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Date and Time:
02/17/2012
at
10:20 AM
Category:
Bluetooth SIG This morning I sent a mail to the membership explaining a transition at the Executive Director position of Bluetooth SIG. I’ll write more about this and more reflections of my time with the SIG over the next couple of months. The Bluetooth SIG is a great organization and has a great future.
Here is the text of the mail sent to the membership:
For the past decade, the majority of my professional focus has been on fulfilling the mission of the Bluetooth SIG. During this time, the success of Bluetooth technology has been unparalleled. It is amazing to look back and think of the organization in 1999 when I first got involved. There weren’t any products, there weren’t any staff members, the organization was run entirely by committees of volunteers. Contrast that with today where there are over 5M products shipping every day from over 15,500 members from around the world who are supported by a dedicated team of 50 staff members across 7 countries.
It has been my honor to drive that mission forward. It’s been an amazing ride, full of innovation and creation. Some highlights:
- When I took over the executive director role in March 2004, the technology was version 1.2; since that time we’ve launched to the market versions 2.0, 2.1 + EDR, 3.0 with high speed hallmark feature, and 4.0 with low energy hallmark feature.
- That consistent innovation of the technology resulted in the proliferation of Bluetooth and the move from a niche technology to the global standard it is today. Since 2004, the number of Bluetooth shipments soared from less than 1M to over 5M per week.
- Global awareness of the Bluetooth brand had topped 85% at last measure (in 2008), and has become a household name today.
- Membership in the SIG grew from less than 3,500 in 2004 to over 4x that today - with 15,654 members at last count.
- The organization and the technology’s expansion from the headset, handset and automotive industries into virtually all lines of business has been an exciting thing to watch, and will continue to be in the coming years.
None of this happened by accident. I have had the opportunity to work with many talented individuals over the years, and it has been a pleasure. The second wave strategy is in place and going to be a huge success. The number of innovative products implemented with Bluetooth continues to expand. Rarely does a week go by that I don’t see a new product utilizing Bluetooth in new ways. The organization is solid and on its way to fulfilling its mission.
With the strength of the organization established and a solid strategy in place, I feel it’s time for me to embark on a new path as well. As such, I have been working with the Board of Directors on a transition plan. The Board is initiating a search to fill the Executive Director position. I will stay on with the organization for the next couple of months to help with the transition.
I appreciate the opportunity I have had with the Bluetooth SIG. It has truly been an honor working with all the members and my fellow staff mates over the years. While I will miss that, I also look forward to the future.
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Date and Time:
02/14/2012
at
10:21 AM
Category:
Bluetooth SIG Sometimes I talk shop in this blog about decisions we’ve made here at the Bluetooth SIG. Our latest decision affects only SIG member companies, but it’s worth covering here, especially for the SIG members who read my blog.
The SIG Board of Directors has approved a mandatory enhancement to the Bluetooth specifications aimed at ensuring interoperability among Bluetooth enabled devices. The measure was created by the Bluetooth Qualification Review Board (BQRB). It defines valid subsystem combinations and excludes all other subsystem combinations.
This issue arose after some manufacturers interpreted the Bluetooth Core Specification differently than others. This led to a qualified subsystem that shipped in a product without a completely implemented host stack. The BQRB and SIG Board analyzed the situation and decided the current subsystem rules aren’t clear enough, so they decided to fix the issue by creating this measure (officially titled Erratum 4656).
The SIG Board adopted the measure to clarify the intent of the Specification and ensure that all qualified products follow the same rules regarding subsystems. The Board ultimately decided that the promise of compatibility with billions of Bluetooth devices already on the market is a core requirement of Bluetooth technology, and that the need to maintain interoperability is of paramount importance.
If the Specification has any ambiguities that could hurt interoperability, then we need to fix them. This measure is a step in that direction.
The measure could impact some products nearing release that do not meet the approved subsystem combinations. To smooth the transition for member companies in this situation, SIG members can apply for a waiver that will allow them to release such products. However, these products will not be allowed to use the Bluetooth logo.
Bluetooth SIG members can view the complete text of Erratum 4656 on the Adopted Specifications page of Bluetooth.org, our member website. |
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Date and Time:
02/11/2012
at
11:06 AM
Category:
Sports & Fitness Last week I wrote about how sports and fitness is one of the hottest new areas for Bluetooth technology, with several innovative new Bluetooth v4.0-enabled devices reaching the market. This week I want to talk about apps. Apps that let you see your heart rate, weight, calories burned, pace, distance, cadence, and more while you’re running, walking, cycling or using a cardio machine. Apps that let you analyze the data after your workout on a phone, tablet or PC.
