The Bluetooth SIG (Special Interest Group) is introducing its TransSend client/server application that allows Internet content such as maps, addresses, phone numbers and other text and images to be wirelessly transferred from a Bluetooth enabled PC to another mobile Bluetooth device such as a phone or PDA.
By providing this free of charge, useful, on-the-go capability to consumers, the Bluetooth SIG hopes to help increase customer satisfaction of Bluetooth enabled devices and drive visitors to TransSend enabled web sites.
Examples given by the Bluetooth SIG include a person quickly ‘TransSend' the host's address to a mobile phone before leaving to a party. Or sending a map and phone number of a restaurant to a PDA. Or use the technology to send a brief bio of an important business contact to a mobile device to review before a dinner meeting.
The group says TransSend helps people get small, timely pieces of information to their mobile devices in a quick and effortless way so that they have the data they need when away from their PCs.
Users will have two simple ways to TransSend content from the Internet to their Bluetooth mobile devices: they can click on a TransSend and Bluetooth icon next to the content or they can right click on specific information and select the option within the menu to TransSend the data.
With either method, the computer will automatically begin searching for Bluetooth devices within range and allow the user to select the device they wish to receive the information.
TransSend relies on the Object Push Profile (OPP) to send web content and will be supported by the Microsoft XP SP2 and Windows 2000 operating systems and the Internet Explorer 5.5 (and higher) browser. Support for additional operating systems and Internet browsers is under consideration.
OBEX standard formats are used for calendar entries (vCal), contact information (vCard), and text (vNote) data types. The TransSend client includes a plain text (.txt) option since vNote (.vnt) format is optional for OPP. Images will rely on standard Internet formats (.png, .gif, .gmp, .jpg and .wmf). A special page on the Bluetooth SIG website lists how to find the content on different devices, including PCs and PDAs.
Web developers can find all the necessary tools for implementing the TransSend button with the TransSend Developer Edition. The Developer Edition is available for free to SIG Associate and Promoter members.
