My work with the Bluetooth wireless technology, which began long before it became Bluetooth, has been a privilege and an extremely rewarding experience. In 1997, when a few major players in the telecommunications and portable computing industries engaged in some initial discussions, no one could even dream of the unprecedented success the program was to enjoy a few years down the road. We all knew that there was a great need for a low-power, low-cost, short-range cable replacement, but from there to the overwhelmingly favorable industry and media response was a quantum leap.

The Bluetooth SIG managed from the beginning to focus on consumer requirements rather than just designing the technically best possible radio. A zero-cost license, good marketing (of course) and a bit of luck with the timing are always useful, too, when you want to establish a worldwide de facto standard.

Predictions from many independent sources, such as Frost & Sullivan, Cahners In-Stat, Merrill Lynch and many other research institutes, indicate that indeed the Bluetooth wireless technology will become a smashing success, with as many as 1.5 billion or more devices being equipped with Bluetooth wireless technology in the year 2005.

With tens of thousands of engineers around the world working on implementations and perhaps even hundreds of thousands of other people such as students and professionals becoming interested in this technology, it is easy to understand the need for the publication you have in your hands.

Written by people involved from the beginning in key roles to develop the Bluetooth specification, you will find the book to be most authoritative. Perhaps even more importantly, it is written in an easy-to-understand way, explaining a lot of the thinking behind the development of many chapters in the specification.

In short, Bluetooth Revealed: The Insider's Guide to an Open Specification for Global Wireless Communications provides an important source of easy-to-access information about this new and exciting technology.

I look forward to seeing you in my "piconet" soon!