LAS VEGAS-L.M. Ericsson announced its first consumer product incorporating Bluetooth technology at Comdex/Fall ’99. The cellular phone headset connects to a mobile phone by a radio link instead of a cable. The product will be commercially available in mid-2000, said Ericsson.
The 0.75-ounce wireless mobile phone headset has a built-in Bluetooth radio chip that acts as a connector between the headset and the Bluetooth plug on the Ericsson phone. A user can answer the phone by pressing a key on the headset. A call can be initiated by pressing the key and using voice recognition technology.
The phone can be up to 30 feet away, in a briefcase or in another room while a user speaks. The headset is compatible with the Ericsson T28, T28 World and R320 cellular phones.
Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard introduced last year by Ericsson, IBM Corp., Nokia Corp. and Toshiba. It uses short-range radio signals to connect devices such as mobile phones, laptop computers and handheld devices.
