King Harald Bluetooth of Denmark made history by uniting his kingdom with Norway in the tenth century.

Hundreds of years later, a new Bluetooth is making its own reputation by bringing together electronic devices through wireless technology.

Named in honor of King Harald, Bluetooth technology was developed by Ericsson, a Swedish telecommunications company, as a means of eliminating cumbersome cable connections between portable electronic devices, such as laptops, mobile phones, and digital cameras.

Data normally shared through these cables is instead communicated through the medium of radio waves.

These waves can be transmitted up to distances of 10 m, seeking out and connecting with other wireless devices.

Bluetooth isn’t a heavy power consumer, it doesn’t require any expensive hardware, and it sets up networks quickly and easily.

There are a myriad of conveniences we can enjoy thanks to Bluetooth:

We can talk on our mobile phones through wireless headsets while walking or driving; keyboards and mouses can be connected to our computers without wires, allowing for more flexibility and freedom of movement while we’re confined to our desks; and we can transfer music files to our iPods with ease or effortlessly download photos from our digital cameras.

Bluetooth technology is also a factor in the facilitation of social networking, allowing strangers to exchange personal profiles, messages, or business cards by sensing all other Bluetooth-enabled devices in range and automatically establishing temporary networks.

However, the ease with which Bluetooth creates connections can also be the source of some security concerns.

Bluejacking is the practice of sending anonymous text messages that resemble system-generated warnings.

It’s a harmless prank but can be distressing to inexperienced users.

Bluesnarling is a more critical security threat.

If hackers manage to covertly create a connection through Bluetooth, they can take control of your wireless device and use it as a vehicle for transmitting viruses.

Practices that can prevent this type of threat include turning off Bluetooth when your device is not in use and hiding your device from unknown Bluetooth users by switching off the discovery mode.

Firewalls and anti-virus software can also be installed for enhanced safety.

Despite these security challenges, Bluetooth continues to reign as the industry standard for wireless technology, making it easier than ever to bring together all our portable electronic devices.