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Bluetooth direction finding will locate your keys
Bluetooth's current location technology isn't particularly exacting. Its proximity features can tell you when you're close, but not which way to go -- and the position features are only accurate down to the meter level (about 3.3 feet), which can only help so much when a gadget falls between the couch seats. It's about to improve by leaps and bounds, however, The Bluetooth SIG has introduced direction finding support in its 5.1 standard to make location tech far more precise and overall useful.
Bluetooth mesh networking could connect smart devices city-wide
Bluetooth is one step closer to connecting smart devices on a large scale. The wireless standard's Special Interest Group (SIG) has announced support for mesh networking. With the new technology, manufacturers can build devices that can all talk to one another, from smart street lighting to transportation.
Bluetooth 5's faster, longer-ranged wireless is here
Bluetooth is about to become a lot less hassle-prone. The wireless standard's Special Interest Group has officially adopted the Bluetooth 5 spec, clearing the way for device makers to use the much-improved technology in everything from phones to wearables to smart home equipment. This doesn't mean that you'll see it right away, of course. The group expects Bluetooth 5-equipped products to hit the market in the next 2 to 6 months, or right around when the next wave of smartphones is likely to arrive.
You'll soon track Bluetooth devices directly over the internet
There are plenty of Bluetooth-based sensors and smart household items, but they have one big gotcha: they typically need an intermediary device to get internet access and offer control away from home. The Bluetooth standards group has unveiled an architecture that gives those devices an internet gateway without requiring a phone, tablet or another in-between gadget. Your internet-connected thermostat could control temperature sensors around the house and send that information online, letting you track them from wherever you happen to be.
Bluetooth is getting big range and speed boosts in 2016
If you're like me, you employ multiple Bluetooth devices on a daily basis. From headphones to speakers and household gadgets, the wireless connectivity drives many of our tech habits. Thanks to the Bluetooth SIG, the company that oversees the wireless technology, the connectivity that we use on the regular will be a lot better in 2016. The group announced today that in order to improve the experience with connected devices that fall under the Internet of Things (IoT), its making some big updates. While the changes are aimed at smart home gadgets, industrial automation and location-based services, Bluetooth connections in general will have four times the range and a 100% speed boost without requiring more power. This means faster data transfers for medical uses, for example. The Bluetooth SIG is also working on mesh networking so that a collection of individual devices could work together to blanket an entire area or building. This would have a major impact on homes, with the potential for all of those connected wares to work more efficiently. Of course, it means that setups like iBeacon and Google Eddystone could see improvements, too.
Blocks' modular smartwatch concept is ambitious to a fault
As one of the Blocks smartwatch team reminded us today, modularity has played an integral role in modern computing. A desktop PC is only a collection of components, after all, which can swapped out and upgraded based on what you need from that particular machine (a process Razer hopes to simplify with Project Christine). Recently, Google and others have been working out how to bring the same level of customization to the smartphone. With smartwatches and fitness trackers a burgeoning tech category, both in terms of consumer interest and product development, the Blocks team sees no reason why wrist-worn technology can't benefit from being modular, too. It's in the process of creating such a gadget and today we caught up with the team at a London event, hosted by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, to talk about its progress and check out an extremely early prototype.
Samsung tipped to revisit Windows Phone 8 with the 5-inch, 1080p SM-W750V
Much like HTC, Samsung hasn't expended a huge amount of effort on Windows Phone 8, having crafted just a few handsets running the platform before seemingly losing interest. Various clues are now pointing to a renewed curiosity in Microsoft's mobile OS from the company, in the form of the high-end SM-W750V. Shipping documents from before the new year indicate a screen size of 5 inches and provide first mention of the model number, which matches a recent North American approval by the Bluetooth SIG. A user agent profile on Samsung's site is even more fruitful: "Windows Mobile Lab" is named co-conspirator alongside Sammy, Internet Explorer is penned as the default browser, and a couple of specs point to an LTE-capable handset with a screen resolution of 1,920 x 1,080. As these things go, it's probably just a matter of time before pictures of the handset start surfacing, and there is a large mobile conference a little more than a month away. With Nokia rumored to soon enter unfamiliar territory, perhaps Samsung is preparing a undercover agent of its own.
