Learn and Teach

BLE pairing vs. bonding Just a quick write up on the difference between pairing and bonding, since these terms get used interchangeably. I think this has to do with the usage of ‘pairing’ in Bluetooth Classic, or BR/EDR. As far as Bluetooth LE is concerned, pairing and bonding are two very distinct things. The short explanations are that pairing is the exchange of security features each device has, and creating temporary encryption. Bonding is the exchange of long term keys AFTER PAIRING HAS OCCURRED, and STORING THOSE KEYS FOR LATER USE. Pairing is not the creation of permanent security between devices, that  is called bonding. Pairing is the mechanism that allows bonding to occur. Pairing Pairing is the exchange of security features. This includes things like i/o capabilities, requirement for man-in-the-middle protection, etc. The client side begins this exchange. The client essentially says ‘hey, i’d like it if you had these features’. The server replies,...

What are the latest features of Bluetooth 5.0 version Technology? While Bluetooth 5, won’t be rolled out until late 2016 or early 2017, it has brought forth some significant improvements to the existing specification in terms of speed, range, broadcasting capacity when compared to Bluetooth v4.2. Let’s take a look at these features in detail: Quadruple the range Bluetooth 5 will offer four times the range of its predecessors. This extended range also means that Bluetooth will now be able to replace WiFi as a communication technology for most IoT applications. For example, it will provide users with full control over their  smart home products , right from light-bulbs to smart locks, from anywhere in their home. Thus, Bluetooth 5 effectively removes the main advantage of using power-hungry Wi-Fi to control smart home devices, and makes the more efficient BLE a better choice. Particularly because, in addition to reduced infrastructure costs (no access points or routers r...

The Samsung Galaxy S8 is about the first smartphone to feature Bluetooth 5, the latest standard of the wireless transmission technology. The Sony Xperia Z Premium will also have it, but it’s not due for a while yet. So what, you say? Well, it’s pretty neat and has plenty of new features, such as being twice as fast as the previous version, four times the range range (1000 feet) and more, providing you have devices capable of making the most of it. This has allowed Samsung to come up with something it calls Bluetooth Dual Audio, specified by Samsung on its website but hardly reported. And Bluetooth Dual Audio is even cooler. If you have memories of sharing earbuds with someone special so you can both listen to the same track, those memories are probably warm and rosy, tempered only by the lack of stereo available to both parties. So how much better would it be if you could both connect your own Bluetooth headphones to the same phone at the same time and stream the music to...