Hi All,
I'd received the following e-mail from TDK Systems support: Rather than deluging TDK systems with e-mails about the 7135, I thought it might be more appropriate to set up a poll here! If you would think it worth it to have a bluetooth adapter (one that would connect to the bottom of the phone, leaving the SDIO card free), and would give both bluetooth voice and data connectivity (which we can't do yet), please vote here! While price is an issue (I'd hope it would be well under $200), the question is more: Could you see yourself seriously thinking about purchasing this type of adapter?
-Mike
My letter to TDK systems:
Hello, I consider myself a power Palm user, currently using a TDK
bluetooth adapter on my m515. I'm looking forward to the
release of the Kyocera 7135 Smartphone, a hybrid Palm and
cellular phone system. Unfortunately, its one downside is a lack
of bluetooth functionality. To the best of my knowledge, the only
bluetooth solution for that phone is currently a secure digital
card, which won't support a headset profile (so bluetooth
headsets like mine, the Jabra FreeSpeak, won't work
without an additional adapter). Therefore, I was wondering if
TDK is planning on releasing a bluetooth "dongle" for the 7135,
which would allow bluetooth data support via the serial port,
but would also emulate a headset profile and route the voice to
the appropriate pins on the serial connecter. I can assure you
that many power users, like myself, would be incredibly
interested in such a solution. Thank you for your attention.
Their response:
Dear Michael,
I don't think we have looked into providing a Bluetooth product for this unit. However if demand were there we could undoubtedly make one using our AT Serial Adapter. I have forwarded your email internally, for consideration.
My reply to TDK systems:
Thank you for your reply! I've posted a survey on the Smartphone Source website
(http://www.smartphonesource.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4594) asking future 7135 owners whether they'd be interested in such a bluetooth adapter.
Thusfar, the response has been positive, and only 4% expressed a lack of interest in the adapter (14 were interested regardless of price, 14 if they felt the price was reasonable, and 14 were unsure). However, if you browse through the 7135 discussion archives, or search on the word "bluetooth", you'll note a substantial amount of discussion and hope that a voice and data bluetooth adapter would be available (and frustation that the only presently-available solution is either voice or data-only).
For more information on the upcoming Kyocera Smartphone (which is in the final approval stages for Verizon, est. release date Q1 2003, currently available in the US through Alltel and in Australia through Telstra), please visit www.smartphonesource.com or Kyocera's 7135 website at http://www.kyocera-wireless.com/showroom/showcase/coming_soon_7135.htm.
Thank you.
Please explain to me how this adapter would be better than the adaptor that comes with the Jabra Freespeak headset (non-bluetooth version). As I understand it, the adabtor that fits on the phone also would leave the SD card slot open.
1) The proposal is for BT that could be used Both by the Palm side and the Phone side (Jabra only supports the headset, SD card only supports Palm apps (we all think. No one who has one has confirmed that it doesn't have the headset profile, or that the phone can't access the functions, but we are all assuming so...).
2) I believe the idea was to make it a tight fitting connector--basically part of the phone when in use-- rather then a seperate device connected by a cable with it's own belt clip.
The Jabra one is OK, the cable is a twisty phone type cable so it compresses small but has lot's of stretch. In general, I think I will be able to leave it on my belt and still have the phone in hand when I want to use the palm functions, but I would prefer a "self-contained" unit.
So, things are moving along. I just got the following e-mail from my TDK contact:
Quote:
Thanks for your work on finding out the interest level. Do you know if a
GSM version of the handset is scheduled? The information I have read (I admit quickly) suggest that the 7135 is just CDMA.
If a GSM version is available, do you know where I might be able to borrow one to evaluate if we can modify one of our products to work with it? I would also need to PIN out information details.
Well, I've been having some interesting contacts with TDK. I hope they go with my idea! Just wanted to let you know where things are standing.
Quote:
From TDK Support:
Subject: Bluetooth (TDK Systems) query list update
Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 14:23:50 -0000
From: -----
Thank your for your email. Please accept my apology for the delay - which was due to the festive break and the subsequent resulting email backlog. At TDK we never say never. However, our current development roadmap do not entails such development plan. In other words, we have no immediate plans to develop such technology.
I hope this information is helps.
Quote:
My response in inquiry to that message, to my R&D contact:
Hi Michael,
This reply from TDK Support is correct; it is not in our current
roadmap. I'm not in Tech Support but in R&D and we are always on the look out for new things for Bluetooth.
I have received an Email from Kyocera that they currently do not have a GSM offering in the pipeline, this makes development of a product difficult for us as our Bluetooth R&D is in the UK. If you can think or a way round this please let me know.
