comparison between Bluetooth and Infrared technology
Bluetooth operates using radio waves while infra-red communication works on fast pulses of light. If you have to send data from one mobile to the other using infra-red technology, you will have to keep both the mobiles facing each other. In other words the sensors of both the devices must be in each other’s immediate line of sight. If something comes in the way of the two mobiles devices, the message or data will not pass through. Bluetooth technology however can pass through walls. You can send messages, data files, audio- files, video-files etc from your mobile to the other person in the next room, as long as the other mobile is within the radius of 10 meters. Infrared also only works between two devices at a time while Bluetooth can work with as many as mobile devices as you want.
Bluetooth is a wireless personal area network (WPAN) technology from the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (www.bluetooth.com) founded in 1998 by Ericsson, IBM, Intel, Nokia and Toshiba. Bluetooth is an open standard for short-range transmission of digital voice and data that supports point-to-point and multipoint applications. Some of the first Bluetooth applications have been for cellphones, providing a wireless connection to a headset and to an automobile’s audio system for hands-free operation, while Infrared Technology is for wireless short-distance signal transfer (up to 3 m) between phones, computers and other devices. In contrast to Bluetooth the signal is strictly directed.
infrared is slow and requires direct line of sight to communicate while Bluetooth provides a way to connect and exchange information between devices such as mobile phones, laptops, PCs, printers, digital cameras, and video game consoles over a secure, globally unlicensed short-range radio frequency.
Infrared technology is what most TV remotes use. The distance an infrared signal can travel varies based on the strength of the remote, but is usually less than 50 feet for household electronics. In order for an infrared signal to be detected, there must be a direct line of sight between the transmitter (remote) and the receiver (TV). If there is a wall or large object between them, the signal will not pass through it. Bluetooth, on the other hand, uses a radio frequency, which allows transmission through walls and other objects. The standard range of a Class 3 Bluetooth device is about 30 ft., which makes it ideal for syncing PDAs with computers, using wireless cell phone headsets, and enabling handsfree cell phone use inside Bluetooth-enabled automobiles. Because Bluetooth technology is based on a standard 2.4 GHz frequency, different Bluetooth devices can typically communicate with each other, regardless of the manufacturer. Most infrared devices only work with proprietary equipment.