a signal over a distance of just a few centimeters.
UWB is an emerging standard commonly referred to as “wireless USB” for its ability to transmit large amounts of data over a distance of up to 10 meters. These characteristics make the technology suitable for replacing USB cables to devices including printers.
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group said in May that it would incorporate the UWB specifications in a future version of the standard.
Wi-Fi, for instance, could benefit from a Bluetooth technology dubbed Adaptive Frequency Hopping that enables a device to switch to different frequencies to avoid interference.
Meanwhile Bluetooth could make use of a pairing technology pioneered by the NFC standard developers, where two devices can be paired simply by holding them close to each other.
Pairing allows the user to establish a trusted connection between two devices, for instance allowing a wireless headset to receive a phone conversation or coupling a wireless keyboard to the right computer.
Bluetooth currently requires a custom password to pair devices, which some in the industry consider to be overly complicated.

Via Abcnews.go.com

Printing without cables has been possible for some time. Select printer models have an infrared port for wireless printing—and infrared is still useful, because many notebooks still have the ports, too.

But wireless technology marches on. Wi-Fi networking has become all-but-standard on modern notebooks, and it’s beginning to appear in digital cameras. And for many, printing photos from a digital camera is one key reason for buying a color printer. Bluetooth wireless connectivity also is rising in popularity, particularly since many cell phones have Bluetooth and feature built-in cameras.

The printer industry has acknowledged the trend: A few recent models such as monochrome laser ($630) or Brother’s home-office multifunction inkjet printer ($199) feature built-in Wi-Fi.

Hewlett-Packard also has a range of printers with built-in Wi-Fi. In addition, it and several other companies market wireless print servers and adapters. Products like HP’s Jetdirect ew2400 ($200) provide wireless capabilities to printers that don’t already have Bluetooth or Wi-Fi networking built in.

Why would a business want to go wireless? Productivity. A wireless printer can be quickly installed and set up, without the huge expense of purchasing spools of network cables and running wires through the walls or floor.

Network printing without cables also allows small printers to be moved where employees need them, saving them from running back and forth for printouts.

Here are some things to consider before switching to wireless printers:

* Make sure your floor plan allows for acceptable wireless coverage.
* Determine which form of networking is best for your company’s needs; keep in mind that Bluetooth has a range of about 30 feet, while the range for 802.11b/g Wi-Fi is 160 feet.
* Make sure that your staff is equipped with computers that can communicate with the wireless network or printers.

Wireless printing has obvious appeal for consumers or home office workers. Imagine sitting on the couch in the living room with your notebook and sending your document to the printer in the next room—without cables running through your house. Now picture doing this with photos from your camera—as well as wirelessly uploading photos to your PC, and e-mailing them.

Canon, Kodak, and Nikon are introducing Wi-Fi into their cameras. We reviewed Kodak’s EasyShare-One and weren’t wildly impressed; Canon’s and Nikon’s Wi-Fi models aren’t yet available for review.

Most manufacturers offer a range of photo printers, from dedicated snapshot models to multipurpose inkjets. Often Wi-Fi capability is somehow indicated in the product name or model number. For instance, Canon uses the letter R to designate which of its printers include Wi-Fi capability; we’re currently testing the new . Canon also sells an adapter, the BU-20 ($80), which connects to the PictBridge port to add Bluetooth connectivity to most of its PIXMA printers.

While we’re on Bluetooth, a photo printer equipped with Bluetooth connectivity could be a great holiday gift for a friend or family member who has a Bluetooth-equipped camera phone. Despite the fact that the cameras in most phones usually max out at a lowly 1.3 megapixels, immortalizing your favorite candid snaps has never been easier. Be aware, however, that some carriers cripple their Bluetooth phones by limiting connections to headsets—which would prevent you from using a Bluetooth-equipped printer. So before buying a printer, check your phone’s manual or contact your carrier.

Industry insiders think it’s going to be a big holiday season for Bluetooth Latest News about Bluetooth wireless Business Communication Tools from Sprint technology — which is showing up in a wide range of gadgets, from mobile phones to audio players to personal digital assistants to personal computer keyboards and even cars.

Christophe Dissaux, executive vice president at Paris-based Parrot S.A., said Bluetooth — a short-range wireless technology that allows devices to communicate with each other without wires — has finally taken off. He said he expects this holiday season to be bigger for Bluetooth than last year and he expects next year should be even bigger.

