News and press releases

Bluegiga News - January 20th 2003

ESPOO, Finland
Bluegiga, a Finnish company that develops and markets wireless local-area network technologies, is releasing on the market a very small Bluetooth module aimed at device manufacturers. The module offers manufacturers a quick and easy way to integrate a wireless short-range data transfer link into its own products. The working range of the module reaches over one hundred meters, and it is capable of handling both data and voice. The customer can also develop small applications for the module. The module is based on Cambridge Silicon Radio's (CSR) BlueCore2� chip set. The WRAP THOR� module by Bluegiga is available at this date.

The release of the WRAP THOR complements Bluegiga's already comprehensive WRAP product line (Wireless Remote Access Platform), which includes products for "cutting a RS-232 cable" as well as Access Server for connecting Bluetooth equipment to the Internet or GSM/GPRS networks.

"Our WRAP THOR module offers device manufacturers the possibility to make their own equipment wireless, and to connect them to networks and to each other. Bluetooth technology is the most reliable alternative for this purpose on the market, because of its good level of data security and its application support. Furthermore, the pricing of the module allows for cost-efficient implementation of wirelessness. The most probable use for a WRAP THOR module is to e.g. expand the capabilities of any given machine or device in such a way that data transfers, updates, etc. can, in future, be made wirelessly instead of using traditional serial cables," says Bluegiga General Manager Tom Nordman.

The module is targeting the markets for different transportation and logistics applications, hand-held and industrial computers, industrial instruments, bar-code readers, and Symbian-based 3G mobile telephone accessories, among others. Bluegiga offers complete software interfaces, reference solutions, and design services for the aforementioned application environments.

Bluegiga's strategy is to market comprehensive solutions consisting of both the hardware and the appropriate communications software. The WRAP THOR module is supplied with all the necessary software components for using Bluetooth. This can cut down on the customer's product development time significantly. "At best, we have integrated a WRAP THOR module into our customer's device with a couple of hours' work, so implementing Bluetooth really has become simple and cost-efficient," says Teemu Vainio, Technical Product Manager for the WRAP THOR module.

Bluegiga Technologies, Inc.
Located in Espoo, Bluegiga Technologies Inc. works in integrating and commercializing wireless machine communications solutions. Bluegiga's application-ready Bluetooth products allow the development of remote monitoring and surveillance applications to suit the customer's needs. With this new generation of data communications solutions, machines and other equipment can cost-efficiently be supervised remotely - any place, any time. Bluegiga's goal is to help its customers develop wireless remote operation solutions, which in turn will help companies monitor their machines and devices more effectively than before. Further information on the company and its products can be found at . You can also send enquiries via e-mail to [email protected].

Bluetooth
Bluetooth wireless technology is a worldwide specification for a small-form factor, low-cost radio solution that provides links between mobile computers, mobile phones, other portable handheld devices, industrial instruments and connectivity to the Internet and other Wide-area networks like GPRS. The specification is developed, published and promoted by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG).

More information concerning the Bluetooth standard can be found on the SIGs site at http://www.bluetooth.com.

Contacts:
Bluegiga: - Tom Nordman, General Manager, e-mail: [email protected], tel: +35840-7769983