Brainboxes, the world leading PC communications card manufacturer, returned from a particularly successful Bluetooth Congress in Monte Carlo last week, to the excellent news that its PCMCIA and CompactFlash Bluetooth products had been upgraded to the Bluetooth 1.1 standard.

Bluetooth wireless technology has been refined over the last 2 years with standards being revised and updated by the dedicated Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). However, the SIG has now settled on the ‘1.1’ standard as the definitive one for the foreseeable future. Brainboxes, whose CompactFlash and PCMCIA cards were already approved to 1.0b standard, were pleased that their existing range was approved to the higher 1.1 standard without alteration. Stephen Evans, Marketing Director at Brainboxes, comments: “This is obviously confidence inspiring for new customers looking for a product that meets the most current standards, but also for customers who have already bought from us.”

Stephen saw the conference as one in which all the parties involved showed their commitment to the success of the technology: “The mood was very much one of quiet optimism. Members of the SIG are trying to shy away from the industry hype that has surrounded Bluetooth and concentrate on getting the technology right. Now that a definitive standard (Bluetooth 1.1 standard) has been established, we can all see what we’re aiming at, and progress without concerns over compatibility or obsolescence.”

The Bluetooth Congress, which like the world famous motor race is now held annually in Monte Carlo, is the largest of its kind in the world. Brainboxes exhibited their Bluetooth-enabled drinks vending machine successfully alongside products from other world leading electronics companies such as Nokia, Motorola, Palm and Ericsson. Stephen continues: “We were very pleased to see that a number of companies were using Brainboxes PCMCIA serial cards to test Bluetooth products. This obviously bodes well for us in the future, when companies start full production runs on Bluetooth products.”

Brainboxes continue to work hard to progress their involvement in the wireless technology, with three more products, the USB Adaptor, the Bluetooth Software Stack, the RS232 Adaptor all poised for Bluetooth SIG approval very soon. Stephen concludes: “This is a very exciting time to be working in the industry. At Brainboxes we are committed to seeing Bluetooth wireless technology revolutionise the way in which communication is undertaken.”