Bluetooth is a short-range wireless communications technology that allows devices such as mobile phones, computers, and peripherals to transmit data or voice wirelessly over short distances. The goal of Bluetooth is to replace the cables that normally connect devices, while still allowing secure communication between devices.
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The name "Bluetooth" comes from a 10th century Danish king, Harald Bluetooth, who was said to unite disparate, warring regional factions. Like its namesake, Bluetooth technology brings together a wide range of devices from many different industries under a unifying communications standard.
Bluetooth was developed in 1994 and was intended as a wireless replacement for cables. It uses the same 2.4GHz frequency as some other wireless technologies in the home or office, such as cordless phones and Wi-Fi routers. It creates a wireless network with a radius of 10 meters (33 feet), called a personal area network (PAN) or piconet, that can network between two to eight devices. With this short-range network, you can, for example, send a page to a printer in another room without having to run an unsightly cable.
Bluetooth uses less power and costs less to implement than Wi-Fi. Its lower power also makes it much less susceptible to interference from other wireless devices in the same 2.4GHz radio band.
