We’ve all been reaping the benefits of Bluetooth for years, but one thing you may not know is there’s actually a hidden meaning behind the wireless technology’s iconic logo and name.
Bluetooth has been a lifesaver in the world of electronics ever since it was first launched 28 years ago.
Designed to easily allow the exchanging of data between devices over short distances, its use knows no bounds, from sharing photos with a mate to driving the use of wireless headphones.
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It’s also to blame for the occasional X-rated mishap - just ask the woman who recently accidentally blasted porn through her neighbours’ speakers. Whoops.
Considering its widespread use, most people will instantly recognise the spiky ‘B’ logo and the Bluetooth name - but do you know what it really means?
The answer to this question is revealed on the Bluetooth website, where it explains that the name dates back more than a millennia to King Harald ‘Bluetooth’ Gormsson.
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As the son of King Gorm the Old and of Thyra Dannebod, Harald ruled as king of Denmark and Norway starting all the way back in the year 958.
For those who are wondering what this guy has to do with wireless technology, Bluetooth said that Harald was known for two things: uniting Denmark and Norway and his dead tooth, which was a dark blue/grey colour, earning him his nickname of Bluetooth.
The idea was pitched in a meeting between industry leaders Intel, Ericsson, and Nokia, who got together in 1996 to plan the standardisation of the wireless technology.
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During the meeting, Intel’s Jim Kardach suggested Bluetooth as a temporary code name, and was quoted as saying: “King Harald Bluetooth… was famous for uniting Scandinavia just as we intended to unite the PC and cellular industries with a short-range wireless link.”
The company went on to say that it was only supposed to be a temporary placeholder title until the marketing department could ‘come up with something really cool’.
They were going to go with RadioWire or PAN (Personal Area Networking), but due to them already being too well known and trademarking issues, Bluetooth was the only choice.
No doubt they’re now glad they were backed into a corner, as the moniker soon caught on, becoming the household name it is today.
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And as for the symbol?
Well, it’s a combination of two runes - letters from various early German languages used before the adoption of the Latin alphabet.
The runes in Bluetooth’s logo are Hagall (ᚼ) and Bjarkan (ᛒ), both King Harald’s initials.
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Cool, huh? You learn something new everyday.
Topics: Technology
Daisy Phillipson