TDK keeps the Bluetooth flag flying

TDK Europe has announced three major Bluetooth products, as the much-maligned short-range wireless technology received another setback with Psion's announcement that it is to stop making handhelds.

The Psion retreat included the scrapping of a projected Bluetooth handheld.

Chief executive David Levin said the company is also "mothballing" its development of PC Card Bluetooth modules for notebooks, largely because manufacturers had been opting for WiFi (aka 802.11b) wireless networking instead.

"Our core group of customers, the laptop manufacturers, are not going to roll out Bluetooth on the scale that makes it economic to continue with our [PC Card] products," he said.

Another reason, said Levin, was that Bluetooth devices had been very slow to hit the market. This echoes fears that Bluetooth will go the way of infra-red on notebooks: implemented on a 'me too' basis, but hardly used because there is little for them to talk to.

But TDK Europe managing director Nick Hunn delivered a spirited defence of Bluetooth. He agreed that over enthusiasm at its launch had raised expectations far too high, and that many of the tasks that have been touted for it are more likely to be processed at 10 times the speed by WiFi.

However, Hunn pointed out that Bluetooth's lower power requirements made it far more suitable for handheld devices. "It can draw as little as 1milliamp; 802.11b uses around 100milliamps," he said.

TDK launched a £149 plug-in module called Blue5, which fits on the back of Palm V and Vx handhelds, in July. PC Card and USB Bluetooth modules for notebooks are set to launch around the time you read this.

But TDK is backing all wireless technologies and Hunn believes 802.11b will be predominant in businesses, with Bluetooth taking over very short-range wire replacement applications such as hands free kits.

Hunn predicted that eight in 10 companies involved in Bluetooth will either abandon the market or disappear by 2003. Only those with interoperable, easy-to-use products will survive, he said.

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