Quote:
And my response:
Hmmm, that's a tough one. Perhaps you could look into building an adapter that uses custom plugs: A bluetooth adapter with pins for Data in, Data out, Data ground, Voice in, voice out, and voice ground... then, you could build a connector/adapter for virtually any smartphone for any platform, just making special connectors to link between the bluetooth adapter and the particular phone's hardware. Off the top of my head, that would be a great design idea, because it would be rather portable -- an individual like myself could purchase such a bluetooth adapter and the plug to connect it to my Kyo 7135, and later switch it to, for example, the T-mobile GSM smartphone seamlessly, by purchasing a new plug. You could either use a built-in battery, siphon off the voltage from RS-232 line, or have a regulator to adapt all smartphone voltages to the desired voltage. That would be quite an amazing product, and I have no doubt it would be a substantial source of income for TDK!
I'm very glad to hear that -- I just got an e-mail from TDK saying that they were not going to look into developing this adapter, because the phone isn't GSM, and they're based in England. I was wondering if I could be a part of that development -- I have expereience in EE & programming.
-Mike
As promised, here is an update. I personally love the idea .
As far as I can tell, no custom programming is necessary at all because it's not very difficult to build using reference Bluetooth specifications. I will go as far as to try to build the thing into a self-contained unit inside the connector based on a bluetooth chipset. I think it's plausible to make any Sprint phone fully enabled. Just perfect for the consumer backlash towards the lack of data cables .
The user will simply have to choose "Serial" profile on the Bluetooth client device.
Ironically enough, I'll probably use the same chip and very likely same software that TDK uses. There are a few options, however, that I think are more appealing (the fewer chips the better) so I'll look into whichever one requires least power.
P.S. I am not sure I'll be able to support Headset profile from the start, but we'll see. My highest priority is to make any Vision unit work for data initially. If I'll figure out a way to make it work both ways, and I do have a Headset reference spec already, I'll figure out how to please the earliest adopters.
I guess there's a market for 4 versions and the later 2 will be more appealing to you guys while the simpler ones could be for the mass market (the handsfree adapters are already available I think).
1. Serial unit ($X)
2. Handsfree unit ($X)
3. Serial + Handsfree ($X+$30)
4. Serial + Handsfree + PDA-specific serial module ($X+$50)
This would make the following options available (Tungsten T and Jabra are sample clients):
1. Tungsten + any supported phone
2. Jabra + any supported phone
3. Tungsten + Jabra + most supported phones (simultaneous serial + voice is less tested... but should be possible)
4. Any legacy supported PDA + Jabra + any supported phone
I think the option 4 would be of most interest. You woudl be able to use your high end legacy handheld (M-series is probably of most interest to many) with a Vision phone for a pretty competitive price. I'll make the thing adaptable. The palm side of things is more cumbersome though, so it won't look pretty in the beginning.
I'll build a prototype within the next 7 days hopefully.
Originally posted by wiseleo I guess there's a market for 4 versions and the later 2 will be more appealing to you guys while the simpler ones could be for the mass market (the handsfree adapters are already available I think).
1. Serial unit ($X)
2. Handsfree unit ($X)
3. Serial + Handsfree ($X+$30)
4. Serial + Handsfree + PDA-specific serial module ($X+$50)
This would make the following options available (Tungsten T and Jabra are sample clients):
1. Tungsten + any supported phone
2. Jabra + any supported phone
3. Tungsten + Jabra + most supported phones (simultaneous serial + voice is less tested... but should be possible)
4. Any legacy supported PDA + Jabra + any supported phone
I think the option 4 would be of most interest. You woudl be able to use your high end legacy handheld (M-series is probably of most interest to many) with a Vision phone for a pretty competitive price. I'll make the thing adaptable. The palm side of things is more cumbersome though, so it won't look pretty in the beginning.
I'll build a prototype within the next 7 days hopefully.
Leonid
Someone help me out here...what? I think the "Tungsten" and "Vision" examples are throwing me off here. Lets use "Kyocera 7135" as an example...
__________________
"Why all the pearls, why the blue hair, why anything!?"
I would say that this unit is of more use to those users who wish to use the phone+handheld combination.
A few 7135 customers will find themselves in that category as well, but my belief is that far more Vision customers would find this useful due to specific lack of a converged device.
What I would really be interested in is a bluetooth cradle for the phone. A cradle that could be adapted for desktop or car use!
The best use of bluetooth for this would be in a car, whether with a headset, handsfree kit, or for data. A cradle that provided bluetooth access as well as passing through power for the phone would be the ultimate accessory. The same would apply for a desktop version. If it would allow us to hotsync, although the bandwidth would make it slow, it would be good, too.
Given that the Kyocera data cable for the 7135 also works for the 2035, 2035a, 2027, 2119, 2119b, 2135, 2235, 2255, 2325, and 2345 phones, this would be a useful accessory for a lot more than smartphone users.
.
Someone help me out here...what? I think the "Tungsten" and "Vision" examples are throwing me off here. Lets use "Kyocera 7135" as an example...
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