Signature - Q2, 2008 - (Page 8)

In the News | Q2 ’08 IN THE NEWS Bluesightings On the Screen and in the Streets From the glorious to the notorious, we’ve collected recent examples of Bluetooth technology in culture. Etiquette Schmetiquette HBO’s hit sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm aired a scene about “how to handle that annoying Bluetooth phone guy.” The side-splitting clip can be seen on YouTube. Technology Transfer All the news that’s fit to transmit from the Bluetooth Special Interest Group . . . of the Bluetooth SIG. “Throughout this year and next, our organization will be hard at work providing the tools for manufacturers to continue to innovate in these and other areas with high speed and ultra low power Bluetooth speciﬁcations, making Bluetooth technology the only wireless technology consumers need.” Turn to page 36 to see photos of this year’s winning products. Reaching Consumers Retail Committee Offers Assistance Sales of Bluetooth enabled products “beyond the headset” could grow much faster if consumers were more aware of what these products can do. To increase such awareness, the Bluetooth SIG Retail Committee is partnering with retailers. The committee has developed a variety of adaptable merchandising tools that retailers can use to promote the sale of Bluetooth enabled products, both in stores and on the Web. In-store materials include informational end caps, a multimedia piece that can be used in displays or on closed-circuit TV, and a variety of signage and shelf tags. Online retailers can link to a multimedia presentation; the committee also offers retailers a customizable Bluetooth Wireless Technology microsite. Additional in-store and online materials are also available. To join the committee or to learn more about the retail initiatives, contact Sean Meckley at smeckley@bluetooth.com. On an episode of the popular TVB Jade series The Ultimate Crime Fighter, a character used Bluetooth technology to transfer ringtones from one mobile phone to another. Flexible Connection Larry David applied his wit to Bluetooth technology on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. Also from TVB Jade, its show Marriage of Inconvenience featured an episode in which the main actress is using a Sony Ericsson headset to answer phone calls while she’s instructing a yoga class. Always in Range CBS’s Rules of Engagement ran a bit in which Russell was trying a new text messaging dating service. His phone kept going off while he was sitting with Jeff, who became irritated and threatened to, how shall we say, place the phone ﬁrmly between chair and derriere. Russell replied that the phone had Bluetooth technology, so it would get reception anywhere. Bluetooth Enabled Bandits Bluetooth technology to commit a crime, but apparently manners don’t matter to some criminals. In the U.K., Bluetooth technology has been linked to a string of vehicle break-ins. The thieves use their mobile phones to search for and steal Bluetooth enabled devices in unattended vehicles. In the United States, police earlier this year nabbed suspects in a series of bank robberies. The suspects communicated with each other using Bluetooth wireless headsets. Best of CES: Samsung takes top honor Five Category Winners Also Named The Bluetooth SIG named the Samsung P2 Widescreen Media Player as the overall winner of its third annual Best of CES Contest, held during the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January. Speaking of etiquette, Miss Manners would probably frown upon using You’ll be spotting Bluetooth wireless devices on TV, in movies, online – everywhere. Send us your favorite Bluesightings at signature@bluetooth.com. Forty-eight new products were submitted for the contest in the following categories: Headset, Input, Music, Transfer and Vertical. The Bluetooth SIG judged the products on a variety of criteria, including compliance with Bluetooth SIG qualiﬁcation standards, ease of use, look and feel, and overall usability of the product as expected by the average consumer. Bonus points were given to products complying with Experience Icon requirements. “As we celebrate the 10th year of Bluetooth technology at the 40th annual CES, we continue to see a growing number of new Bluetooth enabled devices, particularly in the home entertainment as well as sports and ﬁtness arenas,” says Mike Foley, executive director 8 | SIGnature | Bluetooth.org

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