[jws]

Bluetooth 4.0 LE - Non-paired communication in the 10s of meters range. Very low power. 250kbps or so max speed.

It could be useful for easily interacting with devices, e.g. thermostats, exercise monitors, televisions, cars…

There don't appear to be (m)any devices using it now. But it is in the phone, waiting.

[sudont]

Indeed. CSR has a nice-sounding SoC for this, but their dev program sucks for hackers. $10k for a seat? Blegh.

TI is a bit more friendly in this regard, see video in below link.

I'm interested to see if anyone could potentially implement a lightweight data format for send/receive to create an open system for communicating from app-to-mote. Right now, any iPhone receiver app on the store wouldn't be allowed to download any drivers, however a common application-layer protocol transmitting JSON would probably work. After all, it wouldn't be code, just rules on how to interpret it.

http://www.ti.com/tool/cc2540dk-mini#Related%20Products

[jws]

I've pondered a similar concept whenever I design an embedded system that needs a user interface. Provide a common formatted set of data (JSON say), a fallback interface (HTML,CSS,javascript), and an identifier for a better interface if the user's device can get to a network and snag an app or updated UI (URL).

Look at all the things around you in daily life with awful user interface devices, and yet you almost certainly carry a really nice UI device in your pocket and probably have a really great device in your bag.

[jordanhackworth]

UPnP already does this. It can even include a presentation URL.

[davidcann]

There's already a set of standard protocols for LE (such as heart rate) that are managed by the Bluetooth standards group. Their intention is to grow that list based on feedback from developers.

[samlittlewood]

That is good - $99 for an evaluation kit from TI. I used the CC2500 part a while ago for a hobby project with good results. Hmm - just using this to make a matchbox size robot would be feasible.

Also, interesting to see the chipcon parts carrying on with the 8051 CPU cores.

[mahyarm]

Wahoo fitness will be releasing a bluetooth 4.0 heart rate monitor soon.

http://www.wahoofitness.com/wahoo_blue/

[gonzo]

This is just OEMed from Dayton in Hong Kong.

They're < $35 in volume. Given that the Wahoo ANT+ Dongle is $16 in volume from the same OEM (Wahoo has their own firmware), one has to wonder how high the price for the HRM might be.

I fully expect Nike or Adidas to bring these to market, leveraging their very large channel and ability to take down more than the MOQ (5k pcs) to drop the price to around $45 at retail.