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Wi-Fi standard and Bluetooth make perfect couple

And we all thought it wouldn't work...

By Heather McLean

Published: 19 September 2001 12:29 BST

Toshiba is to release a laptop containing both the well-loved Wi-Fi standard, 802.11b and the less popular Bluetooth.

A Toshiba spokesman said the company sees the two protocols as complementary to each other and not competing as expected.

The company claims Bluetooth's function as a cable replacement plus Wi-Fi's use as a wireless, high-speed connection to LANs is a perfect match.

Tecra 9000 and Portege 4000 notebook releases from Toshiba have the protocols embedded yet are unable to engage both standards at the same time.

Users have to choose which protocol to access at any given time by flicking a switch, due to the US Federal Communications Commission's competition rule - currently being lobbied against by both Bluetooth SIG and the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance.

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