Growing by Leaps and Bounds

“Parrot has doubled in growth since last year and has seen similar growth patterns for the past four years,” Dissaux said. “Eighteen months ago people knew the word Bluetooth. Today people understand what Bluetooth is about.”

Parrot develops and manufactures Bluetooth products to be used in vehicles. Since it developed its first hands-free mobile phone car-kit in 2001, it has delivered more than one million worldwide.

Dave Steer, director of segment marketing for UK-based ARM Ltd. (Nasdaq: ARMHY) Latest News about ARM, also said Bluetooth awareness is beginning to take off. “I’m not sure my Grandma will ever understand exactly what Bluetooth is, but the work is being associated now with more than simply headsets, and we’re beginning to see it linked more closely with things you can link to your phone.”

ARM designs the technology behind advanced digital products, including microprocessors, embedded memories and software Get your FREE Oracle Database Software Kit today! and development tools. Steer estimated that over 60 percent of Bluetooth devices are ARM powered.

Additional Opportunities

“It’s not likely to be a Bluetooth feeding frenzy out there, but it is an important time for the Bluetooth industry.” Steer said. “The mass-market adoption of Bluetooth has arguably been stifled by a chicken-and-egg situation where low- to mid-end phones were not Bluetooth equipped, because of the lack of intelligent accessories. This is now changing and may well cause a growth in the general Bluetooth market.”

Rob Hoeben, product marketing manager for the Bluetooth product line at Philips Semiconductors — a division of the electronics-giant Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV based in The Netherlands — said Bluetooth has penetrated enough electronic devices to gain the attention of consumers. “Consumers see the added value,” Hoeben said.

“The penetration rate of Bluetooth continues to climb resulting in Bluetooth being integrated into more and more electronic devices,” Hoeben said.

Mobile handsets are the overwhelming driver for Bluetooth, according to technology researcher In-Stat. It reported that handsets represent over two-thirds of Bluetooth-enabled products shipped in 2004. “As Bluetooth has become established in mobile phones, it has a positive effect on other devices integrating Bluetooth, including headsets, PDAs Latest News about PDAs, PCs Computing Solutions You Need When You Need Them From CDW., and even automobiles,” according to a report by the researcher.

Mike Foley, executive director of the industry sponsored Bluetooth Special Interest Group in Bellevue Wash., said there is an installed base of over 500 million Bluetooth devices and new units are shipping at over five million units a week.

“Part of the reason for the abundance of products is due to the availability of new tools to help companies bring Bluetooth products to market faster by simplifying qualification, the process that manufacturers of Bluetooth devices undergo to certify their products,” Foley said. He said his group has recently developed new tools as part of an updated qualification program that aims to assure better interoperability, verify conformance to the Bluetooth specifications, and strengthen compliance Free Trial: Eliminate IM compliance and security threats with policy and enforcement..

New Products Popping Up

Sony Ericsson, a 50/50 joint venture between Sony and Ericsson, is releasing new products with Bluetooth technology. “Sony Ericsson is shipping two new Bluetooth enabled handsets, the Z520 and W600 Walkman phone for the holidays. We also have recently announced several new Bluetooth headsets,” said Cherie Gary, vice president of corporate communications at Sony Ericsson Latest News about Sony Ericsson in Research Triangle, N.C.

Another new gadget to hit the market is the ElexTex fabric keyboard for smart phones and handheld computers made by UK-based Eleksen Ltd. It produces a five-layer conductive laminate that transforms fabric into electrically conductive materials.

“As the accessory market has grown, the need to reduce wires has created demand for this cable free technology,” said Andrew Newman, product manager at Eleksen.

With the demand for Bluetooth products growing, Taiwan-based Mobile Action Technology reports that it has seen more demand for its mobile management software. “We have seen a 50 percent increase in sales of our own Handset Manager Bluetooth Data Suite for the first three-quarters of 2005,” said Fitzwilliam Yang, product manager of Mobile Action Technology. “We see a growing trend to adopt Bluetooth products.”

But not everyone is convinced that this will translate into big holiday sales. “Bluetooth has taken off as a cell phone technology primarily for headsets, most of the other products [keyboards, mice, wireless telephones] haven’t done particularly well or failed outright,” said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group in San Jose, Calif. Enderle said Bluetooth is still trying to find a sustained broad use.

“Headsets and car cell phone kits have not been identified as a good gift item. I’m not seeing a ramp up in demand for these devices as gifts,” Enderle said.