COMPUTERS AND MORE

• Why is It Called Bluetooth?

The developers of this wireless technology first used the name "Bluetooth" as a code name, but as time past, the name stuck.

The word "Bluetooth" is taken from the 10th century Danish King Harald Bluetooth. King Bluetooth had been influential in uniting Scandinavian Europe during an era when the region was torn apart by wars and feuding clans.

The founders of the Bluetooth SIG felt the name was fitting because:

1) Bluetooth technology was first developed in Scandinavia, and

2) Bluetooth technology is able to unite differing industries such as the cell phone, computing, and automotive markets. Bluetooth wireless technology simplifies and combines multiple forms of wireless communication into a single, secure, low-power, low-cost, globally available radio frequency.

• Where Did the Logo Come From?

A Scandinavian firm originally designed the logo at the time the SIG was formally introduced to the public. Keeping to the same origin as the Bluetooth name, the logo unites the Runic alphabetic characters "H", which looks similar to an asterisk, and a "B", which are the initials for Harald Bluetooth. If you look close enough you can see both embodied in the logo.