Without an app to go with a Bluetooth enabled heart rate monitor, cadence sensor, or foot pod, devices like these are just sensors collecting data. The app is what makes it interesting. After you finish your workout and see all the cool charts and graphics that show your progress (or lack thereof), it can help keep you motivated, especially if you share your workouts online with your friends or personal trainer.
Bluetooth fitness devices can send your workout data wirelessly to a Bluetooth enabled phone, tablet or laptop. Some phone apps just send the data to a web application. Other apps let you analyze the data on your phone. Motorola does the former with its new MOTOACTV, a fitness device that won our Bluetooth SIG Best of CES awards in January.
The MOTOACTV Android app collects your workout data on the phone and then sends it to the MOTOACTV website. That’s where it really gets interesting. The web app lets you check summaries of all your workouts or drill into individual workouts to chart your distance, heart rate, and much more. Other fitness apps can do a lot of this, too, but the MOTOACTV app is slick. Menus slide in and out and graphs move up and down with smooth animations. A lot of care went into making the app visually appealing.
Third party and manufacturer apps
There are plenty of other great sports and fitness apps out there that also collect data from Bluetooth enabled devices to help you analyze your workouts and performances. Most device manufacturers include a matching smartphone, PC or web app for their product – something users expect these days. For example, Polar has the polarpersonaltrainer.com website for its exercise watches and heart rate straps, like the new Bluetooth v4.0 enabled Polar H7 strap due out in April.
You don’t have to use the app that came with your device if you’re not happy with it. Many third-party fitness apps can import data from a variety of fitness devices, like the popular SportTracks app. I could go an about other apps, but I have to run. My app is reminding me that I haven’t burned any calories yet today. |
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Date and Time:
02/01/2012
at
3:57 PM
Category:
Sports & Fitness Sports and fitness is one of the hottest areas of Bluetooth technology, with some of the best growth potential of any industry. You only have to look at some of the latest sports and fitness products with Bluetooth v4.0 to see this ripe potential:
- Nike announced its new Nike+ FuelBand (pictured) in late January. The $149 fitness-tracking wrist band is due out in March. With Nike’s marketing muscle behind it, the FuelBand is already generating a lot of attention.
- Motorola is shipping its new MOTOACTV device, a sophisticated fitness tracker, smart music player and training system with GPS. We selected the MOTOACTV as the overall winner in our Best of CES contest, which tells you how highly we think of it.
- Polar announced its H7 heart rate monitor at CES in January. It allows you to quickly connect to any Bluetooth Smart Ready device, such as a Bluetooth v4.0 tablet or smartphone, to store and display heart rate data and other workout statistics.
- Wahoo Fitness recently began shipping a Bluetooth Smart heart rate monitor called the Wahoo Blue. Like the Polar H7, it can connect to a Bluetooth Smart Ready device like iPhone 4S without the need for a dongle.
One reason Bluetooth v4.0 fitness devices will appeal to consumers is the convenience of pairing a heart rate strap, cadence sensor, foot pod, or other exercise sensor directly with a Bluetooth v4.0 smartphone. People will be able to go for a run or walk, jump on a treadmill, or hop on a bike and immediately start collecting workout data on a phone strapped to their arm, mounted on their bike or set on their exercise machine. Big, bright phone screens will make it easy to view their information while they exercise and analyze it after their workout.
Motorola has taken this a step further than most manufacturers by releasing its own Bluetooth v4.0 smartphone to work with its MOTOACTV device – the Motorola Droid RAZR, one of the first Bluetooth Smart Ready devices. But companies won’t have to make their own phones to be able to create fitness devices able to pair with millions of smartphones.
Many of these sports and fitness devices won’t even include a screen or any buttons. They’ll just collect data and send it to a phone, where all the processing and analysis will take place.
Historically, sports and fitness sensors and monitors were only able to liberate the data they captured after docking to a PC. These same devices can now be inexpensively enhanced with a Bluetooth radio, allowing for real-time syncing and analysis of their data on a smartphone, computer or even TV. This added capability has huge implications when applied to the sports and fitness market.
