Compliance

The Bluetooth Qualification Program guarantees global interoperability between devices regardless of the vendor and the country in which they are used. During the test procedure that all devices must pass, it must be verified that the devices meet all of the requirements regarding radio link quality, lower-layer protocols, profiles, and information to end users. The profiles are a part of the Bluetooth Specification, and all devices must be tested against one or more of the profiles in order to fulfill the Bluetooth certification requirements. The number of profiles will continue to grow as new Bluetooth applications arise. All qualified devices are listed at the SIG official web site at www.bluetooth.com. The profiles defined in version 1 of the Bluetooth Specification mainly address usage models concerning the telecom and computing industries. Three examples are the Internet Bridge, the Ultimate Headset, and the Automatic Synchronizer profiles.

An Internet Bridge profile providing constant access to the Internet is a useful and time-saving feature, especially when the bandwidth of mobile phones is increasing rapidly. Bluetooth wireless technology lets one access the Internet without any cable connections wherever one is, either by using a computer or the phone itself. When close to a wire-bound connection point, the mobile computer or handheld device can also connect directly to the landline, but it still connects without cables. This is the localized hotspot described in Chapter 1 (larger footprint and/or outdoor hotspots must rely on other technologies, such as, IEEE 802.11b).

The Ultimate Headset profile lets users operate their mobile phones even if they're in a briefcase, thereby freeing the user's hands for more important tasks when at the office or in the car.

The Automatic Synchronization profile, which synchronizes calendars, address books, and so on, is a feature that was long awaited by many professionals. Simply by entering a user's office, the calendar in the phone or PDA will be automatically updated to agree with the one in the desktop PC, or vice versa. Phone numbers and addresses will always be correct in all portable devices without docking through cables or IR.