Bluetooth 3.0 and the PlayStation 3

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IGN: Today during its annual all-hands meeting, the Bluetooth Special Bluetooth technology, which is currently utilized by a number of devices ranging from smartphones to gaming systems, creates short-range wireless connections for peripherals, such as headsets and control devices. Bluetooth is similar to Wi-Fi in that they both use radio frequencies to exchange data between devices, however, the two protocols are mutually exclusive and each have their strengths and weaknesses. Bluetooth is renowned for its ability to make quick, efficient connections with minimal power consumption, while traditional 802.11 Wi-Fi is capable of achieving incredible transfer speeds at longer distances.

Naturally, it'll be quite some time before we see any Bluetooth 3.0 capable devices -- conservative estimates put the first products launching somewhere in early 2010 – but that hasn't stopped us from taking the prospective tech a step further and applying it to one of our favorite past times: gaming.

As it currently stands, only two current-generation consoles utilize Bluetooth technology: the Nintendo Wii and the PlayStation 3. The Wii uses Bluetooth in addition to infrared technology for its Wiimote controllers and little else, while the PS3, on the other hand, uses Bluetooth for voice communications, its SIXAXIS controllers, and integration with virtually any Bluetooth-compatible devices. As one of the biggest Bluetooth-friendly consoles currently in existence, the PlayStation 3 stands to gain the most from Bluetooth 3.0. With that in mind, we've opted to explore the potential applications of Bluetooth 3.0 in the PlayStation 3.

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