Alliance for Wireless Power and Bluetooth SIG team on smarter charging stations
Wireless charging stations aren't currently very bright, but they're about to learn some new tricks. The Alliance for Wireless Power and the Bluetooth SIG are collaborating on an updated A4WP specification that uses Bluetooth Smart to manage wireless charging sessions. Future Bluetooth-equipped stations should optimize power delivery, prioritize charging for multiple devices and launch apps; you could order a meal by setting your phone down at a restaurant table, for instance. Just when we'll see these smart stations isn't certain, though. When the first A4WP-ready products aren't likely to reach the market until next year, it could be a long time before wireless chargers become truly multi-talented.
HTC One drops by Bluetooth SIG with Android 4.3
Android 4.3 keeps popping up left, right and center and it's most recently been spotted running on an HTC One in the Bluetooth SIG. It's no secret that the new version of Jelly Bean will finally support Bluetooth 4.0 out of the box and enable Android phones and tablets to connect with a whole new category of devices like the Kevo lock we played with at CTIA. The handset is named "PN071xx_Android 4.3_G" in the July 5th listing -- which matches the HTC One's model number (with "G" likely denoting the Google Play edition) -- and shows compatibility with Bluetooth 4.0 LE. With this much evidence building up, we're pretty sure the official launch of Android 4.3 is just around the corner. Are you ready for it?
ASUS K009 tablet reaches Bluetooth SIG with Snapdragon 600 mention, tiny photo
Well, isn't this odd? ASUS' mystery K009 tablet surfaced at the FCC with hints of a Snapdragon S4 Pro inside, but the 7-inch slate just received a Bluetooth SIG certification with marketing copy that suggests there's a Snapdragon 600 instead. We don't know whether this hints at a quiet upgrade, a variant or merely some confusion, although we're keeping our fingers crossed for a speedup. The filing may have also shown the K009's appearance, if barely -- a miniscule photo points to styling like that of the Nexus 7 or the MeMo Pad series. While the tablet isn't any closer to release without evidence of a ship date, it's less likely to catch us off-guard.
Android to get built-in Bluetooth Smart Ready support this year
As powerful as Android can be, Bluetooth is one of its glaring weaknesses: the absence of a default Bluetooth framework has led to inconsistent implementations from both device builders and app developers. Google is at last covering that gaping hole, however. As hinted earlier today, it's incorporating Bluetooth Smart Ready support (that is, Bluetooth 4.0 on a dual-mode chip) in an upcoming version of Android. Having a common platform should allow for more reliable behavior, not to mention fewer roadblocks to using low power Bluetooth Smart (single-mode Bluetooth 4.0) devices like the Fitbit Flex. There's only one catch that we can see, so far: when Google hasn't said how soon we'll get that Android upgrade, wireless peripheral lovers will have to remain patient.
Samsung's rumored dust and waterproof Galaxy S 4 Active shows up in Bluetooth certification
Samsung's Galaxy S 4 Active -- a dust and waterproof version of the company's flagship -- is currently just a rumor, but documentation has started popping up online to lend some corroboration. A handset going by the handle GT-I9295, which SamMobile has linked to the S 4 Active, has shown up in a Bluetooth SIG filing. Furthermore, a user agent profile for the same model lists the display resolution as 1080p, matching that of the standard GS4. With all these small clues pointing in the same direction, the existence of an S 4 for outdoorsy types is starting to look more like a dead cert.
Toshiba Excite 10SE / AT300SE gets caught visiting the FCC, may tout Jelly Bean
If you're Toshiba, what do you do when you're looking to goose interest in the Excite 10 tablet? Roll out a quick follow up, of course. Accordingly, the FCC has just recently cleared a refreshed tablet, the AT300SE, that the Bluetooth SIG suggests will be called the Excite 10SE in North America. As shown, it's a European-spec WiFi model that gives away little by itself. It's when we combine this with the Bluetooth listing and speed tests that a clearer picture of the upgrade emerges -- there's been an AT300SE in GLBenchmark's performance charts that we've seen running Jelly Bean (unavailable to current Excites) on top of what looks to be the familiar 1,280 x 800 display and 1.3GHz Tegra 3. While there may be other surprises lurking in areas the tests can't reach, the documents point to a quick nip-and-tuck from Toshiba to keep tablet sales afloat rather than a full overhaul.
Bluetooth SIG releases certifications for fitness devices aimed at runners and cyclists
Fitness gadgets are great, but you never quite know what you're going to get when it comes to calorie counts, or a reading of how many miles you've run. That could change, though, thanks to a set of standards the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) is adopting with regard to fitness devices. These two certifications, which apply to running and cycling gadgets, respectively, affect the way data (e.g., cadence, speed, distance) is transmitted to paired devices like smartphones, sports watches and cycling computers. As far as SIG is concerned, too, more standardization means OEMs will have an easier time bringing new products to market -- not that there's any current shortage of options to choose from.