These unique devices are just the beginning of what users can expect from Bluetooth technology in the sports and fitness market. IMS Research forecasts more than 60 million Bluetooth enabled sports, fitness and health monitoring devices will ship between 2010 and 2015, including more than 17.7 million heart monitors, more than seven million sports watches and more than two million running speed and distance monitors.
Apps matter too
The smartphone apps that come with many of these new Bluetooth sports and fitness devices will be just as important as the hardware. Buyers won’t just look at how well a device works; they’ll also want to know what smartphone apps are available for it. And they’ll want to be able to easily upload their workout data to a website where they can share it with friends (if they want) and view it online. How well all these applications work with a device will sway a lot of buying decisions. |
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Date and Time:
01/26/2012
at
9:26 PM
Category:
Consumer Electronics; Home Entertainment; Music A wave of new Bluetooth speakers and stereo headphones has reached the market in the past 6-12 months, from pricey audiophile gear to inexpensive little wireless speakers you can toss into a travel bag. The sound quality of most of these products is excellent.
When I read about these new products in the news, I’ve occasionally noticed the reviewer or journalist making a comment like “…but they have Bluetooth audio.” The implication is that these products could sound better if they didn’t use Bluetooth technology for their audio connection.
Although some reviewers understand Bluetooth audio, others don’t know enough about it. There are many great implementations of Bluetooth audio in the market – good enough to please even the pickiest music lover. Bluetooth technology is not the limiting factor in how good a set of speakers, headphones, or a portable music player sounds. How good they sound is up to the manufacturer.
The audio quality of a Bluetooth device depends on several factors, including what parameters are used while implementing the A2DP profile, how well the product is designed, and the quality of materials used in the device.
For example, a tiny $50 portable speaker is never going to sound as good as a solidly built $500 speaker or TV sound bar in a large enclosure with high-quality tweeters and speaker cones. Even if both are wireless speakers that use Bluetooth technology, which one do you think is going to sound better?
The same applies to earbuds and headphones. It’s why some Bluetooth stereo headphones cost $500 and others cost a small fraction of that price.
 For an example of a high-end audiophile product with Bluetooth technology, consider the Parrot speakers by Starck. We have a pair of these $1,600 speakers (pictured) in our offices here at the Bluetooth SIG, and they sound fantastic, whether I’m playing music streamed from my iPhone or listening to a movie sound track on Blu-Ray.
You don’t need to spend much to add high-quality Bluetooth wireless audio to your home entertainment system. For example, a Pioneer A/V receiver we also have in our office has a Bluetooth stereo adapter from Pioneer plugged into the back. It lets you stream music from any Bluetooth enabled phone, tablet or laptop. The sound quality depends more on what speakers you connect to the receiver than the Bluetooth connection.
Smart manufacturing and design choices
When engineers add Bluetooth technology to their devices, they have a choice of how to implement the Bluetooth audio specification. They can choose a high bit rate for the best audio quality or a lower bit rate to save on manufacturing costs. We allow some flexibility in the implementation in order to allow companies to produce products at different price points.
I was at a recent event at Apple where the company advised developers on how to use Bluetooth technology in their applications (see table 1-1 in this PDF download). If you listen to Bluetooth audio from an iPhone, iPad or iPod, it sounds very good. Apple is a great example of a company that knows how to implement Bluetooth audio in its products. More companies would benefit by paying as much attention to how they implement Bluetooth audio in their products. |
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Date and Time:
01/13/2012
at
09:41 AM
Category:
Bluetooth SIG; Events; Health & Wellness I had the pleasure of handing out the awards this week for our annual Best of CES awards in Las Vegas. This year’s contest was special, because it’s the first Consumer Electronics Show since we launched the Bluetooth Smart logos last summer. We’re already seeing the fruits of that initiative, with the first Bluetooth Smart and Smart Ready devices appearing at the show, such as the Motorola Droid RAZR and Casio G-Shock smart watch.
 The overall winner of this year’s Best of CES contest is one of the first Bluetooth Smart devices – the Motorola MOTOACTV, a sophisticated fitness tracker, smart music player and training system with GPS.
This innovative device is in the health and fitness market – one of the fastest-growing new markets for Bluetooth products.
The MOTOACTV exemplifies exactly what the new generation of Bluetooth products is about. It can support low energy devices, like a heart rate monitor, while still having all the functionality Bluetooth technology is known for, like transferring data to your phone and streaming music through your wireless ear buds.
