Thanks for the help guys...
Here is the finished "im hoping for a b" paper lol
What is Bluetooth and why is it important to me? If you look around, you will find many definitions, but essentially Bluetooth is a term given to describe a short range (10cm ~ 100m) frequency-hopping radio link between devices. Is it important to you? Is it a life changing experience? Currently no, but you will see it used in excess towards the end of 2002 when Bluetooth is expected to emerge in bulk.
How does Bluetooth work? Bluetooth utilizes radio modules that operate in the unlicensed ISM band at 2.4GHz (starting at 2.402GHz and finishing at 2.480GHz), and avoid interference from other signals by hopping to a new frequency after transmitting or receiving a packet. Compared to other devices in this frequency range Bluetooth radio hops faster and uses shorter packets. Bluetooth uses specific profiles for search and connection of other Bluetooth devices. The four general profiles used are GAP, SDAP, Serial Port and GOEP. GAP, or Generic Access Profile, ensures that any two Bluetooth devices, regardless of manufacturer and application, can exchange information via Bluetooth in order to discover what type of application the units support. It is the generic language used to connect 2 Bluetooth devices. SDAP, or Service Discovery Application Profile, using GAP defines the investigation of services available to a Bluetooth unit. This profile handles the search for known and specific services as well as a general service search, which lets the 2 devices know what they are capable of and matches those capabilities. Serial port profile defines how to set-up virtual serial ports on 2 devices and connects those two devices through Bluetooth. In other words, it emulates a serial cable between the 2 devices and ensures a 128kbs connection. GOEP defines the set of protocols and procedures to be used by applications handling object exchanges. GOEP is mainly used by PCs, PDAs, mobile phones and smart phones and used for file transfer and synchronization.
How secure is Bluetooth? With Bluetooth being a wireless technology the need for security is extremely high. Two types of security were built into Bluetooth: authentication and encryption. Authentication is used to prevent unwanted access to data and falsifying the message sender. Encryption was built in to prevent eavesdropping. There are three types built into Bluetooth: Non-Secure, Service-Level, and Link-Level. First, Non-Secure encryption bypasses functionality for authentication and encryption. Secondly, Service-Level encryption checks for authentication after a connection is made. It defines trust levels between the two devices, while access is restricted according to its trust level. Finally, Link-Level encryption requires authentication before a connection can be made. It uses link keys, which are 128 bit random numbers stored individually on each unit, that control the encryption and authentication.
Now that you know how it works, and what it is, you are probably wondering how Bluetooth will stand up against other emerging wireless standards like 802.11b and 802.11a. While 802.11 has many advantages over Bluetooth like greater distance, amount of users, and transfer speeds, Bluetooth is inexpensive, small, and has very low power consumption. A Bluetooth chip currently goes for about $5 and, depending on the range, has very low power consumption, which allows the user to place it anywhere. Bluetooth is not intended to compete with the 802.11 standards, but it is intended to move away from proprietary cables and operate in a noise frequency environment. It isn’t an 802.11 vs. Bluetooth situation; the two technologies can coexist in the same environment. Neither interferes with each other and each has their own advantages and uses.
How will it affect me? With Bluetooth being widely adopted by many companies as a means of connecting components wirelessly, you will see an emergence of devices that are Bluetooth enabled. Current applications use Bluetooth to establish a connection between a printer and a PC or a cell phone for wireless printing, or a PC with a PDA or a music player to allow for wireless MP3 playing and downloading.
The greatest affect Bluetooth will have is not how it is currently being used, but what is being developed and envisioned for the future. Previously, the use of cell phones, laptops and other wireless communication devices were prohibited on Airplanes due to interference. Yet, AirCell, Inc. and Motorola, Inc. have developed an FCC approved Bluetooth enabled flight system that will communicate between all Bluetooth enabled appliances on the airplane, while using their own air to ground link to provide voice and data communication. Future applications are endless: Refrigerators that communicate to a Bluetooth enabled computer informing you that you are low on milk, then placing an order over the internet, or instantly adding a phone number to your PDA address book straight from your cell phone, or a headset that communicates with a mobile phone in your pocket.
It is estimated that before the close of 2002 there will be 100 million mobile phones and several million of other Bluetooth enabled devices on the market, such as PCs, handhelds, and laptops. These will most likely just be used as a cable replacement, but as more devices become built with Bluetooth chips, several markets will open for Bluetooth solutions. With free software developing kits available for Bluetooth devices, the relatively small, inexpensive chips, and the low power consumption design, the Bluetooth market is sure to hit hard when the electronics companies inevitably bundle Bluetooth chips onto their products.
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