Samsung Galaxy S III for T-Mobile hits FCC, brings future-proofed HSPA+ for good measure
There's been hints of it coming as early as February, but we now have a smoking gun at the FCC: the Galaxy S III is coming to T-Mobile. A Samsung SGH-T999 has popped up at the agency sporting newly added 1,700MHz AWS support that's the telltale sign of a T-Mobile device, along with the T999 name itself (the T989 is the network's Galaxy S II). It also totes 850MHz and 1,900MHz WCDMA bands being used for HSPA+ data rather than just voice, a clue that the phone is ready for refarmed GSM spectrum. Just in case there was any remaining doubt, we've further spotted a related T999V entry at the Bluetooth SIG with a rather familiar-looking image as well as a Samsung-hosted T999 user agent profile on the web that matches what we know about the Android 4.0 hardware. We have yet to get a look at whether or not the T-Mobile version is any different on the outside, but with the FCC's help, there's not much left to know before the expected summer US launch.
Bluetooth SIG embraces GNSS Profile 1.0 for GPS data sharing
Hot on the heels of a new Broadcom system that taps into the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) in order to reduce first-lock times, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group has quietly adopted GNSS Profile 1.0 for GPS data sharing. According to Phone Scoop, the profile can be used by all devices boasting Bluetooth 2.0 and up, and it'll allow GPS-enabled products to share positioning data with another nearby product over BT. Specifically, "the GNSS profile specification defines the Serial Port Profile (SPP) based transport mechanism and associated service discovery record parameters needed to establish a service level connection between two devices," which should make GPS data sharing as easy as contact sharing of yesteryear. Practical applications? With a plethora of location-based social networking apps already on the market, we're certainly playing the wait-and-see game on this one.
New iPad has power-sipping Bluetooth 4.0
There are already 2,048 x 1,536 reasons to covet the latest iPad, but here's one more: it's the first tablet to incorporate the latest Bluetooth 4.0 "Smart" standard. Like the iPhone 4S, Apple's new slate is ready to pair with other Smart devices that drain far less power than previous modules. Want to complement your purchase with a wireless keyboard whose batteries will last for years? Or to plaster your body with tiny low-power sensors so you can, erm, monitor yourself on your iPad? Oh yes, Bluetooth 4.0 can make that happen.
Bluetooth SIG forms new working group focused on fitness gadgets
We've been seeing Bluetooth make more and more inroads into fitness gadgets as of late, and it looks like the Bluetooth Special Interest Group is intent on seeing that trend continue. It announced the formation of a new Sports and Fitness Working Group today, which will be tasked with increasing the interoperability between wearable gadgets and other sensors and so-called "hub" devices like smartphones, TVs and gym equipment. That's a fairly natural fit for Bluetooth now, but it's taken until Bluetooth 4.0 for the standard to really emerge as a viable alternative to lower-power options like ANT+ (now commonly used in heart rate monitors and the like).
Sony Ericsson LT28at with 4.55-inch HD display, 13MP camera and LTE gets Bluetooth certification
Reading entries to the Bluetooth SIG for device certification can be a frustrating activity. They're generally void of any telling detail aside from the device's model number, and they rarely give any insight into what we can expect from the upcoming product. The Sony Ericsson LT28at, a handset we haven't seen or heard from before, decided to be a little different and use the opportunity to get a little pre-CES scoop. The LT28a -- not to be confused with the LT26i (Nozomi), a rumored handset with a 4.3-inch HD screen and 12MP camera -- claims to offer LTE, a 720p HD Reality display, 13MP rear camera with an LED flash and a front-facing cam capable of taking 720p HD video, and is said to take the Xperia lineup into "superphone territory." Sounds nice, but we have a feeling the land will be populated by hostile forces of all kinds at CES, so we hope they're prepared.
Bluetooth SIG, NFC Forum come together, right now, over pairing
Personally, we wish the NFC Forum and Bluetooth SIG behaved like the elder robots of Chapek 9, controlling the world from an underground bunker. Instead, the two industry bodies ensure interoperability and standards of their respective technologies. Now they've gotten 'round the table and hammered out the dryly titled "Bluetooth secure simple pairing using NFC," a guide for developers to ensure hassle-free hook-ups 'twixt smartphone and device. The paper includes breakdowns on ensuring the kit will team up pedometers, headsets, car dashboards and push content from your phone to your TV -- something we've been told we watch too much of, given our Futurama fantasies.
