Is Bluetooth going to be the technology that never was ?

[ozymandias]

There are loads of major manufacturers all planning to launch Wireless USB devices later this year.

Intel have thrown themselves heavily behind this new standard, or rather this extension of the existing USB standard. USB is already the most popular and pervasive interface in the world.

Who thinks this will kill Bluetooth ?

Personally I can't see bluetooth lasting for long once there is an alternative that actually works properly. It's hard to think of another technology that has promised so much and delivered so little and been so full of bugs, glitches, incompatibilities etc.

I think the Wireless USB will appear, having learnt from all of Bluetooth's ghastly mistakes, and take the industry by storm. Bye bye bluetooth.

[belfast-biker]

There are loads of major manufacturers all planning to launch Wireless USB devices later this year.

Intel have thrown themselves heavily behind this new standard, or rather this extension of the existing USB standard. USB is already the most popular and pervasive interface in the world.

Who thinks this will kill Bluetooth ?

Personally I can't see bluetooth lasting for long once there is an alternative that actually works properly. It's hard to think of another technology that has promised so much and delivered so little and been so full of bugs, glitches, incompatibilities etc.

I think the Wireless USB will appear, having learnt from all of Bluetooth's ghastly mistakes, and take the industry by storm. Bye bye bluetooth.



My last three phones were bluetooth, my last two handhelds, my curent phone/handheld, my gps, my PC, all my current gear works as expected.

What was your point again?

[ozymandias]

Read this and many other forums on bluetooth related topics.

All you read is problems with pairing, problems with sound quality, problems with compatibility, dopped connections, things either not working they way they should or not working at all.

Bluetooth, in general, is flaky.

[belfast-biker]

Bluetooth, in general, is flaky.



Wireless USB isn't even here yet, thus hasn't been tested properly yet, and you're sounding the death knells of BT.... you're certainly an optimist!

:P

[nikpro]

I also have no problems with bluetooth; certainly no more than I do with USB devices any way.

[Mvmajorem]

For one thing, in the very begining, people were saying that BlueTooth doesn't stand a chance because of it's short 10 meter radius. Well have you seen an 802.11b Wi-Fi headset? If there is I bet it costs a lot.

Everyone was skeptical but look at how technology is with regards to the phones, having BlueTooth is important when selecting a phone. Transfering small pictures, having printouts or even on your BT headsets. Wifi coss too much and I think Bluetooth will evolve into something that IR could not.

In my opinion it will stay for the next 5 years and then a better version will be out.

[ozymandias]

Don't get me wrong.
I'm not against BlueTooth.
I think bluetooth is quite well conceived as a technology, but disasterously implemented by a lot of manufacturers.

I understand and agree with the points made about the usefulness of short-range wireless and personal area networks etc etc. I think there's a great future in it.

My point is, that Wireless USB is quite clearly going to be stepping on BlueTooth's toes in a way that Wifi does not. We've seen it happen in the past with other standards like Betamax and VHS, even ethernet and token ring (although token ring still exists in various forms).

I'm not sure the various industries will stand for two such similar technologies and the way the players are lining up at the moment I think WUSB will have the edge.