The integration of workout data with a Bluetooth enabled app on the Droid RAZR (one of the first Bluetooth Smart Ready devices) completes the picture, making it simple for consumers to put data to practical use on hub devices like smartphones.
Our judges sorted through a record number of entries from SIG member companies to pick this year’s winners. They also selected three impressive category winners, which you can see along with all 10 contest finalists on our Best of CES page.
I’d be remiss not to mention the many other new Bluetooth devices sprinkled among the thousands of products at this year’s huge CES show, which covers the equivalent of 35 football fields. The list of of noteworthy new Bluetooth devices ranges from sleek wireless speakers and headphones to the latest TVs, 3D glasses, smartphones and handsfree car systems. For a peek at some of the innovative new Bluetooth devices at CES that weren’t in our contest, visit our CES page.
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Date and Time:
01/03/2012
at
11:34 AM
Category:
Consumer Electronics; Phones Over 1.2 billion apps were downloaded for smart phones such as the iPhone and Droid last week setting a new 7 day record. This is the first time the 1 billion milestone has been broken during a 7 day period. If there was a doubt, I think this fact clearly demonstrates what the consumer expects: instant access to functionality.
Last year the Bluetooth SIG introduced the concept of “ Bluetooth Smart Ready” products which are dual mode devices and enable 3rd party software developers to create apps which can be added to the Smart Ready product by the consumer. This concept is critical moving forward to fulfill the consumer expectation of instant access to functionality. I.e. they purchase a new Bluetooth Smart product such as a pedometer and instantly download an app which collects and displays the information generated by the Bluetooth Smart product. This allows the hardware and software developers to innovate independently of the mobile OS provider and Carrier. The decoupling of the platform from the innovation is going to allow unprecedented growth of the number of Bluetooth Smart devices in the marketplace.
We've already started to see some Bluetooth Smart and Smart Ready products hit the market. I think we’ll see the another larger batch of such innovative products announced next week at CES. |
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Date and Time:
12/21/2011
at
11:17 AM
Category:
Consumer Electronics The giant tech extravaganza known as the Consumer Electronics Show is almost upon us once again, and here at the Bluetooth SIG we’re getting ready by naming the finalists for our annual Best of CES awards. These 10 finalists are just a taste of what’s to come in January, when tech companies from around the world will begin announcing thousands of new products the week before the Jan. 10-13 show, including many new products featuring Bluetooth technology.
We’ve compiled this look at the 10 Bluetooth products that our judges (myself included) will consider for the three winners to be announced at CES. We divide our contest into three categories, for products that are already available (“Now”), recently released (“New”), or expected to become popular in the coming year (“Next”).
 Our finalists this year are a diverse bunch, reflecting the many different types of innovative devices and applications that use Bluetooth technology. They include a mobile app for cars, a wireless speaker, a Bluetooth headset with some new capabilities, a wireless weight scale, a combination music/fitness device, new 3D TV glasses, a watch that can display messages from a smartphone, a heart-rate monitor, and an audio device for hearing aids. Even a toy helicopter you can control with a smartphone.
Some come from huge companies, others from startups you probably never heard of.
We also awarded six honorable mentions for an insulin pump, a wireless home thermostat, two devices for helping people find lost items, a tiny audio receiver, and a device to help people with sleep problems.
Several of these devices come with a matching smartphone app – a trend you’ll see a lot more of in the coming year.
There are six Bluetooth Smart devices in the list. Stay tuned for CES, where you’ll see a lot more Bluetooth Smart and Smart Ready devices introduced, adding to the fast growing list of such products already on the market . |
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Date and Time:
12/19/2011
at
4:00 PM
Category:
Handsfree Last Tuesday the NTSB issued a recommendation banning all use of mobile phones in the car. This goes further than legislation throughout the U.S. and the world which ban holding a mobile phone while driving, but allows calls to be taken when using a handsfree kit. When I saw the NTSB recommendation, I was surprised they advocated the complete ban as I believe such a ban is not necessary. While I completely agree that texting while driving is a bad idea, I have found that conducting a conversation while driving using a handsfree kit is akin to speaking with a passenger in the car.
