CSR (Cambridge Silicon Radio), a market leader in Bluetooth silicon, today announced that Apple has selected CSR’s BlueCore chips with Adaptive Frequency Hopping (AFH) to Bluetooth-enable its line of professional PowerBook G4 notebooks. Apple offers its PowerBook G4 customers Bluetooth wireless technology to easily enable wireless exchange of data between other Bluetooth-enabled devices including computers, cellular phones, PDAs and the new Apple Wireless Keyboard and Apple Wireless Mouse.
The BlueCore chip offers AFH, a system that eliminates interference between Bluetooth and other RF devices, such as WiFi (802.11) that operate in the 2.4GHz radio frequency band, by coordinating the frequency channels of all 2.4GHz devices. As the number of computers fitted with both Bluetooth and WiFi wireless connectivity increases so does the value of AFH. Interoperability prototypes were made available first by CSR and were used by the Bluetooth lead adopters including Apple to validate the new AFH standard.
“Apple has lead a number of introductions of communications technologies to the personal computer world including Ethernet, AirPort (802.11b) and FireWire (IEEE 1394),” said Glenn Collinson, Sales Director & Co founder, CSR in the press release. “Apple’s integration of Bluetooth into their computers will likewise accelerate its mass market adoption and CSR is delighted to be supplying Apple’s computer division with Bluetooth ICs for its PowerBook G4 notebooks.”
“Apple was first to integrate Bluetooth into its operating system with Mac OS X and now the first to make it a standard feature across our entire line of professional notebooks,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Hardware Product Marketing in the press release. “We’ve worked with CSR to be first to deliver adaptive frequency hopping to our PowerBook customers to provide an exceptionally reliable and interference free wireless experience.”
More information about CSR here.
More info about Apple’s use of Built-in Bluetooth here.
Bluetooth = Snoretooth
What’s that supposed to mean? Obviously you don’t use it if you feel that way. I certainly didn’t snore when I used it to update the hundred plus contacts in my t68i, or used my t68i as a remote control to operate iTunes, DVD Player, Keynote, or PowerPoint. Bluetooth is an awesome technology, and when it allows us to get rid of every cord except for power maybe you’ll appreciate it a little more.
ndelc, couldn’t agree more…
But thinking about it, imagine Apple coming up with the first computer to have wireless power cords, now THAT would be impressive. (Physically impossible, but very impressive).
I’ve been looking forever for a good bluetooth phone that works with Sprint so I can sync contacts (which is a huge benefit, BTW) and not have to lug around a Palm device in addition to my phone. Anyone know of a bluetooth phone that works on Sprint?
PLEASE I want a compact, multi-button BT, mouse that recharges via a USB cable and not a cradle, so you can keep mousing with USB if the batteries die.
(Question: do BT iMacs and G5s lack AFH? The article mentions PowerBooks.)
gagravaar, I too thought that wireless power was impossible. It is actually possible. I came across some scientific organization’s white papers and there they discussed “wireless power” and harnessing that power. That wont be for a long time, though. Our gov’ts have been looking at it.
Joe, Been looking for the same solution you are looking for. I can tell you this…look elsewhere after December if they dont start having bluetooth phones by then. (I already spoke with Sprint Headquarters about this) I too have been looking for a psuedo PDA phone and that would be the Siemens ST55 or the Sony Ericsson T610 series (T616) that work with iSync. On Apple’s website (http://www.apple.com/isync/devices.html) they have phones that Sprint does not even have!!!! Or you can read this link: http://forums.osxfaq.com/viewtopic.php?t=6837&highlight;=&sid=e11217af16dc1ca76259e4417ec67b54
AT&T and T-Mobile are the only ones that offer the T616. I saw a floor model, amazing little thing that has a camera too. Only a little more than 4 inches tall. Waiting till November 24th (when the law passes) so that I can take my cell number with me to a different provider.
Sprint has been pretty unsupportive of Macs in general and has not felt it necessary to sell phones that we need. I have been with Sprint PCS almost since their beginning but, if they have not fixed this situation by the time my contract expires, I will also be looking for a replacement for Sprint.