Bluetooth is a very simple type of wireless networking.
Allows devices to be connected together in a mini-network.

Bluetooth can be used to connect between a device that has internet connectivity and another device that does not, for example, you might use Bluetooth to connect from your PDA to your laptop, and then your laptop might use Wi-Fi to connect to a Wi-Fi router and from there you would be connected to the internet.

Sometimes when buying a PDA you may find yourself with an apparent 'either//or' choice - either buy a device with Bluetooth; or a device with Wi-Fi capability.
In such a case, it would seem at first glance that if you want to connect to the internet - especially while traveling out of your office, Wi-Fi would be a better choice.

However, this is not quite such a clear choice.
Wi-Fi 'hotspots' are few and far between. A much better approach might be to get Bluetooth on your PDA and also on your mobile phone and use Bluetooth to connect to your mobile phone and then connect through your mobile and out to the internet from there.

Wi-Fi is primarily used as an alternate to traditional cable based networks. It has a longer range than Bluetooth, and supports faster data transfer speeds, and so it might seem better than Bluetooth.

In reality, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi have different purposes. Bluetooth is intended for limited data transfer between many different types of devices, Wi-Fi is more focussed on faster data transfer between computers on a network.

If you're simply wanting to swap data between different devices in your office and elsewhere on a casual and occasional basis, then - assuming that the software and Bluetooth hardware is available - Bluetooth is probably a better choice for you.
If you need more range, and higher bandwidth; perhaps if you want to connect computers into your office LAN, then Wi-Fi is a better choice for you.

• Summary

Bluetooth promises to be a low cost, convenient, and simple way of enabling your various computer devices to talk to each other and to their peripherals.

The reality has yet to match the promise, but Bluetooth is becoming more widespread and functional every day.
Bluetooth is almost certainly in your future.
Bluetooth is not a competitor to Wi-Fi. It offers different functionality for different purposes.

A growing number of devices use Bluetooth

• Digital cameras and camcorders
• Printers
• Scanners
• Mobile Phones
• PDAs
• Laptops
• Keyboards / Mouse
• Headsets
• In-car handsfree kits
• GPS navigation receivers
• Home appliances (microwaves, washers, driers, refrigerators)

In addition, add on Bluetooth adapters are available for computers (eg with a USB interface) and for PDAs (eg SD cards).