3Com`s wireless Bluetooth USB adapter enables simple connectivity for personal computing devices

As a step in enabling personal electronic devices to connect effortlessly without cables, 3Com Corporation today announced availability in EMEA of its Bluetooth Wireless USB adapter card, featuring a radically simple Bluetooth Connection Manager software package and innovative antenna design.

The 3Com Wireless Bluetooth USB Adapter allows mobile users to instantly share information (such as data files, documents and contact lists) among Bluetooth-enabled personal devices including notebook PCs, desktop PCs, cellphones and handhelds, at speeds approaching 1Mbps.

Also, 3Com`s complete Wireless Bluetooth solution family is fully compatible with the industry`s first Bluetooth-enabled inkjet printer - the HP Deskjet 995c inkjet printer from Hewlett-Packard Company.

3Com`s Wireless Bluetooth USB Adapter provides Bluetooth connectivity to desktop and notebook PCs with a USB port. The unique rotating connector of the 3Com Bluetooth USB Adapter allows users to plug the device directly into any empty USB port, or through the use of a USB extension cable, positioning the device out and away from the PC to maximise range and performance.

"3Com is helping users benefit from the ease-of-use and interoperability of Bluetooth-enabled devices by providing simple and innovative solutions that are compatible with production-class Bluetooth products such as the HP Deskjet 995c printer," said Sylvio Jelovcich, senior director of product marketing of 3Com`s Business Connectivity Company.

"Furthering our efforts towards Bluetooth adoption has allowed us to be a powerful force in placing standards-based Bluetooth products in the hands of our customers and is making universal connectivity a reality."

3Com`s wireless Bluetooth products enable users to conveniently connect without cables, share files among personal devices, establish a quick dialup Internet connection via a Bluetooth-enabled cellphone or print to a Bluetooth-enabled inkjet printer, such as the HP Deskjet 995c inkjet printer, without logging onto the local network. With this new technology, exchanging files in a conference room or checking e-mail on the road can be accomplished without cables, in a matter of seconds.

"Bluetooth-enabled printing is an ideal application for the mobile professional and legitimises Bluetooth as a viable technology for information exchange," said Dana Greyson, wireless printing product manager, HP Imaging and Printing Systems. "HP`s Bluetooth-enabled inkjet printer combined with 3Com`s Bluetooth USB Adapter or PC Card technology offers notebook and desktop PC customers an innovative wireless printing solution."

Cahners In-Stat Group estimates that shipments of Bluetooth-enabled products will soar to 955 million units by 2005. "For Bluetooth to successfully live up to its potential of universal adoption, it must be easy to install and manage. We are encouraged that 3Com`s products are simple to use. The future is bright for this emerging technology with enormous potential, and 3Com is on the leading-edge of what is sure to be the future of personal wireless networking," said Joyce Putscher with Cahners In-Stat.

As one of nine promoter companies in the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, 3Com has been a driving force in determining the latest industry standard Bluetooth specifications. In May, 3Com unveiled its first Bluetooth solution, a Wireless Bluetooth PC Card, which is among the first to market based on the new Bluetooth 1.1 specification. With the addition of the new Bluetooth USB adapter, 3Com once again brings innovative Bluetooth products to the market. The new specification includes a number of enhancements to the original 1.0 specification, and is intended to ensure compatibility among Bluetooth products regardless of the vendor.

Building on its rich history of innovations in mobile connectivity, 3Com`s Bluetooth Connection Manager ships with each 3Com Bluetooth product and provides radically simple wireless connectivity.

• .         Exchanging files or printing is a simple, one-step, drag-and-drop process.

• .         Recognising other Bluetooth devices requires no user interaction. It is automatic based on the level of security chosen by the user in the Connection Manager software.

• .         A fully discoverable setting enables other Bluetooth devices to recognise and transact with the Bluetooth device.

• .         A medium level of security enables other Bluetooth devices to recognise the Bluetooth device, but requires a password to communicate.

• .         The highest level of security cloaks the Bluetooth device from other devices, and transactions are only possible with a password from authorised devices.

• .         3Com`s Bluetooth software and firmware are flash upgradeable, providing a future-proof upgrade path as additional profiles are added to the Bluetooth specification, protecting customers` investment in this new technology.

As a leading provider of both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (802.11b) wireless products, 3Com recognises the complementary nature of the technologies and believes that both play an integral role in delivering a wider variety of connectivity options to mobile computing users. Bluetooth is designed for quick bursts of low-bandwidth information in a cable replacement scenario, while Wi-Fi is the ideal wireless LAN technology for transferring high-bandwidth files or for always-on Internet and network connectivity.

Bluetooth`s purpose and design allows small computing equipment such as notebooks, cellphones and handheld computers to complete small data transfers using a less expensive, smaller-footprint chipset with significantly lower power consumption.

The 3Com Wireless Bluetooth USB Adapter, including the 3Com Bluetooth Connection Manager, is available immediately worldwide for a list price of +/-R1 640. The Bluetooth USB Adapter comes with a limited lifetime warranty.