"thuss" wrote in message
ups.com...
When we built the device we considered both Bluetooth and 802.11. One
of our requirements was supporting multiple devices simultaneously
wirelessly (mainly laptops but also PDA's). Bluetooth can't do that
using the serial profile. You can only have one device (with the serial
profile) connected to the server at a time (like a virtual serial
cable).

Yes and no. The serial profile is indeed a point to point connection. But a
BT module as we use, can setup multiple serial profile connections at the
same time, thus making it possible to "connect" more than one device.

At around the same time we were talking with some interested parties
(mostly in the US) and all of them already had laptops with 802.11 and
a few had wireless PDA's, the majority with 802.11. In the US Bluetooth
hasn't taken off nearly as much as I would have hoped.

A pity indeed. Especially if you know how 802.11 drains the batteries of a
PDA. Using a 802.11 connection on a PDA for continuous navigation will give
you 2 hours of service maximum.

Meindert