Source: Android Central
There are a lot of wireless technologies in the world today, from Wi-Fi to NFC to plain old LTE. However, we'd argue that Bluetooth, among all of them, is the most divisive.
It's a short-range wireless protocol that's everywhere around us — our phones use it to communicate with headphones or send photos, our computers use it to connect to mice and keyboards, and businesses use it to track customers around stores — but many of us don't know how it works, where it came from, and why it exploded in popularity over the last few years.
Working with our colleagues at Windows Central and iMore, we decided that now was the right time to shine a Spotlight on Bluetooth. We have around 20 posts spread out between the three sites detailing everything from where the name came from to why it's so bad in cars to how companies like Google and Apple have built on top of it to make it more reliable.
At the same time, we found some ways to have fun with the technology, highlighting some of the hilarious and sad aspects of Bluetooth — the terrible design trends it started, and the headphone jacks it killed.
With that, thanks for reading, and let us know what you think — and what other topics you'd like to see shine our spotlight on in the future.
All 20 stories from our 2019 Spotlight on Bluetooth package, all in one place. Whether it's a spot of Bluetooth history, a bit of humor from wireless memes, or some thoughtful analysis on the future of the short-range tech, you'll find it right here, courtesy of the folks at Android Central, iMore and Windows Central.
General Bluetooth
- Introduction to our 2019 Spotlight on Bluetooth
- Where did the Bluetooth name and logo come from?
- A history of all the major Bluetooth releases and updates
- Where Bluetooth is headed, and the challenges it must overcome to get there
- Bluetooth 5: Is it actually better, and do you need it?
- Why Bluetooth is so great (and so terrible): A story told via memes
- Why the Bluetooth in your car sucks (and always will)
- 12 weird Bluetooth gadgets the Mobile Nations team uses every day
Android
- A closer look at Google's Fast Pair technology and how it builds on Bluetooth
- Top tips for getting your Android devices to play nicely with Bluetooth
- Yes, Bluetooth sucks, but it was good enough to kill the headphone jack on phones
Windows
- 5 major Bluetooth milestones at Microsoft
- How to master Bluetooth on Windows 10
- Why Xbox One (still) doesn't use Bluetooth
- Why wireless gaming mice still use RF receivers instead of Bluetooth
- Windows Central staff's favorite Bluetooth gadgets right now
Apple and iOS
Alleged first look at the Google Pixel 6 reveals a drastic design change
The Google Pixel 6 is expected to launch later this year but leaked renders have already emerged, giving us an idea of what we might expect from the upcoming Google flagship.
Amazon Echo Buds (2nd Gen) review: Amazon made its good buds even better
The Amazon Echo Buds (2nd Gen) are in some ways just an incremental upgrade over their predecessors, but in other ways, they are a huge improvement from the first generation. It's not often that a brand is able to fix basically every complaint I had from one version to the next, but that's pretty much what Amazon did with these earbuds.
Italy slaps Google with €100 million fine over abuse of market dominance
The Italian Competition Authority has fined Google €100 million ($123 million) for abusing its dominant position. It has alleged that the search giant attempted to restrict competition by not allowing energy company Enel X Italia to release a version of its JuicePass app interoperable with Android Auto.
Make sure you pair your Raspberry Pi with one of the best cases
Whether you’re just starting out, or are an experienced Raspberry Pi veteran, you’ll likely end up wanting to find a new case to keep it clean. There are so many great options that unlock even more possibilities, even if they are purely cosmetic. These are the best Raspberry Pi cases that you can find today.