I am the father of a teenage girl who carries a mobile phone. Like most teens, she texts a lot. While she is not of driving age yet, that day is just around the corner. We have already started the conversation regarding proper phone use while driving. It is perfectly clear to her that under no circumstances should she text, dial or directly interact with her phone while driving. What will be allowed is conducting conversations initiated via voice dialing or from a received call. I think this is a rational distinction which she will easily be able to make regarding proper usage of the phone while driving. How and when to use technology is always an interesting question. While the NTSB recommendation is appropriate on many counts, I think the total ban recommendation defies common sense and goes too far. Utilizing technology properly, such as with hands free kits, allows the driver to maintain a conversation while keeping their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. |
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Date and Time:
11/04/2011
at
11:30 AM
Category:
Sports & Fitness At the Beijing Olympics in 2008, US swimmer Michael Phelps shattered world records, and he did it in style, wearing Speedo’s newly developed LZR Racer suit. The suit was built using NASA technology. Critics said it changed the face of the sport of swimming so much that it was banned from competition (Speedo later updated the suit and it is now worn again in swimming arenas worldwide).
This fall, when professional football once again kicked off in the US, many players donned helmets that included the same type of technology found in cars to prevent injury in the case of a crash. These new helmets are expected to reduce the number of concussions suffered while playing America’s pastime.
Technology has changed sports in the past. Bluetooth technology will do it again. But this time around, the change will not be limited to professional athletes with corporate sponsors and huge budgets to spend creating innovative products.
Helping everyone get faster, stronger, and better
The typical recreational athlete, from softball player to mid-pack runner, participates in weekend tournaments (the Amateur Softball Association has over 230,000 teams with more than 3 million players) and races (just under 500,000 runners completed marathons in 2010) as a hobby, a competitive outlet and a way to stay healthy. Many buy the best equipment they can afford to help improve their performance.
 Picture this: You’re training for a marathon and your trainer wants to better understand how you’re bearing your weight in order to maximize your pace. A sensor on your leg while you run tells you which leg is bearing more stress, so you can adjust your form accordingly.
Or this: The school swim meet is coming up and the coach keeps pushing you to lengthen your stroke – but you have no idea how long it is in the first place. That is, until you strap on a wireless sensor that shoots that information over to your coach’s tablet for analysis during practice.
Or perhaps this: You want to knock it out of the park, but aren’t quite sure how the ball is meeting the bat. A sensor buried deep within the softball bat gauges the look of your swing, trajectory, or the location of the ball on impact to improve hitting and batting records. And pitchers could use balls with sensors to gauge speed, release location and ball rotation.
Bluetooth sensor technology changes the training game completely. And training changes the face of sport. Making corrections like these helps athletes – both pros and weekend warriors – track their performances like never before, making them faster, stronger, and smarter competitors. This technology can also help them stay safer and injury-free, as they become aware of how their body is stressed.
A booming market
Analysts predict big things for Bluetooth technology in the sports & fitness arena. IMS Research forecasts over 60 million Bluetooth enabled sports, fitness and health monitoring devices will ship between 2010 and 2015. And that’s just the devices people have already thought of, like heart rate monitors (expected to increase 60%), sports watches (expected to double), and running speed and distance monitors (another 60% increase).
The opportunity for innovation in sports & fitness using Bluetooth technology will drive market numbers to even greater heights.
Other wireless technologies have tried – are trying – to play in this space. They will not be successful.
ANT+ can’t do it, because:
- It’s not open. The technology is owned by one company (Garmin) so the ANT+ Alliance is not a politically free organization. Companies looking to build products in the wireless technology space want a guarantee that their products can work with others (unless they are going the proprietary route – more on that below) and ANT+ can’t give that to them.
- It’s not installed. Yes, there are a handful of companies integrating ANT+ into their products, but it’s not in the #1 consumer device – the mobile phone. And it never will be.
- It’s not known. Consumers don’t know ANT+. Consumers do know Bluetooth technology. They know how to pair, how to connect, how to share. They know Bluetooth technology is simple, secure, and everywhere. ANT+ is not any of those things.
Proprietary can’t do it. Sure, using proprietary technology ensures your one product can work with your one other product, but that’s not going to change the world. Consumers want affordable, usable, available options. Manufacturers want market share. Neither of these will be accomplished with proprietary technology.
And the biggest indicator to date that neither ANT+ nor other proprietary technologies will change the face of sports & fitness? Apple chose Bluetooth v4.0 for its latest iPhone evolution, the iPhone 4S. Microsoft chose Bluetooth v4.0 to support in its latest operating system, Windows 8. Those two companies can change the world. And so can Bluetooth technology.
(Note: This article is also in the November issue of Incisor magazine.) |
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