| Everyone is always looking for the “next big thing”—especially in the world of technology. Emerging technologies attract interest because of their future application (how will it affect my life?), because of their potential investment value (it’s good to get in on the ground floor of something big), and, quite frankly, because they’re kind of cool. Bluetooth is just such an emerging technology. Many—including me—think that it’s going to be the “next big thing” in the computing and telecommunications worlds.
If you follow the technology news, you’ve probably heard about Bluetooth already. It’s a new wireless technology that promises not just to eliminate the cables that connect our computing and electronics equipment, but also to spawn new and exciting applications for electronic information exchange, electronic payments, and who knows what else.
And, if it does half of what some people predict, it’s going to be big. It’s that future potential that inspired me to write this book. The technology is interesting, yes, but Bluetooth also has the potential to dramatically affect the way we do many things in our everyday lives. It’s quite possible, once the technology hits a critical mass, that we’ll find Bluetooth driving literally dozens of our different activities each day. When we use our computers or PDAs, we’ll be using Bluetooth technology. When we use our desktop or mobile phones, we’ll be using Bluetooth. When we drive our cars, Bluetooth will be along for the ride. When we go shopping, or traveling, or out for a night on the town, Bluetooth will be there.
If you’re at all like me (and millions of other technology enthusiasts), you want to be in on the Bluetooth revolution from the very beginning. Maybe you’re the guy who has to be the first on his block with all the new toys and gadgets. Maybe you see how Bluetooth can provide a better way to do those tasks that are slow and cumbersome today. Maybe you see an investment opportunity, and want to know which companies will benefit from a Bluetooth boom. Maybe you work for a company that is considering adding Bluetooth functionality to its products. Maybe you just want to find out what all the fuss is about.
Whichever of these statements best describes your interest in Bluetooth, you’ve come to the right place. Discovering Bluetooth is the first book to examine Bluetooth from a consumer, rather than a technical, perspective. This book will tell you what Bluetooth is about, how it works (in general terms—not a lot of technobabble here), and how it’s likely to impact your daily life. You’ll learn the history of Bluetooth (it came from Sweden...), view some of the first Bluetooth products to hit the market, and discover all sorts of interesting potential applications of the technology. |
