For devices that are too small or unable to provide the power
needed to operate a WLAN card there is a new technology in
the works called Bluetooth. Similar to WLAN technology,
Bluetooth is designed for smaller devices with lower power
consumption. This lower power means a shorter range of transmission;
Blue tooth will initially be limited to approximately 30
feet. With potential throughput on par with WLAN, Bluetooth
will compete with WLAN for short range access for laptop PCs
and printers. Bluetooth will be more suitable for smaller
devices and operates on a peer-to-peer configuration that
establishes a piconet (a series of connected devices that pass
the data along to one another in a kind of fire brigade manner)
to extend the reach back to a network when available.
Bluetooth will be used more often in scenarios where data is to
be exchanged between two or more devices such as between
multiple PDAs or between a PDA, cell phone, and a printer.