Bluetooth 4.0 finally rolls low energy tech into a shipping standard

Bluetooth low energy and its predecessors (think Wibree) have been in the pipe for ages now, but we might actually see this tech take off en masse for the first time now that the Bluetooth SIG has officially added it into a release: 4.0. While Bluetooth 3.0 was all about high energy with the introduction of WiFi transfer, 4.0 takes things down a notch by certifying single-mode low energy devices in addition to dual-mode devices that incorporate both the low energy side of the spec plus either 2.1+EDR or 3.0. In a nutshell, the technology should bring a number of new categories and form factors of wireless devices into the fold since 1Mbps Bluetooth low energy can operate on coin cells -- the kinds you find in wristwatches, calculators, and remote controls -- and the SIG's pulling no punches by saying that "with today's announcement the race is on for product designers to be the first to market." Nokia pioneered Wibree, so you can bet they'll be among the frontrunners -- bring it, guys.

[Bowsa Posted Dec 17th 2009 9:27PM]

meh

[Infinity Posted Dec 18th 2009 5:15AM]

@Bowsa
Don't "meh" BT please, it has proven to be a resilient technology despite a lot of "meh" from people like you. Thanks to the BT technology I am able to integrate all my devices without the jungle of cables that will be needed to realize such without BT.

[jol Posted Dec 17th 2009 9:28PM]

It would be cool to have a watch that auto-syncs with my computer's clock.

[MRPysnik Posted Dec 17th 2009 9:39PM]

@jol Did you notice Dude isn't even wearing a watch. Maybe Mittens is...

[WKCptton Posted Dec 17th 2009 10:34PM]

@jol
I would, more than anything, love to have a bluetooth cat!

[Teerim Posted Dec 17th 2009 11:49PM]

@jol

just noticed the shopped cat on the left. overlooked it as just another bluetooth device

[BillF Posted Dec 22nd 2009 11:29AM]

@jol

TI's new CC430 watch can wireless sync time with a PC and you can program it yourself.
http://wiki.msp430.com/index.php/EZ430-Chronos
Mine should be arriving any day now.

[AndroidRokz Posted Dec 17th 2009 9:32PM]

Engadget, why must you write these "meh-ish articles?" but they are skillfully written anyway, no matter what the subject is the lovely engadget editors will always make it sound interesting.

[AndroidRokz Posted Dec 17th 2009 9:34PM]

@AndroidRokz especially chris ziegler, his articles are always extremely pleasurable, almost god-sent...

[Wwhat Posted Dec 17th 2009 9:36PM]

Meanwhile 99% of the manufacturers ignored 2.1and just stuck to 2.0 even though the .1 was all about using less batterypower AFAIK

[M3 Posted Dec 17th 2009 9:37PM]

Bluetooth cat wants to get tipsy........

[Eternity Posted Dec 17th 2009 10:32PM]

@M3
He wants to connect to the bluetooth mouse but his range isn't good enough.

I can haz mouse?

[Xenoterranos Posted Dec 18th 2009 12:27AM]

@M3
I got my cat to sync under wine.

[EM1 Posted Dec 17th 2009 9:38PM]

Your cat meets the Bluetooth 4.0 specs?

[boggit Posted Dec 17th 2009 9:49PM]

a cat that can be controlled via blu tooth? WANT

[rederikus Posted Dec 18th 2009 4:12AM]

@boggit
You cannot control the cat. The cat will control you :)

[GrumpyFinn Posted Dec 17th 2009 9:57PM]

why?

[ferno1016 Posted Dec 17th 2009 10:10PM]

@GrumpyFinn duh, remote control pussy?

[One Love Posted Dec 17th 2009 10:03PM]

Am waiting for "The Mentalist" to record so I can play Modern Warfare 2. Tick Tock Media Center!

[nigra Posted Dec 17th 2009 10:07PM]

@One Love
you cant do both?

[One Love Posted Dec 17th 2009 10:39PM]

...I don't want static in my recording! core i7 is great but...

[patboy2008 Posted Dec 17th 2009 10:05PM]

Sweet! Bluetooth cats!

[trevr Posted Dec 17th 2009 10:23PM]

@patboy2008

what'll they think of next... bluetooth sex?

[Eternity Posted Dec 17th 2009 10:08PM]

I must be living under a rock because I don't recall ever seeing bluetooth 3.0. Am I the only one here shocked by this?

[Rizzo Posted Dec 17th 2009 10:20PM]

@Eternity
Me too...

And would 4.0 also lead to host device battery savings, or just peripherals?

[Eternity Posted Dec 17th 2009 10:28PM]

@Rizzo
IDK but...

Dear Bluetooth Overlords,
Power saving is cute and all....but please also give us 100 mbs bandwidth, solid voice quality, longer range and wired earbud quality A2DP.

Luv U,
K. Thx. Bye.

[Winston Posted Dec 18th 2009 10:42AM]

@Eternity

BT 3.0 came out earlier this year and added the ability to have your Bluetooth connection transfer large files over WiFi.

As for the rest of your request, the connection can support it. Tell the manufacturers you want a better connection because they are choicing to go thte cheap route.

[bonaqo Posted Dec 17th 2009 10:15PM]

Thanks but I'll wait for Bluetooth 5 where it can control the volume on the wife.

[Eupfhoria Posted Dec 18th 2009 12:17AM]

@bonaqo Bluetooth 5.0 Specifications:

5.6.4: Wife Volume control:
The user shall calmly state: Yes, dear, I'm sorry, dear. You're right.

[mikevets Posted Dec 17th 2009 10:19PM]

this is going to be an unintended consequence if bluetooth 4.0 can't melt snow

[kjmathew Posted Dec 17th 2009 10:25PM]

So the cat swallowed the remote?! I don't get it.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 17th 2009 10:31PM]

This sounds like it competes with ANT and ANT+:

http://www.thisisant.com/

I wonder who wins?

[paul34 Posted Dec 17th 2009 10:56PM]

Warning: New hardware "cat" was not recognized and drivers were not installed. Your new device may not function correctly.

[JPeak Posted Dec 17th 2009 11:32PM]

@paul34

As a result, new device cat may occasionally spaz out and attack random objects, or appear on the internet with an unfunny caption.

[kenny goo Posted Dec 17th 2009 11:14PM]

Ugh. Bluetooth is such a mess. It seems like they just have no real direction on where they're going with the technology. We're talking about low power Bluetooth 4.0, and the high power Wi-Fi infused 3.0 hasn't even made it out yet. We already have 2.0, 2.1, and EDR to worry about.

All this does is give Sony or somebody the chance to push a short range, low energy wireless tech to compete with Bluetooth.

[Sellador Posted Dec 18th 2009 12:17AM]

Perhaps for BT 5.0, they could consider writing a standard that let's devices work reliably without spending hours trying to get them talking and without having to delete and re-pair devices every time you turn them off and back on.

[Hapcorrolr Posted Dec 18th 2009 1:59AM]

Oooh, red wine on a white sofa? She has to be an android.

[Re2st Posted Dec 18th 2009 3:41AM]

the dude's hot..

[jasev01 Posted Dec 18th 2009 4:57AM]

when did 3.0 come out?

[Shadow Posted Dec 18th 2009 7:13AM]

What's with all the volume controls?

[ecloud Posted Mar 6th 2010 9:12PM]

Now how about a nice low-latency low-power mouse with no perceivable lag...