Leaked: Apple Internal Bluetooth
<a href="http://www.macrumors.com"; target="_blank">http://www.macrumors.com</a>;
[quote]
In a April 28, 2002 letter to the FCC from Apple Computer:
Apple Computer wishes to apply for a Limited Modular Approval of a 2.4 GHz BlueTooth Module. The module is to be used only in Apple manufactured computers including the Apple ibook and Apple Titanium. Two unique antennas are included in this application because of unique enclosure restrictions between the computers. Where applicable, data is provided for each antenna.
Test photos of a Titanium Powerbook are available on an FCC site. The test Powerbook is labeled P59, and what appears to be an external version of the Bluetooth module. The photo is dated from May 2002. Of interest, the leaked PowerMac photos were labeled as Apple P58 models.
Also available is the Apple Bluetooth instruction manual which states that "Your computer includes Bluetooth technology..." and also claims that you can synch data between your computer and Bluetooth-enabled Palm Powered handheld devices. Palm recently announced the release of Bluetooth enabled Palms.
This only confirms Apple's work on the technology, but it appears the work has been in progress for many months.
<hr></blockquote>
[ 11-02-2002: Message edited by: joek ]</p>
[quote]
In a April 28, 2002 letter to the FCC from Apple Computer:
Apple Computer wishes to apply for a Limited Modular Approval of a 2.4 GHz BlueTooth Module. The module is to be used only in Apple manufactured computers including the Apple ibook and Apple Titanium. Two unique antennas are included in this application because of unique enclosure restrictions between the computers. Where applicable, data is provided for each antenna.
Test photos of a Titanium Powerbook are available on an FCC site. The test Powerbook is labeled P59, and what appears to be an external version of the Bluetooth module. The photo is dated from May 2002. Of interest, the leaked PowerMac photos were labeled as Apple P58 models.
Also available is the Apple Bluetooth instruction manual which states that "Your computer includes Bluetooth technology..." and also claims that you can synch data between your computer and Bluetooth-enabled Palm Powered handheld devices. Palm recently announced the release of Bluetooth enabled Palms.
This only confirms Apple's work on the technology, but it appears the work has been in progress for many months.
<hr></blockquote>
[ 11-02-2002: Message edited by: joek ]</p>
Comments
cheers.
<strong>Bluetooth is supposed to be really cheap, and 2.4Ghz antennea are integrated into all their products already, so it might be coming to the actual Mobo. Wouldn't it be equally easy to roll bluetooth into the airport card?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Yeah, if Airport is free on all of the machines. Is it built-in now?
<strong>Was anyone able to snag a pic before the FCC site went down?</strong><hr></blockquote>
<a href="http://www.yourdailymac.com"; target="_blank">yourdailymac.com</a> has a shot of the powerbook image.
[ 11-02-2002: Message edited by: joek ]</p>
And in the other the new square power adaptor is used.
Does this mean that maybe Apple is working on a new aiport card that will work in all Powerbook G4s? Why else would they test the computer with the old power supply. Clearly this indicates that the card was tried with an original Powerbook G4
Here are the photos from <a href="http://www.macrumors.com"; target="_blank">Mac rumors.com</a>
Photo 1:
Photo 2:
(I hope the images work)
They are not testing Airport cards, they are testing Bluetooth which is the same frequency.
<strong>Bluetooth will most likely be built in but who knows?</strong><hr></blockquote>
If it is built in then why are they testing it as an external device? Don't get me wrong sure as heck wouldn't mind it being internal but given the FCC I'd think they would demand a test be made with the real hardware in it's real configuration.
As far as antenna... look at the size of those little usb bluetooth adapters... The antenna must be pretty small. I don't think bluetooth uses or needs the same kinda antenna as 802.11b
Dave
<strong>
If it is built in then why are they testing it as an external device? Don't get me wrong sure as heck wouldn't mind it being internal but given the FCC I'd think they would demand a test be made with the real hardware in it's real configuration.
As far as antenna... look at the size of those little usb bluetooth adapters... The antenna must be pretty small. I don't think bluetooth uses or needs the same kinda antenna as 802.11b
Dave</strong><hr></blockquote>
because it's a test and it's an old test. Also, it says 'external antenna included because of the restricted enclosure', makes me believe it's exterior just for the test. I think it will be enclosed. I thought I read somewhere that led me to believe they are inside.
<strong>Obviously! This might mean that a new aiport card will come out that will include bluetooth. and possibly the card will work in older powerbooks, ibooks etc</strong><hr></blockquote>
Cards like this already exist but this test isn't even a hint that Apple might use them. The cards are 802Blue or Blue802 (something like that) they 'seem' cool (dunno how well they work since they might not even be in production yet but to me if Apple was going to move to bluetooth this would have been the 'no brainer' way to do it... No hardware changes needed in any of the lines AND if bluetooth or 802.11b get updates (read 802.11g or bluetooth 1.2 or whatever) then Apple would just have to swap cards and not be forced into a mobo-redesign to support the new stuff.
All this only holds true if Blue802 really works well (and is available) and doesn't cost a ton more than the other options that are already open to Apple. Well that and 'politics'... maybe Apple has a special deal with those who already provide the 802.11 cards that preclude Apple from making the jump.
Having 802.11b or Bluetooth built onto the mobo doesn't really buy us anything special and in the end just keeps us locked in to 'whatever' versions of the wireless stuff that were available at the time Apple built the mobo/support chips.
Internal wireless yes but on the mobo/support chips... No thanks.
Dave
Barto
<strong>Personally, I think the lab is more interesting than the PowerBook. Very Matrix/Holodeck.
Barto</strong><hr></blockquote>
LOL
I was thinking the VERY SAME THING!!!
I want that lab! wonder what other kind of stuff they test there.
From the PDF: The radiated power of the OPTIONAL Apple Bluetooth module...
<img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
<strong>Now that I have read the PDF it looks like this will [i]
From the PDF: The radiated power of the OPTIONAL Apple Bluetooth module...
<img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>
Where is that exactly?
<strong>Now that I have read the PDF it looks like this will NOT be built into the laptops but an accessory ( i.e. DVI/ADC Adapter, Apple saw that people were buying the other ones so they offered their own )
From the PDF: The radiated power of the OPTIONAL Apple Bluetooth module...
<img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>
Why would those words imply that it is not built in? A lot of things are optional that are not built in...airport, ram, optical drive. Unless you are talking about it not being built into ALL models which is what the language indicates.
A little off topic: I think it's time that Apple ships all their computers - at least the mobile ones - with both Airport and Bluetooth standard. The best way to do it would be to integrate BT on the Airport card so that older Macs can be upgraded and to keep upgrading to future versions - i.e. IEEE 802.11g and its successors -simple.
<strong>
Why would those words imply that it is not built in? A lot of things are optional that are not built in...airport, ram, optical drive. Unless you are talking about it not being built into ALL models which is what the language indicates.</strong><hr></blockquote>
If this is optional... Doesn't it make sense that they would be working on something to replace the airport card??? Does this mean that I can upgrade my Ti 800 To bluetooth??? I hope so!