Mobile
Bluetooth and WiFi Marriage Coming Our Way
Get ready for a new acronym. Alternate MAC/PHY is a technolgy that allows Bluetooth connectivity via WiFi and from the accounts I’m seeing it looks like it moves data pretty fast. Scheduled to debut in April, word is this isn’t one of those technologies that we’ll hear about for a couple of years before we see it on devices. In fact, according to Gizmodo, some phones may already be capable of delivering it already.
Basically the technology works like this. When two enabled devices meet up they go through the handshake. When a file transfer is detected control passes from BlueTooth to WiFi. When that task finishes, then BlueTooth takes over again.
Here’s a video from Gizmodo that shows this in action.
Bluetooth over Wi-Fi from Gizmodo on Vimeo.
Hat tip to MobilitySite
Sumocat
02/18/2009 at 11:12 am
No, no, I doubt we’ll be using an acronym for this, like that unsexy “Alternate MAC/PHY,” which is a combination acronym. More likely, they’ll form a portmanteau (my new favorite word) from Wifi (also a portmanteau) and Bluetooth (a lowly compound), such as BlueFi or WiTooth or WiSoBlue. I’m hoping for the last one.
BlueZoneMobile
02/18/2009 at 1:48 pm
I love the name BlueFi but WiSoBlue is classic. This will be interesting to see. I wonder how fast data transfer will be compared to the new bluetooth high spec due out in 2009.
turn.self.off
02/19/2009 at 7:25 am
what i wonder about is how it will impact existing connections.
say i have a laptop connected to some hotspot via wifi, and want to transfer a file to my phone using this system. will that force a disconnect of the wifi and set up a temporary ad-hoc between the laptop and phone?
i guess ill have to dig deeper into this…