We all have used Bluetooth Technology, and its logo is also quite well known. However, do you know the origin of the word Bluetooth, and the reason why its logo looks how its looks? The Bluetooth technology was originally developed by Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (commonly known as Ericsson) and is presently used in many different products developed by several manufacturers.
The word Bluetooth and its logo and the composite mark (above) are registered trademarks of Bluetooth Special Interest Group (Bluetooth SIG). It is a Kirkland, Washington-based not-for-profit standards organization that oversees the development of Bluetooth standards and the licensing of the Bluetooth technologies and trademarks to manufacturers.
They do not manufacture any Bluetooth-enabled devices; it is responsible for licensing the Bluetooth trademarks to companies that are incorporating Bluetooth technology in their products.
The word Bluetooth traces its origin to 10th Century King of Norway and Denmark Harald “Bluetooth” Gormsson, who is believed to have lived in Denmark around 910-940 AD, credited for uniting the then warring Scandinavian tribes.
In 1996, when erstwhile major players of the industry Intel, Ericsson, and Nokia, collaborated to standardize the use of short-range radio technology enabling connectivity between mobile phones and notebooks to other devices using the short-range, low-power, and inexpensive wireless radios
, Jim Kardach, the founding chairman of BLUETOOTH SIG, suggested “Bluetooth” as a temporary code name for all. Kardach quoted “King Harald Bluetooth was famous for uniting Scandinavia just as we intended to unite the PC and cellular industries with a short-range wireless link.
The Bluetooth Logo also comprises the alphabet H and B initials of Harald Bluetooth.
FAQs
It was the epithet of King Harald Bluetooth, who united the disparate Danish tribes into a single kingdom; Kardach chose the name to imply that Bluetooth similarly unites communication protocols. The Bluetooth logo is a bind rune merging the Younger Futhark runes (ᚼ, Hagall) and (ᛒ, Bjarkan), Harald's initials.
What is the origin of the Bluetooth name and symbol? ›
The Bluetooth wireless specification design was named after the king in 1997, based on an analogy that the technology would unite devices the way Harald Bluetooth united the tribes of Denmark into a single kingdom. The Bluetooth logo consists of a Younger Futhark bind rune for his initials, H (ᚼ) and B (ᛒ).
What is the history of Bluetooth? ›
Invention of Bluetooth: Bluetooth technology was invented by Dr. Jaap Haartsen, a Dutch engineer, in 1994 while working at Ericsson, a telecommunications company in Sweden. It was initially intended as a wireless replacement for RS-232 data cables.
What does Bluetooth mean? ›
Bluetooth is a technology standard used to enable short-range wireless communication between electronic devices. Since Bluetooth operates on radio frequencies, rather than the infrared spectrum used by traditional remote controls, devices using this technology do not have to maintain a line of sight to communicate.
What is the Germanic letter in the Bluetooth logo? ›
The initials of the Danish king Harald Blåtand, the letter Hagall (ᚼ) and the letter Bjarkan (ᛒ), were taken from the alphabet and combined to form the famous symbol we all know today. The Bluetooth standard was officially launched in 1998 and the first Bluetooth mobiles were designed by Ericsson in 1999.
What is the symbol of the Bluetooth logo? ›
The Bluetooth logo is a bind rune merging the Younger Futhark runes (Hagall) (ᚼ) and (Bjarkan) (ᛒ), Harald's initials.
What is the secret of the Bluetooth logo? ›
It turns out the logo design actually contains two letters. What you're looking at is a superimposition of the Nordic runes for the letters H and B (below), for 'Harald Bluetooth' (below). We love a good old hidden logo message – and from Gillette to Walmart, we've seen plenty of them lately.
Who invented Bluetooth first? ›
What was it called before Bluetooth? ›
Initially, Intel called its technology “Biz-RF,” while Ericsson called its mechanism “MC-Link” and Nokia used the terms “'Low Power-RF.” Then longtime Intel engineer Jim Kardach proposed that the name Bluetooth be used — at least temporarily.
What is a fun fact about Bluetooth? ›
2) Bluetooth is Named after a Viking
Bengtsson, which is set in the Viking Age and includes Harald “Blåtand” Gormsson, King of Denmark and Norway. The Anglicised version of Harald “Blåtand” is Harald Bluetooth. He's known for uniting dissonant Viking tribes into the Kingdom of Denmark.
Turn Bluetooth off when not in use. Keeping it active enables hackers to discover what other devices you connected to before, spoof one of those devices, and gain access to your device. If you connect your mobile phone to a rental car, the phone's data may get shared with the car.
What is Bluetooth's very short answer? ›
Bluetooth is a wireless technology that uses a radio frequency to share data over a short distance, eliminating the need for wires. You can use Bluetooth on your mobile device to share documents or to connect with other Bluetooth-enabled devices.
Should you turn Bluetooth off when not in use? ›
In conclusion, disabling Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when not in use is a simple yet effective practice to enhance the security of your mobile device and conserve battery life. Hackers are constantly looking for vulnerabilities in wireless communication technologies, and leaving Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled when not in use can ...
What is the story behind the Bluetooth logo? ›
The logo is actually the initials of Harald Bluetooth in Old Norse runic symbols. The merging of these two runic letters has a double meaning.
Is the Bluetooth symbol a Viking symbol? ›
Reading the runesThe Bluetooth logo combines the H and B runes from the Younger Futhark runic system, used in the Viking age. The first time King Harald was given the nickname Blåtand (Bluetooth) is in the Roskilde Chronicle, a 12th-century Latin text probably written by a monk from eastern Denmark.
How did the name Bluetooth come? ›
Bluetooth was named after a tenth-century king, Harald Bluetooth, King of Denmark and Norway. (Also known as Harald Bluetooth Gormson or Harald I of Denmark) Bluetooth is an anglicized version of Harald Blaatand, who was known for his unification of previously warring tribes from Denmark (including now Swedish Scania).
What language is the Bluetooth symbol? ›
That Iconic Bluetooth Symbol
As Kardach mentioned, the translation of Old Norse runes is required to dig down into the origins of the Bluetooth symbol . The logo is actually the initials of Harald Bluetooth in Old Norse runic symbols.
What is the registered symbol for Bluetooth? ›
The registered trademark symbol “®” should immediately follow the Bluetooth Primary Trademarks whenever they appear on product packaging, products, web pages, marketing pieces, and in text. After the first and most prominent use, the “®” symbol may be omitted from the word mark .
What is the Bluetooth logo on a product? ›
Using the Bluetooth®-Logo correctly – what needs to be considered? To ensure that a product is legally safe and correctly marked with the Bluetooth® trademark or logo, three criteria must be met: The company must be a member of the Bluetooth® SIG. The product must successfully pass the Bluetooth® Qualification Process.
What Bluetooth represents? ›
Bluetooth short-range wireless technology enables two devices to connect directly without requiring supporting network infrastructure such as a wireless router or access point.
